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There are two photographic groups or camps – those who routinely use a filter to protect the front element of their lens and those who do not. I do not.

 

However, when a colleague dropped her camera from a waist-level height, the filter shown here did not survive the fall on concrete; her camera and lens did.

 

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Filter for lens protection by Narsuitus, on Flickr

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Do you use filters with your digital Leica or rely on Lightroom or Photoshop to adjust your images? If you do use filters, what type?

 

When I clean my filters and notice how much dirt has accumulated after outdoor photography in dusty and wet areas there, I am very happy that these sometimes greasy films could not reach the front lenses.

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When I clean my filters and notice how much dirt has accumulated after outdoor photography in dusty and wet areas there, I am very happy that these sometimes greasy films could not reach the front lenses.

+1, all the more so for travel.

Better a new filter every 3-5 years than a new lens.

However a cheap filter will make a great lens poor.

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How do you use graduated filters? 

 

I just use protecting filters plus ND (Leica 16x) filters. Nothing else at the moment.

 

By using LV, to be honest except neutral filter, I use all my filters with LV. I don't understand or don't know how to use any filter with OVF. Plus all my filters are 82mm thread version (for my Nikon glasses as well) so technically I really can't use OVF due to finder blockage.

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UV, Circular Polarizing filter, ND filters. The ND gets used a lot with my Noctilux to get wide open during the day. I worked in a camera store in LA and saw lots of dropped cameras. Many broken filters but never damage to front element.

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When using graduated filters and polarizing filters on my M10, I use LiveView and a tripod. Normally, I focus and compose without the filter, add the filter, then adjust the position of the graduated filter or adjust the polarizer for the desired effect.

Thank you. I understand now that the graduated filters you don‘t have as round screw-on filters but as adjustable filters like a Lee system (I suppose).

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Thank you. I understand now that the graduated filters you don‘t have as round screw-on filters but as adjustable filters like a Lee system (I suppose).

 

Sorry, I did not make that clear.

 

I do have a few round screw-on graduated filters but most of my graduated filters are adjustable rectangular filters ( B ) that I use in a Cokin-type holder ( E ).

 

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Filters and Holders by Narsuitus, on Flickr

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I use a B+W UV MRC filter on all lenses. Could also use clear ones as well...

Over the years, have had to replace a few UV filters that were cracked or scratched but cheaper than replacing a front optic.

Albert  :D  :D  :D

Same here.  And given that my newest Leica lens is almost 25 years old I'm not even certain if Leica has the front optics to replace some of them, so a damage could spell the need to purchase another lens. 

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On the balance of this thread I bought a B+W XS-PRO Clear with Multi-Resistant Nano Coating (007M)  for my 35mm Summicron. After using it for one day (in fairly rainy conditions) I just couldn't cope with the thought of cleaning it every time I used it. I have never bought a filter purely for lens protection before... but then I haven't had such an expensive lens as this before.

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On the balance of this thread I bought a B+W XS-PRO Clear with Multi-Resistant Nano Coating (007M) for my 35mm Summicron. After using it for one day (in fairly rainy conditions) I just couldn't cope with the thought of cleaning it every time I used it. I have never bought a filter purely for lens protection before... but then I haven't had such an expensive lens as this before.

Could you cope with cleaning the front element of the lens then? For rain use a lens hood.
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Could you cope with cleaning the front element of the lens then? For rain use a lens hood.

 

I wasn't clear in my post... the thing I wasn't coping with was cleaning the front lens element. I can cope with cleaning the filter.

 

On the rainy day I was using the lens with the hood but no filter. I was still getting a reasonable amount of rain on the front element even when taking precautions such as tilting the camera down slightly to try to minimise spray. It wasn't raining hard - it was that annoying British drizzle.

 

With the filter (and hood) I am am (a little) less concerned.

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