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Do UV filters reduce image quality?

TelePaul

Stupid question but does a UV filter reduce the quality of a shot? I've just got my first 'L' series lens and I've read about superior optics...but are these nullified by placing a cheap Hoya filter in front?

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Ricky91t

Iv heard some do.I remeber reading a thread on flickr and a man bought a 24-70 and a uv he was having seriosu trouble with it not focusing correctly and never though it was the UV he took it off and it worked perfect so there is a risk!
What L lens did you get?

Roen

Hornets nest!!!

TelePaul

ricky91t wrote: »

Iv heard some do.I remeber reading a thread on flickr and a man bought a 24-70 and a uv he was having seriosu trouble with it not focusing correctly and never though it was the UV he took it off and it worked perfect so there is a risk!
What L lens did you get?

17-40L

Ricky91t

http://flickr.com/groups/400d/discuss/72157606362991610/?search=uv+filter+reducing
http://flickr.com/groups/17099176@N00/discuss/72157603943104556/?search=uv+filter+reducing

2 results i found didnt read them but they seem to be asking what you are

And nice lens planning to get one of them at some point

TelePaul

Roen wrote: »

Hornets nest!!!

UH OH!!! I guess it's a logical question though. I know there's more to the optics than the front glass, but ti seems silly to spend hundred on a fine piece of glass only to slap an inferior piece in front of it.

Shiny

I remember reading in a Magazine that a certain photographer was maddened
when he saw people with an expensive lens and then a dirt cheap UV filter
shoved onto the end of it.

I was one of those people and never had any noticable problems but when
im buying again in the future I will probably get a midrange (€30?) UV Filter.

Ricky91t

Id go for the best you can afford,I know it more money but as you said its gonna go infront of good glass so it needs to be good glass

Fenster

Objectively, there will only be a noticeable difference when you shoot directly into a bright light source. When you do this, each additional layer of glass will increase observed flaring.

Subjectively, it's all a matter of your personal preference. I know my brother doesn't use UV filters at all as he claims it ruins his images (aircraft/long telephoto) while whenever I went out trekking I was traipsing through six kinds of mud and dirt.

Eye

I recently ran into this situation after purchasing my 70-200 2.8 L lens, i forgot to order a hoya pro uv filter and when the lens arrived i went toa few local shops but all they had in stock were the standard hoya uv's.

So i got one and thought it would be fine, that evening i go setup the lens and grab some sunset shots only to find relaly bad flares on almost all of the shots, did'nt occur to me that it might be the filter as during the day any shots were seemingly perfect.

I tried the following evening taking some more sunset shots, this time some with the filter and some with out the filter and then i took the pro uv filter off my other lens and tried that, results were that only the cheaper standard uv filter caused the flares, without a filter the lens was perfect and then with the pro uv it was again still perfect.

For me personally i will only buy and use the pro uv filters after that (have 2 spares now)

joolsveer

I have read that any filter placed in front of a lens will inevitably degrade the quality of the image so I tend not to use filters.

A random quote from http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/0031jj

Jeff White , Nov 25, 1998; 11:26 a.m.
Response to UV filter

Hello Dell, Every piece of glass used to make the image has an effect. I normally don't use Ansel Adams as a source but in one of his books, The Camera I believe, he reccomends that you not use a protective filter unless the potential for damage is high like in wind blown sand. All filters degrade the image somewhat but we use them because their benifit outways the negative things they do. I only use UV filters when the potential for UV light is high, for images with little or no UV light I don't use one. In LF the potential for damage is different than with a handheld camera. Normally the lens is only at risk while making a photograph, if I am walking around with a lens mounted I put the lens cap back on for piece of mind. So to answer your question if the image is degraded to any degree the answer is yes. It is a personal choice if you feel the protection outways the small degree of degradation.

Another view http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/B+W-UV-Filter.aspx

jackdaw

I think as long as you get a good filter you should be ok .. like a good B+W filter ...

Shiny

I almost never use the lens cap while carrying my camera, it just annoys me
and slows me down when i want a quick shot.

All the more reason to be using a UV filter I suppose.

BanzaiBk

Eye wrote: »

So i got one and thought it would be fine, that evening i go setup the lens and grab some sunset shots only to find relaly bad flares on almost all of the shots, did'nt occur to me that it might be the filter as during the day any shots were seemingly perfect.

For me personally i will only buy and use the pro uv filters after that (have 2 spares now)

I had exactly the same experience with my 70-200mm 2.8. Forgot to order the Hoyo Pro when I was living in the sticks (Hazleton, PA). Stuck on a Quantarary UV I had lying around and went to shoot the Pocono 500. From my vantage point, all but 5 photographs were ruined by flares:( I often walk around with no cap either so I've commited myself to the Pro filters from now on.

Fajitas!

jackdaw wrote: »

I think as long as you get a good filter you should be ok .. like a good B+W filter ...

Indeed.

I mean, it'll only degrade the IQ if you're pixel peeping - Which there's very rarely a need to. I use them on mine - I'd prefer an extra layer of glass to take the brunt of whatever comes my way than the front element, but then again, my lenses go through the wars. For what it's worth - I've been printing larger than A0 with UV filters on the lens, and no problems.

Easy solution - Buy good UV filters. B+W are the best you're going to get.

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