topic Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses in EF & RF Lenses

What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

March411 — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 14:52:16 GMT

The topic continues to show up and we always get a couple of responses. I'm hoping this thread will build a consensus from the members that frequent the community to assist guests that come to the site looking for assistance.

I do use a high quality clear filter (B+W) when I am shooting in areas where dirt, sand or water may be thrown onto the front element of the lens.

For the most part I don't use any filters unless I'm looking to achieve a special effect. Three I always have with me are infrared (IR), Graduated Neutral Density (GND) or Circular Polarizer (CPL). These normally get mounted in the field. I always use a hood, mostly to protect the front element against damage.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

shadowsports — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:23:23 GMT

Marc,

Good morning. I have (keep) a clear lens filter on every lens I own. Just for protection. I use hoods also, except at night. I don't use IR, CPL or GND filters, but those are beneficial too. I'm lazy in this regard. I've learned the value of using ND filters on a cinema camera that doesn't have built-in ND's, but It's not something I generally mess with. However, if cinema is your thing, a variable ND can be an invaluable tool for exposure. I look forward to reading others comments and I think this thread will be very helpful for visitors 👍

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

ebiggs1 — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:38:15 GMT

"I do use a high quality clear filter (B+W) ..."

Same here. Otherwise I don't use filters since I am fairly competent using Photoshop. I generally consider filters to be obsolete. I can see a case for the ND. I have several even though I rarely use them. In fact, I have a rather extensive assortment of filters ( a couple dozen or so) mostly left over from my film days. A circular polarizer has perhaps some limited uses but Photoshop makes even it pretty obsolete.

One thing that seems to escape people is, filters screw off as easily as they screw on.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

justadude — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:54:33 GMT

Hey Marc,

I keep high quality UV filters on every one of my film lenses just because the coatings on those older lenses are not that great. Doesn't matter if I am shooting film, or if I slap one of those old lenses on my digital cameras, those filters stay on.

Digital lenses are a different story. While I have good UV filters to fit each lens, they are rarely on the lenses... unless like you, I am shooting where the dirt and sand is blowing around (I don't worry about water spray). I'll also put one on if I am hiking in an area where there is a lot of growth (brush) where there is a chance of a stray branch on a narrow path poking the front element (Yes, I learned this one the hard way about 20 years ago, and it was my best lens at the time).

In general they are off though. I don't like the added reflections when I am shooting at night (pretty often), and I know I am likely to forget to take it off if there was one on there - so I leave them off. I'm also concerned about not having the extra piece of glass in front of the lens. I know that image quality doesn't suffer much at all with a good filter, but if a client wants very large prints, such as some 84" ones last year, every little bit that I can do to improve IQ helps. I feel the lens hood alone offers plenty of protection under general conditions.

What filters I do use frequently...
* Various ND or graduated ND filters (the 6" x 4" variety)
* CPL - but only under very hazy conditions by large bodies of water
* Infrared (850nm, 720nm, 665nm, 590nm & IR Chrome... all five for digital, the first two only for film)

So I didn't know you were into infrared photography. I've been heavily into it since the mid-1980's. Now I have to ask out of curiosity, since by what you said it sounds like just one IR filter, which filter do you use? And do you have a converted camera, or non-converted? I still shoot both ways - I like the crispness of fast exposures with a converted camera, and the soft dreaminess of a long exposure on a non-converted camera. Well, I guess that I shoot all three ways if you count infrared film.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

March411 — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:45:46 GMT

Right now I am using the B+W 092 (695nm) and 093 (830nm) filters and the Hoya R72 (720nm) on my RF15-35mm F2.8 and RF24-70mm F2.8.

It's fairly new to me, I'm in the learning stages and mostly landscapes. I love the different visual perspective it offers and deep contrast.

I haven't converted a body yet but when the R7 MkII is released I was considering converting my R50.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

Waddizzle — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:41:58 GMT

Good morning, Marc.

same here. I use B+W Nano Clear filters on all my lenses. I just want to keep the front element clean. I often find myself in outdoor environments with lots of airborne particles. Dust. Pollen. Smoke. Dust. Ocean Spray. Smoke is the worst because it’s hot and tends to coat things. Smoke from BBQ festivals.

I think UV filters are totally obsolete for digital cameras. I rarely use a CPL filter, even though landscape photography is my favorite hobby. If I do, then I am using a tripod. I focus without it, and then take the shot with it.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

SignifDigits — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 21:39:37 GMT

Mostly mid-range Hoya UV lenses stay on for dust protection until I'm doing serious shooting. This group convinced me to stop shooting with them on. When I think I might use them on I am shooting either B+W nano MC clear, or (new and trying out as their specs are quite good) a couple Exus Mark II clear MC protectors. I haven't used CPLs, but thinking of trying them to see if can get reduction that pesky haze on some of the Appalachian and Allegheny mountain shots I hope to capture over the next few years.

