Filter reflections: how do you deal with them?

[Mike Rawcs]

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Not sure if this is the correct place to post this so Mods please move if you see fit.

 

Apologies for resurrecting this topic but a solution would be most useful. I've always been in the camp that uses UV filters as protection for my lenses, especially as I live near the coast, but this has me thinking that I either need to discard them or find ones that do not produce such noticeable reflections. These were taken with a 35mm Summilux FLE with a Leica UV filter. I've had reflections using Leica UV filters on other lenses: do you not use filters or which make do you use? Mike.

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[jaapv]

Use them selectively, i.e. when you need them. On the shots you posted I see no reason to.

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[spydrxx]

Outside of occasional polarizer usage I only use them on B&W film.

[Jeff S]

Never use filters for protection purposes….a hood and and a cloth suffice.

 

Jeff

Edited December 8, 2014 by Jeff S

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Mike,

 

Do you use a properly large enough rigid lens shade? Altho a rigid lens shade is primarily there to protect a lens's mount & the glass elements from inadvertant impact & damage it also helps to reduce glare. Especially when using filters.

 

The reason a rigid lens shade is especially useful with filters is that a filter is an additional glass element which is in front of & therefore not being shaded by the lens mount. That filter element is therefore more susceptable to exteraneous lateral light.

 

Also: You might try photographing the same scene with & without the filter to see how much of the glare is actually due to the filter. I am sure that the filter, like the lens itself, is scrupulously clean on both sides.

 

Another thought is that some earlier filters, Whether UV, Skylight, or other, were not coated. They were simply dyed in the mass, sandwiched, or layered on top of a flat piece of optical glass. Dependent on manufacturer, type or usage.

 

In some situations a lack of coating can cause problems.

 

Altho the best of filters can cause some problems in some situations many people use them on a more or less constant basis because it is easier to replace a damaged filter than it is to replace a damaged lens element & it is easier to relplace a filter than it is to repair or replace a damaged lens coating.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited December 8, 2014 by Michael Geschlecht

[TomB_tx]

I've been a believer in protective filters for over 40 years, but once I got an M9 I noticed the reflections of light sources in night time shots a lot more. Testing with/without showed they were clearly due to my (1970s) Leitz filters.

Since then I've mostly quit using protective filters, but have found that good, modern multi-coated B&W filters greatly reduce the reflections. Coating technology has come a long way.

in my experience in buying used decades-old lenses, the ones that have used filters all the time have great looking front elements, while others usually have a scratch pattern from cleaning. But, again, modern coating is much more scratch resistant than older coatings.

So when buying used I look for lenses that have period-correct filters in place, but for using gear, I go without.

[Mike Rawcs]

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Hello Mike,

 

Do you use a properly large enough rigid lens shade?

 

Also: You might try photographing the same scene with & without the filter to see how much of the glare is actually due to the filter. I am sure that the filter, like the lens itself, is scrupulously clean on both sides.

 

Altho the best of filters can cause some problems in some situations many people use them on a more or less constant basis because it is easier to replace a damaged filter than it is to replace a damaged lens element & it is easier to relplace a filter than it is to repair or replace a damaged lens coating.

 

Hi Michael,

Yes, I used the lens shade supplied with the 35 Lux FLE and the Leica filter was bought new with the lens. I have always used a filter for protection for the front lens element and I suppose what I want is an effective filter that I can put on and forget about.

 

I do intend to try and replicate the problem. I used an MP and Portra film for the photographs shown here but I'll use my M240 so that I can check results. I suspect that the Leica filter has a large air space between the filter and the front lens element. I have a Zeiss UV filter which has a much slimmer mount so the plan is to photograph the scene again (when the gale stops!) with Leica and Zeiss filters and then without any filter. I'll post the results here. Thank you, everyone, for your help.

 

Mike.

[lct]

I'd remove any filter for night photography.

[Chuck Albertson]

I go without when I can, but not during the wet season. Get a better filter. The B+W multicoated UV filters are good, as are the Hoya H2 filters, which are nearly bulletproof to boot (but they aren't made in 39mm, yet, despite all my letters to the company).

[indergaard]

Filters, wether protective, UV, or any other kind, is a big no-no for night photography. Unless you are doing extremely long exposures and don't need ND filters (I had to use in total 10 stops of ND filters at f/16 once during mid night / pitch black to achieve a normal exposure level with a 7 minute exposure).