Do you use a UV filter on 110mm f/2?

[vivaldibow]

The topic of whether using a UV or not must have been discussed many times. But I just would like ask people here if you use a UV filter on the 110mm f/2 lens. My main purpose is lens protection, but I am concerned any glass added in front of the lens would degrade performance such as flare resistance, etc. If you happen to use a UV filter, can you please let me know which one you use and share some of your experience? Thanks.

 

[JimKasson]

The topic of whether using a UV or not must have been discussed many times. But I just would like ask people here if you use a UV filter on the 110mm f/2 lens. My main purpose is lens protection, but I am concerned any glass added in front of the lens would degrade performance such as flare resistance, etc. If you happen to use a UV filter, can you please let me know which one you use and share some of your experience? Thanks.

I don't use finger filters on any of my lenses. Filters can certainly adversely affect flare, and if you habitually have a filter on your lens and want to use a different filter, it's harder that just slapping the filter you want on the lens without having to remove the filter that's the insurance policy.

 

[vivaldibow]

The topic of whether using a UV or not must have been discussed many times. But I just would like ask people here if you use a UV filter on the 110mm f/2 lens. My main purpose is lens protection, but I am concerned any glass added in front of the lens would degrade performance such as flare resistance, etc. If you happen to use a UV filter, can you please let me know which one you use and share some of your experience? Thanks.

I don't use finger filters on any of my lenses. Filters can certainly adversely affect flare, and if you habitually have a filter on your lens and want to use a different filter, it's harder that just slapping the filter you want on the lens without having to remove the filter that's the insurance policy.

Thanks Jim. I may skip filter as well for this lens.

 

[Rodenmg]

Yes, but clear, not UV. I always use the lens hood also.

 

[Ap0ll0n]

I have Cokin Pure Harmonie Ultra Slim UV-MC filters in front of all my lenses. They are the slimmest you can find and actually some sizes have been discontinued (I may have been able to buy the last ones). I like my lenses to look as small as possible and for that reason alone, I never use hoods. Offers peace of mind and protects the lens, or rather prevents the lens from catching soft material, when rubbing against the interior of my, usually tight, bags. If I was a pro or when I may go to a place to do long exposures, the filter is out. Having compared with vs. without filters a few times, I have found 0 difference in IQ but my comparison hasn't been exhaustive of course.

--
Apollon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apollonas/

 

[marco1974]

I have Cokin Pure Harmonie Ultra Slim UV-MC filters in front of all my lenses. They are the slimmest you can find and actually some sizes have been discontinued (I may have been able to buy the last ones). I like my lenses to look as small as possible and for that reason alone, I never use hoods. Offers peace of mind and protects the lens, or rather prevents the lens from catching soft material, when rubbing against the interior of my, usually tight, bags. If I was a pro or when I may go to a place to do long exposures, the filter is out. Having compared with vs. without filters a few times, I have found 0 difference in IQ but my comparison hasn't been exhaustive of course.

I'd argue that using a lens hood is even more important when you're putting any kind of filter on, since having a flat glass surface up front, exposed to grazing light, just calls for flare and reduced contrast.

Having said that, I glanced at your Flickr gallery and you seem to be doing just fine. So... the proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say!

 

[Ap0ll0n]

I have Cokin Pure Harmonie Ultra Slim UV-MC filters in front of all my lenses. They are the slimmest you can find and actually some sizes have been discontinued (I may have been able to buy the last ones). I like my lenses to look as small as possible and for that reason alone, I never use hoods. Offers peace of mind and protects the lens, or rather prevents the lens from catching soft material, when rubbing against the interior of my, usually tight, bags. If I was a pro or when I may go to a place to do long exposures, the filter is out. Having compared with vs. without filters a few times, I have found 0 difference in IQ but my comparison hasn't been exhaustive of course.

I'd argue that using a lens hood is even more important when you're putting any kind of filter on, since having a flat glass surface up front, exposed to grazing light, just calls for flare and reduced contrast.

Absolutely! I am 100% in agreement that lens hoods are the best solution to this.

Having said that, I glanced at your Flickr gallery and you seem to be doing just fine. So... the proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say!

Thanks and looking forward to your Iceland photos!

 

[Jeff2013]

I used clear B+W premium filters on all my lenses until about six years ago when I realized that my lens hoods provide all the protection that I really need; and, my filters could lead to image degradation under certain conditions.

