Leave filters on the lens, yes or no? Afraid of get stuck!

[stillviking]

Hi everyone,

Do you leave the filters on the lens? I'm afraid they might get stuck/stuck and I won't be able to remove them anymore.

I wanted to buy a UV or CLEAR filter to protect the lens, since I shoot in dirty areas and I'm constantly cleaning the lens after each session and so I would prefer to clean a filter.

However, a few years ago I had one and whenever I wanted to remove the UV from the lens to replace it with CPL or none at all, it was extremely difficult to remove it, I couldn't do it many times, they got too tight and stuck. Do you remove the UV filter after each use to prevent this from happening? How do you do it? Happened to you before a filter stuck?

Thanks!

 

[Dem Bell]

Hi everyone,

Do you leave the filters on the lens? I'm afraid they might get stuck/stuck and I won't be able to remove them anymore.

I wanted to buy a UV or CLEAR filter to protect the lens, since I shoot in dirty areas and I'm constantly cleaning the lens after each session and so I would prefer to clean a filter.

However, a few years ago I had one and whenever I wanted to remove the UV from the lens to replace it with CPL or none at all, it was extremely difficult to remove it, I couldn't do it many times, they got too tight and stuck.

Filter removing wrenches cost about £10 for a pair. Do the job for me.

This is how the tool works:

Do you remove the UV filter after each use to prevent this from happening?

This is not the rationale I use. I remove them when the protection is no longer needed, which is about 95% of my shooting.

How do you do it? Happened to you before a filter stuck?

Thanks!

 

[alcelc]

I do it since on my first camera some 40+ years ago after learnt lesson on damaging of coating due to too often (improper) cleaning.

Nothing bad happens since then.

Many opinions on possible deterioration on IQ by protective (clear or UV) filter but so far I am happy with mine. Just get the better quality filters should be alright.

Never forget the lens hood too for protection.

 

[ishwanu]

No.

I'm not afraid of them being stuck. I just don't want one there unless I'm using it for a specific purpose.

 

[stillviking]

FIrst time I read about this tool to be honest, looks good!



Problem is I need to use filter 95% of my shooting time.

 

[stillviking]

Why not leave an UV filter for example? The purpose against dirty/cleaning is always valid.

 

[ishwanu]

Why not leave an UV filter for example? The purpose against dirty/cleaning is always valid.

I prefer my lenses without filters, and they need cleaning so seldom that it's not a factor.

 

[stillviking]

Understand, mines need after every season so I'm a little afraid I need a filter to not damage coating cleaning that often :\!

 

[LeicaEye]

From day 1, I put high quality clear filters on all my lenses. There they stay..

 

[JPAlbert]

What works for me:
- Don't put the filter on too tight.
- Now and then, loosen the filter and re-tighten it...

 

[Hike Pics]

When I want to use a filter I put it on just until it starts to tighten. Sometimes in the winter I will touch my forehead with my finger and run my finger around the threads of the filter before putting it on. It might sound icky but it's just a tiny bit of oil to keep the filter from sticking, which is more often when it's cold outside.

I have one of those rubber pads used to help remove lids from jars. Works perfectly to get stuck ones off.

When I'm not using a filter it is off the lens.

 

[alcelc]

Me too .

Shooting in dry regions, deserts, or on rainy/snowing days, the filters would take all the direct hits and if they would be damaged, the lost could be minimal vs damage a lens.

Indeed a good quality filter, at a fraction of the cost of a lens, might produce minimal to none affect on IQ. I am happy to use them.

 

[Leonard Migliore]

Hi everyone,

Do you leave the filters on the lens? I'm afraid they might get stuck/stuck and I won't be able to remove them anymore.

I wanted to buy a UV or CLEAR filter to protect the lens, since I shoot in dirty areas and I'm constantly cleaning the lens after each session and so I would prefer to clean a filter.

However, a few years ago I had one and whenever I wanted to remove the UV from the lens to replace it with CPL or none at all, it was extremely difficult to remove it, I couldn't do it many times, they got too tight and stuck. Do you remove the UV filter after each use to prevent this from happening? How do you do it? Happened to you before a filter stuck?

Thanks!