Thanks for the tip of focus without the CPL, shoot with Waddizzle. I'm curious what situations you would use the CPL and whether my use case of haze is one of them.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

Waddizzle — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 22:04:45 GMT

“ Thanks for the tip of focus without the CPL, shoot with Waddizzle. I'm curious what situations you would use the CPL and whether my use case of haze is one of them. “

I don’t often have reason to use a CPL filter. I used use them whenever I was capturing images with a lot of water in the scene. I had a belief that I needed to see below the surface of the water, even though the water wasn’t the subject of the photo.

So, I pretty much stopped using them. The only times I used one in the last few years has been at a zoo with a pond containing exotic fish.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

TomRamsey — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 22:37:13 GMT

I pretty much do not use filters. No matter how good a filter is, it is an extra piece of glass that light is going through. I have some CPL and ND filters, but haven't used any for a least a couple of years and rarely if at all. I don't often shoot in conditions where they would possibly be useful. I always use hoods, which do offer some protection without any possible side effects. I know some people with monochrome sensor cameras that do use some color filters for effects, that's a different thing.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

justadude — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 23:52:01 GMT

Marc,

How is the 695nm working out? That's right on the edge of what works with non-converted cameras.

You are working with two lenses that don't score well on the Lens Hotspot Database. Are you getting much of a hotspot on either? While the list is fairly accurate, they sometimes miss.

It's nice giving life back to an older camera by converting it. I think the R50 would be great. I did that with my old 60D, and kept using it until I bought the R8 and converted it. I think you'll like some of the colors you can get with the lower bandwidth filters.

Not saying you need it, but if you have any questions since you said it is fairly new to you, just drop me a message. I've helped many people who were learning this type of photography, and it's one of those subjects that I could talk about for hours.

Quick shot below taken a couple days ago while walking through the woods near the lakeshore. This was with the 590nm filter and the RF 35mm f/1.8 lens. It was completely overcast that day, which makes it difficult, but I did a custom WB against the snow, and it worked quite well.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

justadude — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 23:56:28 GMT

"I'm curious what situations you would use the CPL and whether my use case of haze is one of them."

I know you weren't asking me, but I'll offer my two cents. Haze is the only reason I use them these days. A hazy day by the Great Lakes, they really help quite a bit. When I lived in Colorado, and when I visited again last year, the CPL was on my lenses just about every time we went up into the mountains. They really help keeping distant peaks from being washed out against the closer peaks.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

March411 — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:07:54 GMT

My results this far have been mixed and I have been sidelined because of weather and a new hip. I would say that right now I haven't been overjoyed with the results but you have pointed out why I may be having some challenges.

I'll most likely be reaching out to your for some help and I appreciate the offer.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

SignifDigits — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 12:45:35 GMT

Always happy to get any advice. Sounds like my application for using the CPL. Thanks!

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

ebiggs1 — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:56:56 GMT

" I know some people with monochrome sensor cameras that do use some color filters for effects, that's a different thing."

They should learn how to use Photoshop. Photoshop editing adjustments offer greater precision and flexibility than a fixed spec color filter. The only one that is difficult do miminc in PS is the ND.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

justadude — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 20:42:31 GMT

"The only one that is difficult do miminc in PS is the ND"

Add the infrared filters to this. You can do fake infrared in Photoshop, but to people that shoot infrared, the fake IR stands out pretty badly.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

ebiggs1 — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:39:32 GMT

"You can do fake infrared in Photoshop, but to people that shoot infrared, the fake IR stands out pretty badly."

Any filter effect in Photoshop depends on how adapt the user is at using PS. I am good at PS but I have friends that use it for their living which make me look like rank beginner. I doubt anyone with less PS experience could tell if it was real or if it was PS.

And, "The only one that is difficult do miminc in PS is the ND", not impossible just more difficult especially if the location where you are shooting is difficult. I.E., if the camera can't get the shot you can't edit it in PS.

The fact that it is more and more difficult, to even impossible, to tell if an image has been altered or edited in PS, or is in fact 'as shot' is going to be a problem in the future. A real problem. You can see this already going on and it is only in its infancy now.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

SignifDigits — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:10:38 GMT

Filters are an interesting and controversial subject, especially when brands are brought up and specifications. There really just a few primary manufacturers of the glass:

Schott (Germany - generally considered the best - owned by Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
Hoya (Japan)
AGC (Asahi Glass Company - Japan)
NiSi (China)

Depending up on the grade you could easily find more than one of these within a company product line. Hoya is rumored to have used Schott B270 glass in their NXT Plus filters. And since Hoya manufactures glass I think that's pretty high praise for Schott glass. So my filter selection is limited to those using Schott glass. Schott, like many others, offers varieties - B270 being the most commonly used, but also Xensation and BK7 (the latter two used by Marumi, as well as B270).