So now, I have a draw-full of premium filters in just about every size imaginable. I keep them around in case I will be shooting a mud wrestling contest or dirt bike event.

The GF 110mm has one of the deepest lens hoods I have ever seen, so I think you are good with that (in fact, I'll probably start using the shorter GF 80mm hood on this lens, when I receive it, this week, for most shooting, when I am not shooting directly into the light).

--
Jeff
Florida, USA
http://www.jefftitteringtonphoto.com

 

[Ap0ll0n]

Cool. I also find that using my hand as a hood does a good job too. We need a collapsible hood that can attach to any lens and collapse to nothing. Perhaps something that works with the Kase magnetic system.

Well, looks like this already exists!

Kase 95mm Magnetic Hood (No Adapter) 6508000013 B&H Photo Video (bhphotovideo.com)

 

[Greg7579]

This is an age-old question, and I thought I knew the answer for GFX and Hassy guys. That answer would be no way.

But I'm surprised that four prominent MF shooters here just surprised me and said that they use clear filters for lens protection. I would have thought that out of 200 MF guys, maybe 5 of them would do such a thing.

Knock on wood, I have a lot of GF glass and treat it more harshly than any of you and probably move it around more. I don't have a scratch on any lens surface on any GF lens. (I probably just jinxed myself on that issue.)

Could it happen? Yes, but that is one of those risks that get factored into life, like not wasting money on camera insurance.

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--
Greg Johnson, San Antonio, Texas
https://www.flickr.com/photos/139148982@N02/albums

 

[Rodenmg]

This is an age-old question, and I thought I knew the answer for GFX and Hassy guys. That answer would be no way.

But I'm surprised that four prominent MF shooters here just surprised me and said that they use clear filters for lens protection. I would have thought that out of 200 MF guys, maybe 5 of them would do such a thing.

Knock on wood, I have a lot of GF glass and treat it more harshly than any of you and probably move it around more. I don't have a scratch on any lens surface on any GF lens. (I probably just jinxed myself on that issue.)

Could it happen? Yes, but that is one of those risks that get factored into life, like not wasting money on camera insurance.

[Content deleted by moderator]

This one because I know, beyond any shadow of a doubt I’d end up screwing it up. And it didn’t come with a hood either!

I took the filter off for the photo. I found a small hood to fit it. Belts and suspenders.



--
... Mike, formerly known as Rod.
... https://www.flickr.com/photos/198581502@N02/

 

[CE88]

The only time in recent years I've used a UV filter for protection is when shooting at the ocean and there's a lot of salt spray (you can actually see it as mist in the air)!

 

[Ap0ll0n]

In order of my priority:

1. I don't want the lens rubbing against my bag interior and/or getting filled up with small pieces of clothing when doing so

2. I often leave the camera on a restaurant table and I don't want to worry if the kids will touch the lens with cutlery, keys etc. Similar, if I carry the camera on my side and I don't want the lens to touch a anyone's bag etc. Or when I take the camera out when on the bicycle in the woods.

3. When I am at the beach where there is salty water and sand, like when I took some beach photos even being inside the sea in Corfu.

Having said that, the filter stays off quite a bit of time too, especially when I may use my Kase filters. IF I ever see an IQ degradation, I will be getting rid of it and use caps, if I have to.

 

[Rodenmg]

But, I've never seen it. I realize I practically never shoot into the sun and I always use lens hoods. But on wide angles I really don't think hoods do much.

Please, if anyone has any examples of with and without a filter degrading an image I'd like to see it.

I'll bet Jim or some of you other guys with studios and all sort of lighting could test this.

--
... Mike, formerly known as Rod.
... https://www.flickr.com/photos/198581502@N02/

 

[JimKasson]

But, I've never seen it. I realize I practically never shoot into the sun and I always use lens hoods. But on wide angles I really don't think hoods do much.

Please, if anyone has any examples of with and without a filter degrading an image I'd like to see it.

I'll bet Jim or some of you other guys with studios and all sort of lighting could test this.

