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I will not speak against filters as I have been using them on all of my lenses for 40+ years and all front elements of my lenses (apart from the second hand vintage lenses) look pristine.

 

However I would advise against carrying cameras with cloth shutters and aperture wide open without a lens cap. In very unfortunate (but not unheard-of) circumstances, e.g. resting during a summer hike, direct sunlight might burn a hole into your shutter cloth, or at least will accelerate material fatigue.

 

Kind regards

Mathias

 

 

That's true, and that's a good point to mention. Whenever I use my MP I make sure that the lens never is directly facing the sun, as the cloth shutter can easily burn under the right (or wrong) circumstances. 

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However I would advise against carrying cameras with cloth shutters and aperture wide open without a lens cap. In very unfortunate (but not unheard-of) circumstances, e.g. resting during a summer hike, direct sunlight might burn a hole into your shutter cloth, or at least will accelerate material fatigue.

I leave lens caps at home because if I don't I lose them. Its all about using common sense and being careful. There are no hard and fast rules but there are procedures which can be considered 'good practice'. So I use filters (unless they will cause problems such as distinct reflections), I don't use lens caps (but I do take care where the camera is pointing at all times , and when shooting into the sun I compose quickly and often shield the lens with my left hand until just before I take the shot) and I don't really think that subtle differences in lens performance at Leica's top of the range level is significant (common sense says that such lenses will not make or break any photograph) but I have no problem with anyone wanting to own an APO because it is a stunningly good state-of-the-art lens. 

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Pay for a front element and then ask your pocket book if a UV filter would have been a good idea. TLDR Use a high grade filter. I use Leica brand on my Leica lenses. On my CV lenses I usually skip the filter because it’s not a small war chest I’m carrying.

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The original question is badly worded and should go something like this, 'assuming I am using my camera with a tripod will I notice a difference in quality blah, blah, blah...?' Because filter or not if the camera is hand held the debate about ultimate quality is fantasy.

 

Personally I use a good quality modern filter, I'd rather be able to scrub the grease, dust, or rain off quickly and be ready for the next photographic opportunity than be delving in my camera bag for a brush, cleaner, and lens cloth. Flare is too rare to worry about and never happens when you want it anyway. But I don't think a good filter contributes to flare any more than the lens itself.

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Pay for a front element and then ask your pocket book if a UV filter would have been a good idea.

 

A couple of grains of sand behind your aperture or focus ring will cost a bit to sort out too - a filter won't help with that.

 

My point is that when taking the lens into environments where the additional protection of a filter is likely to be beneficial, there may be other risks to consider.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have worked on lenses before, though not Leica, and I found the front lens element to be very tough! They have a very hard surface and it took a lot to scratch them. I've never put a filter on my lenses. The hood is enough protection for me. YMMV

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I spent my hard earned salary on my gears and I will Ensure that the lenses are well protected. Unless Leica can provide one to one exchange for all damaged lens. But sometimes hard to prevent accident from happening when we have people who are too complacent around

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Edited by Jobea
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Not sure if this has been asked in this thread....

 

Would those using "filters for protection", take the filter off just prior to taking a photo, and then returning the filter onto lens for resumption of protection ?

 

Given a choice, do people prefer to take photos through a glass window or open window ?

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Not sure if this has been asked in this thread....

 

Would those using "filters for protection", take the filter off just prior to taking a photo, and then returning the filter onto lens for resumption of protection ?

 

Given a choice, do people prefer to take photos through a glass window or open window ?

It would depend on the quality and clarity of the glass window.

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I always use a filter. I don’t take off for anything except to clean it.

 

I don’t like take photos through closed windows (Shinkansen, office buildings, etc) but if I have to, I just get as close to the glass as possible and take it. I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed any difference in the resulting picture.

 

Taking a photo through a window from a distance is a completely different matter.

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I always use a filter. I don’t take off for anything except to clean it.

 

I don’t like take photos through closed windows (Shinkansen, office buildings, etc) but if I have to, I just get as close to the glass as possible and take it. I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed any difference in the resulting picture.

 

Taking a photo through a window from a distance is a completely different matter.

 

A Polarizing filter will make the glass disappear 

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A Polarizing filter will make the glass disappear 

 

Expensive filter though. Better put a protective filter on it. Not too expensive though otherwise we would have to protect the protective filter protecting the polarizing filter making disappear the glass supposed to protect the expensive lens...

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Not sure if this has been asked in this thread....

 

Would those using "filters for protection", take the filter off just prior to taking a photo, and then returning the filter onto lens for resumption of protection ?

 

Given a choice, do people prefer to take photos through a glass window or open window ?

Valid point this window analogy, as a practical matter it makes no difference either way.  Isn't the lens a window also? 

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FWIW I'm in the 'no filter' camp.  While a filter may not make a discernible difference in image quality, something just feels wrong to me about buying a multi-thousand dollar piece of precision optics and putting a $20 filter in front of it.  I use the lens cap religiously and have a hood installed at all times.  Of course I've taken some great pictures of the inside of my lens cap as a result but it doesn't happen often enough to be a big issue :)

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