Anyway, in trusting glass to be "flat" (and parallel) I am personally persuaded that Schott delivers that most consistently. I believe those that use Schott glass include (definitely not a full list):

B+W (MRC and Nano)
Heliopan (may be the the only brand is 100% Schott glass)
Breakthrough (X3 and X4)
Marumi (Exus Mark II Lens Protect, DHG Super Lens Protect, DHG ND 64)
Hoya (formerly NXT Plus, but perhaps not now)

So then it comes down to coatings for glass. That is most often outsourced on lower end filters. That doesn't mean it's bad. Zeiss may be the one doing the coatings for others, for instance and they are top-notch. Those that perform it in-house claim a "leg up" over the competition as their coatings are proprietary. Sometimes, no doubt, that is true. All of those that use Schott glass claim to perform their own in-house lens coatings. I would personally not hesitate to purchase any of those above, except Hoya.

I personally prefer Schott glass and no longer buy Hoya. That said, they would definitely be in second place.

Now that I went and spend all that $$ and energy on filters I pretty much screw them off first thing before I shoot. I might as well have bought the Amazon brand. But, since I'm imperfect and mess up all of the time and sometimes forget to screw them off, perhaps so good filters is a good thing! I've definitely experienced entropy, and sometimes even cause it for others.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

JFG — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:58:41 GMT

Good afternoon everyone,

Like shadowsports, I keep a good clear filter on every lens I own. I do it primarily to protect my lenses from dust, smudges, scratches, water, oils etc.. It's a personal choice to use a lens filter or not, and I respect all that use one or don't use one. Having said that I'd like to clarify that a high-quality clear filter that transmits 99% of light can affect sharpness, but whether you'll see the effect depends entirely on the filter's optical quality, not the light transmission number. Factors that actually affect sharpness are: 1) Glass quality, is the real defining factor. Cheap filters introduce micro-aberrations, reduced contrast, and softening. Premium filters (B+W, Hoya HD, Breakthrough, Canon Protect) use optically flat, polished glass that keep sharpness essentially unchanged. 2) Coatings: Multi-coated filters reduce flare and ghosting. Poor coatings give veiling haze and perceived softness. 3) Flatness and parallelism occurs when the filter isn't perfectly flat or parallel, it bends light slightly and softens fine details. This is the biggest difference between a $15 filter and $90 one. 4) Light transmission and sharpness: 99% transmission only tells you how much light passes through, it does not tell you: How flat the glass is; How well it's polished; How good the coatings are and whether it introduces aberrations. Real-world takeaway: High-end Clear/UV filters show No visible sharpness loss on modern sensors, even 45-60MP. Low-end filters give Noticeable softness, flare, and reduced contrast, especially shooting into light. lf you want protection without image degradation, stick to top-tier protective filters. I'm very careful with my stuff, however shet happens.

You baby your gear like it's a newborn made of glass and unicorn tears. You use lens caps religiously. You clean it with microfiber cloths softer than an angel wings. You store everything in padded bags that could survive low-orbit reentry, And then, the universe rolls its eyes. Because the moment you're extra careful, that's when the chaos gods clock in. You tip toe around puddles and step straight into one while saving the camera. You wrap the strap around your wrist three times and still manage to clothesline yourself. You check the lens cap twice and somehow shoot an entire session with it still on. You baby the lens and the cheap filter you added for "protection" decides to shatter out of spite. You set the camera down gently and gravity says, "Cute. Watch this". It's like the universel whispers, "Oh, you're being careful? Adorable. Let me introduce you to entropy." But hey, if nothing ever went wrong, we'd have fewer stories, fewer laughs, and way fewer reasons to buy new gear. And we photographers do love new gear.

CameraCarelesAMyth, HandledWithLoveDroppedByLife, EntropyHatesPhotographers, ShetHappensIn4K, MicroFiberAndMayhem, TheUniverseSaysHoldMyBeer, GearBab.ysitterPrlobems...

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

ebiggs1 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:21:36 GMT

"I believe those that use Schott glass include (definitely not a full list):

B+W (MRC and Nano)
Heliopan (may be the the only brand is 100% Schott glass)
Breakthrough (X3 and X4)
Marumi (Exus Mark II Lens Protect, DHG Super Lens Protect, DHG ND 64)
Hoya (formerly NXT Plus, but perhaps not now)"

You've used and tested all these brands of filters. My hat is off to you for that.

Re: What are your thoughts or practises as it pertains to using filters on your lenses

ebiggs1 — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:27:57 GMT

"But hey, if nothing ever went wrong, we'd have fewer stories, fewer laughs, and way fewer reasons to buy new gear."

OSHA used to come into the plant where I worked to check out all the machinery. After they got through with all the safety measures nobody got hurt on the equipment for sure. They made it so safe we couldn't use it. Perhaps not 100% camera/lens but it does demonstrate a point.