Lens Filter Quality: Brands, Advice, Banter

[jared_kipe]

i dont think filter brands matter that much when its a uv/haze type. its important when it comes to polorizing and grad. filters, etc. or defocus filters. just make sure when u stack your filters that you dont get too much vignette

I've heard of this too. Mainly with extreme wide angle lenses.

But I have an S&W branded normal polarizer that fits on my Sigma 10-20mm and doesn't cause any vignetting at 10mm. This is on a 30D so the FOV is more like a 16mm lens.

So MAYBE if you're using an lens that is wider than 16mm on a Full frame DSLR you need a "slim" polarizer, but probably not any lens on a DSLR with crop.

 

[snap58]

Not part of the optical system? Possibly there is a lens like this but none of mine are like this. Every one of my lenses. All the Nikors and even the optics on my video and P&S are actual "lens elments and have a curve figured into them. In some cases the curve is very pronounced and in others the curve is more shallow Optically there is no way a curved piece of glass can not refract light.

Larger (expensive) lens such as the Canon 300L 2.8, 400L, 600L have front elements that are protective and may be replaced in need be. Not sure what this would cost, but considering the price of the lens this may be "inexpensive" in a relative sort of way?

As for the cost of replacement, I don't think a small scratch would require replacement of the entire lens, the fron t element could be replaced. If the lens were so damaged that it needed replacement then I doubt a filter would have saved it.

First for most people, just knowing there is a scratch on their lens would drive them nuts, probably no such think as a "small" scratch.

The filter could easily save you from both minor and major problems depending on what you happened to do to it, like drop it on gravel, or swing it into a rock wall? I have a number of filters with scratches on them, I know they are a good idea for me. Keeping a hood on your lens is another (and maybe more effective) way to protect it..

The best advice I've read came from a quote by Ansel Adams. He said "Protect the lens from what?" He said if you could answer that question and a filter would indeed protect the lens from that (whatever it is) then go ahead and use it. But in other cases take it off unless you need the effect of a colored filter.

I think his point was that shooting through an adiitional layer of glass that you don't need can do no good but might do harm.

Exactly, if you are climbing or hiking rocky trails (or whatever), it may be a good idea. If you have a 30 lb view camera on a tripod waiting for the perfect light, why would you be concerned about a filter for protection ?

 

[virividox]

I've heard of this too. Mainly with extreme wide angle lenses.

But I have an S&W branded normal polarizer that fits on my Sigma 10-20mm and doesn't cause any vignetting at 10mm. This is on a 30D so the FOV is more like a 16mm lens.

So MAYBE if you're using an lens that is wider than 16mm on a Full frame DSLR you need a "slim" polarizer, but probably not any lens on a DSLR with crop.

i know that i get some slight vignette with a uv stacked with a polorizer but with either alone i dont get vignette of my 12-24 nikon.

 

[sjl]

So MAYBE if you're using an lens that is wider than 16mm on a Full frame DSLR you need a "slim" polarizer, but probably not any lens on a DSLR with crop.

Vignetting is less of an issue with a crop body, because of the nature of the problem: it means a drop-off in light around the corners - the very corners which a crop body crops out of the shot!

You'd need to have pretty severe vignetting issues to see the effect on a crop body with lenses designed for a full frame camera. However, with lenses that are designed for the crop body (eg: the EF-S range), it can be a concern once more. Designed for crop body => smaller image circle => more vulnerable.

As for the focal length question, you can see vignetting with any focal length. It's less likely at longer focal lengths, but not impossible, especially if you're stacking several filters on top of each other.

 

[virividox]

i get vignetting with a standard uv + slim polorizer at 12 mm. but none at 15 mm

but none when i use just 1