Flare and finger filters - the last word

For about 20 years, from the mid-fifties to the late seventies, I routinely used what I called "finger filters", either haze or UV. Coincidentally, about the time I got serious about making art and buying multi-kilobuck Zeiss and Schneider lenses, I stopped using the filters. There were a few...

blog.kasson.com

Flare from 3 UV filters - the last word

A few days ago, I posted a flare comparison of a Zeiss Otus 55 mm f/1.4 lens on a Sony a7RII with and without a 3-stop Hoya ND filter. Questions arose about the filter I used. Michael Demeyer said: I would also expect the quality of the filter to matter. For example, the Zeiss filters,

blog.kasson.com

Stacked filter reflections - the last word

For the last few posts, we've been looking at reflections introduced by adding UV filters to a Zeiss Otus 55 mm f/1.4 lens on a Sony a7RII. We've seen that all the tested UV filters cause reflections, that the detailed nature of the reflections (but not their position) changes with the brand of...

blog.kasson.com

 

[Rodenmg]

But, I've never seen it. I realize I practically never shoot into the sun and I always use lens hoods. But on wide angles I really don't think hoods do much.

Please, if anyone has any examples of with and without a filter degrading an image I'd like to see it.

I'll bet Jim or some of you other guys with studios and all sort of lighting could test this.

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/flare-and-finger-filters/

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/flare-from-3-uv-filters/

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/stacked-filter-reflections/

Well damn. You win.

 

[I_love_tacos]

The topic of whether using a UV or not must have been discussed many times. But I just would like ask people here if you use a UV filter on the 110mm f/2 lens. My main purpose is lens protection, but I am concerned any glass added in front of the lens would degrade performance such as flare resistance, etc. If you happen to use a UV filter, can you please let me know which one you use and share some of your experience? Thanks.

Every time you put a piece of glass between your lens and your subject, you risk degrading the image quality in unpredictable ways. In all the years I've been shooting I never once scratched or damaged a lens element for lack of having a filter.

--
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” —Albert Einstein

 

[dbateman]

I don't own the 110mm. But I wouldn't use a "protection filter " on it even if I did own it.

I wouldn't call these UV filters, as most allow lots of UV through.

The only lens I use a protection filter on is the Laowa 100mm 2x macro lens. It has an inner and outer barrel movement with lubricant between them, thats exposed to the world, if you don't have a filter on it. A filter is also good to avoid little bugs from crawling inside the lens.

The first bunch from Laowa lenses included a filter but now it seems its extra, as is the tripod colar.

 

[Manzur Fahim]

The topic of whether using a UV or not must have been discussed many times. But I just would like ask people here if you use a UV filter on the 110mm f/2 lens. My main purpose is lens protection, but I am concerned any glass added in front of the lens would degrade performance such as flare resistance, etc. If you happen to use a UV filter, can you please let me know which one you use and share some of your experience? Thanks.

I use filters with all my lenses. GF110mm is no different. I use B+W UV Master filters. Their UV filters have multi-layer coatings on both sides of the filter, and it is super easy to clean them. I'm happy with their 99.5% light transmission.

Also, they have a front filter thread too, if you want to add another filter on top.

--
IG: https://www.instagram.com/manzurfahim/
website: https://www.manzurfahim.com

 

[Rodenmg]

But, I've never seen it. I realize I practically never shoot into the sun and I always use lens hoods. But on wide angles I really don't think hoods do much.

Please, if anyone has any examples of with and without a filter degrading an image I'd like to see it.

I'll bet Jim or some of you other guys with studios and all sort of lighting could test this.

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/flare-and-finger-filters/

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/flare-from-3-uv-filters/

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/stacked-filter-reflections/

I won’t bore anyone with photos but what I saw was:

Trying to simulate shooting directly at a flash light I saw the same thing Jim did. Maybe slightly less noticeable than Jim’s but yea.

Going outside without the hood and shooting into the sun where the sun was fully in the corner of the frame there was some flare both with and without the filter. But less without the filter. When the sun was just out of the frame but, still falling directly on the front of the lens, I saw no flare with or without the filter.

My take away from this is the filter will stay on my lenses for protection and peace of mind. If I’m shooting flashlights or the sun is in the frame I might remove it.

YMMV and if in doubt, it’s pretty easy to test for yourself.

PS: this was shooting at f2. When I stopped down to f5.6 I saw no difference with or without in all conditions.

--
... Mike, formerly known as Rod.
... https://www.flickr.com/photos/198581502@N02/