Lower quality filters (and, presumably, lower quality lenses) tend to have lower quality threads which tend to gall (the aluminum of the filter thread welds to the aluminum of the lens thread). This doesn't happen if the lens thread is plastic but, conversely, plastic threads tend to get rolled over so they will stick too.

The best bet is to use filters with brass rings.

I tend to not use protective filters unless I'm shooting at the ocean or the desert, where there's a good chance of damaging exposed glass. So I'm not too concerned with them sticking.

 

[Jon in Thailand]

.

99% of my work is done in a jungle environment.

This is rough and tough plus wet, hot, humidity.

So, a high-quality UV filter is always in place !

Once a dinged filter was stuck in place so I

took double sided sticky tape, cut a thin

strip wrapped it around the filter and

just like that it was free, easy deal ;-)-

.





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[Guy Parsons]

Long ago when I used to use filters I did have some troubles with stuck ones. Once removed I did the old trick of wiping my finger against the side of my nose and rubbing that finger over the threads. They never stuck again.

 

[Boris22]

I live where it is very dusty and frequently windy-so yeah I keep a filter on all the time. I may remove it if i think the shot has a chance of hanging in the metropolitan museum of art . But otherwise it just doesn't make that much of a difference for me to be concerned. I have never in my very long life had a filter that I couldn't easily remove. Probably because I had no reason to try.Maybe some of them are stuck - I don't know. :-D

 

[Gato Amarillo]

IMO, it's much less a problem than in the olden days.

But first, buy quality filters, preferably with brass mounts. The quality brands (hopefully) have better quality metal and better machine work than the cheapies. (And are probably better optically, too.)

If your lens has plastic/composite threads the risk is minimal. If it has metal threads the risk is somewhat higher, especially in a humid climate or around sea water spray.

In the old days lenses were often made with aluminum filter threads, while filters are often in aluminum mounts. This combination is prone to galling and/or corrosion, which can cause serious sticking. Not to mention the risk of a dent, which can really lock a filter in place.

Plastic/composite lens barrels have almost eliminated the problem.

If your lens has metal filter threads look for a high quality filter in a brass mount. If the lens threads are composite the risk is less, but still go for a quality filter of known brand.

To remove a stuck filter, put the palm of you hand flat against the front of the filter and press toward the lens, then rotate counter clockwise. A flexible rubber jar opener will give a better grip and save you from possibly cutting your hand on the filter ring.

Gato

 

[jjbinx]

My experience is that if the filters are just ‘snug’ - not loose and not tight - they won’t get stuck.

I usually clean the filter’s exterior face with the filter in place but occasionally I’ll remove it and give it a more thorough wet clean which is an opportunity to ensure that the filter thread isn’t corroded or otherwise likely to bind.

jj

 

[Michael Fryd]

Hi everyone,

Do you leave the filters on the lens? I'm afraid they might get stuck/stuck and I won't be able to remove them anymore.

I wanted to buy a UV or CLEAR filter to protect the lens, since I shoot in dirty areas and I'm constantly cleaning the lens after each session and so I would prefer to clean a filter.

However, a few years ago I had one and whenever I wanted to remove the UV from the lens to replace it with CPL or none at all, it was extremely difficult to remove it, I couldn't do it many times, they got too tight and stuck. Do you remove the UV filter after each use to prevent this from happening? How do you do it? Happened to you before a filter stuck?

Thanks!

If your concern is that frequently cleaning the lens will damage the coatings on the lens, then you should be concerned that you are damaging the coatings on your filters. If you don't want to be shooting through damaged coatings, then you should be routinely replacing your filters. If you are routinely replacing your filters, they aren't going to be on your lens for that long.

If you put a filter on the lens, and it lives there for the life of the lens, you didn't need the filter. Whatever damage would have happened to the front element is happening to the filter, and you are shooting through it.

If you are shooting in very dusty situations you may want to consider protecting the barrel of the lens before you worry about the front element. Dust on the front element can be cleaned relatively easily. Dust inside the barrel of the lens requires the lens to be disassembled for cleaning. If your lens changes length when focusing or zooming, it needs to breathe air in & out. There are breathing holes around the barrel (perhaps under the zoom/focus rings), you may want to make sure that no contamination is entering the barrel through these holes.

 

[stillviking]

Which filters do you buy?