Go the cheapest way, DON'T USE filter at all.
Just use the hood at all time.
Go the cheapest way, DON'T USE filter at all.
Just use the hood at all time.
That's probably fine for a telephoto, but wide angle hoods aren't much protection are they?
I believe (well, it's claimed) that MRC versions of filters repell paritcles (water, dust, etc) better and clean easier.
Sinh Nhut Nguyen, (or Nate, I forget which you prefer), I respect you and your images more than you know, but if for thirty more dollars I can have peace of mind while walking around with a piece of L glass around my neck, then Im going to do it.
Oh, and I forgot to mention I will definitely want a filter because the first two uses of this new lens will be on the beach for a summer camp I'm actually attending (recreational images). And then the beaches of Lake Michigan for a jr. high summer camp that I'm shooting for a week. (First actual on-assignment images! [no pay but free food, transportation, and housing]). So while I know its not weather sealed and neither is my 20D, having a filter on there will provide the extra peace of mind I want.
Should I buy a pack of rain sleeves for beach shooting too? Or is that over the top? Just don't change lenses on the beach and I should be good? (Sorry for more and off topic questions)
-Rodger
Rodger,
Check out the Multi-coated UV filter from Promaster, they arerebadged Hoya HD series.
Re: rainsleeve. I live at the beach and shoot surfing and othershore front events almost every weekend. You dontneed a rainsleeve, but I would suggest a microfibre towel for cleaning the lens ofsea spray. You*can* switch lenses at the beach, just turn your back to the sea and the wind,and don't hot swap the lenses. Give thecamera agoodcleaning after any beach shoot
Originally Posted by Ehcalum
hot swap? is that just changing lenses without powering down?
Using that logic, the filter isn't necessary at all. The multiple coatings minimize internal reflection, which is an issue with digital cameras, as the sensor reflects some light out.
On a fine lens such as the one referenced, I'd limit my choices to two: either I put a darned good filter on the front (and for me, that's a B+W 010 UV MRC, no substitutions allowed) or I go filterless, period. Sometimes you have to save your money until you can buy the right thing, and that's life, and that's OK.
If you do decide to put a less-than-darned-good filter on the front of your lens, please promise that you won't post a single photo/thread regarding IQ of your lens. It's one thing to ask for advice (that's this thread), it's another to ask for help after you've gone against the advice given.
Back when I did live/theater sound&lights, I learned a hard lesson: except for speaker cabinets, everything I bought needed an additional 10-15% budget for a case. Once I accepted that reality, life became a lot smoother. It's the same here: budget an additional 10-25% for filters and cases (especially if you choose a lens that's a different filter size, as you'll be looking at polarizers and such).
We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.
That's EXACTLY what I was going to say.
You have my word, I will most likely be going with the filter I linked to earlier, but I will not post one bad thing about the IQ of the lens with the filter attached. Do you think IQ will take a substantial hit with the less-than-darned-good filter?
Honestly, I thinksome people put too much faith in filters as a protective device. You're talking about a piece of glass as if it were carbon fiber or ballistic nylon. If you drop your lens,you'd be lucky if the filter does anything to help. About the only thing a filter does is protect the front element from bumps and knocks. Putting one on and thinking you're protected is a dangerous, dangerous thing.
There is no substitute for careful handling and watching your surroundings.
A lens hood, in many ways, would actually be better than a filter, especially on a telephoto. They are bigger, have more impact resistance, won't shatter and send shards of glass flying into your front element,and do not impair image quality. The real reason why people use filters (other than for actual light modification) is that it (1) completes weather sealing on certain lenses, and (2) makes dust/grime easier to remove without damaging the front element coatings. A good photographer doesn't lull themselves into a false sense of security by putting a filter on, thinking that it's going to stop damage.
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