Skylight filters

[Dennis]

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Interesting post. I'm actually checking on BH, a filter for a 35CV 1.2 III. I use lens hood only and exclusively for protection. But because the hood is not included in the lens, and the original cost more than $100, I decided to get a try, after maybe 20 years, to a filter. I never used them before for two reasons: I was using the hoods, and because I thought, why put $ glass on a $$$$ lens glass.

But times are changed, and I want to try. The only purpose of the filter I want to buy is to protect the lens, nothing more than a clear filter. I read that BW is between the bests, for a high but worthy price. I'm willing to pay a fair amount for the best BW filter. Here I have a few versions of the 52mm diameter. Which one do you think is the best? Maybe the T-Pro Clear filter for $67?

 

 

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[jdlaing]

You’ll be sorry you didn’t get the hood.

[jaapv]

2 hours ago, Dennis said:

 

Interesting post. I'm actually checking on BH, a filter for a 35CV 1.2 III. I use lens hood only and exclusively for protection. But because the hood is not included in the lens, and the original cost more than $100, I decided to get a try, after maybe 20 years, to a filter. I never used them before for two reasons: I was using the hoods, and because I thought, why put $ glass on a $$$$ lens glass.

But times are changed, and I want to try. The only purpose of the filter I want to buy is to protect the lens, nothing more than a clear filter. I read that BW is between the bests, for a high but worthy price. I'm willing to pay a fair amount for the best BW filter. Here I have a few versions of the 52mm diameter. Which one do you think is the best? Maybe the T-Pro Clear filter for $67?

 

 

That would be a good choice. But why not get a simple screw-in hood from eBay - even cheaper than a filter and often surprisingly good value - and it might save you some flare problems.

[Dennis]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

That would be a good choice. But why not get a simple screw-in hood from eBay - even cheaper than a filter and often surprisingly good value - and it might save you some flare problems.

Correct. It's another option too, saving fully the IQ. But the 35CV 1.2 is already big and I don't want to do even worst with the VF blockage. That's why I'm considering the excellent filters. 

Do you think I can find a generic hood for the lens on BH?

[Dennis]

4 hours ago, jdlaing said:

You’ll be sorry you didn’t get the hood.

Please tell me your reason why, convince me. I'm all ears

[jaapv]

5 hours ago, Dennis said:

Correct. It's another option too, saving fully the IQ. But the 35CV 1.2 is already big and I don't want to do even worst with the VF blockage. That's why I'm considering the excellent filters. 

Do you think I can find a generic hood for the lens on BH?

Heavystar on eBay. He may well have a vented hood.

[jdlaing]

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9 hours ago, Dennis said:

Please tell me your reason why, convince me. I'm all ears

The hood keeps greasy fingertips, stray matter and things bumping into the filter and messing it up. Unwanted stray light and reflections too. 

[Good To Be Retired]

10 hours ago, Dennis said:

Please tell me your reason why, convince me. I'm all ears

Try this and see what you think.

Do a search for used original Leica hoods on eBay.  Look for something recent vintage, not real old stuff.

Examine the photos that show the condition of the front edges/rim of the hood.  Chances are you will see that large numbers of the used hoods will have small dings on the edge/rim.

Having placed a fair number of such dings on my own lens hoods, I'm inclined to the opinion that the protection factor for a hood, at least for my clumsy fingers , is pretty high.

[Dennis]

2 hours ago, jdlaing said:

The hood keeps greasy fingertips, stray matter and things bumping into the filter and messing it up. Unwanted stray light and reflections too. 

 It makes sense what you're saying. But the unwanted stray light and reflections are that bad also with a top-class clear filter? My question is, when we shoot, how many times we have a situation where these issues are showing? Is this common? Or just in certain conditions?
Because the hood protects and takes care of all of this, but the camera becomes bigger, VF blockage, etc... Still thinking what the best option is 🤷‍♂️

1 hour ago, Good To Be Retired said:

I'm inclined to the opinion that the protection factor for a hood, at least for my clumsy fingers , is pretty high.

I know. I had a couple of lens hoods beaten in the corner; I can be rude with camera and lenses. But I thought the lens was doing the same purpose, w/o to sacrifice the IQ (except for his 0.3%). I've read fantastic things about this filter, I don't think I'll be disappointed. According to this link of lens rentals you guys posted above, the IQ is almost unaltered with top-class clear multicoated filters. 

[jdlaing]

1 hour ago, Dennis said:

 It makes sense what you're saying. But the unwanted stray light and reflections are that bad also with a top-class clear filter? My question is, when we shoot, how many times we have a situation where these issues are showing? Is this common? Or just in certain conditions?
Because the hood protects and takes care of all of this, but the camera becomes bigger, VF blockage, etc... Still thinking what the best option is 🤷‍♂️

I know. I had a couple of lens hoods beaten in the corner; I can be rude with camera and lenses. But I thought the lens was doing the same purpose, w/o to sacrifice the IQ (except for his 0.3%). I've read fantastic things about this filter, I don't think I'll be disappointed. According to this link of lens rentals you guys posted above, the IQ is almost unaltered with top-class clear multicoated filters. 

A hood is always the best option.

[epand56]

On 10/6/2020 at 3:27 PM, jdlaing said:

The hood keeps greasy fingertips, stray matter and things bumping into the filter and messing it up

I think that filter and hood are two different matters. I always use a hood, many lenses has a built-in hood. Filters have different functions. I do not personally use them and take quite care of my lenses. As well as I'm using hoods when it's necessary. I don't think they are interchangeable.

[rsolomon]

on filters I use: B+W XS-Pro Clear MRC-Nano 007 Filter, reasonable and seems good, BTW the local Leica Store recommends it 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/905846-REG/b_w_661073872_46mm_xs_pro_nano_mc_clear_007.html

[Anbaric]

On 8/27/2020 at 6:17 PM, WPCello said:

I am currently shooting with 3.5 Summaron and 2.0 Summicron on my M-D (Type 262).  I generally use an E. Leitz N.Y SL filter primarily for protection as I live in a marine environment of the west coast of Washington.  I have read recently that such use may not be advisable on a digital camera as image quality may be compromised although frankly I did not quite understand why.  I realize that such filters have a slight  warming effect when used with color film.  Both lenses are older examples.

This is an old thread, but a perennial topic. Whether filters are a good idea for protection is of course endlessly debated, but if you do choose to use one, that Leitz NY filter might not be the best choice. If it's a skylight filter it will have a slight tint, and an old Leitz filter may not be coated. I would instead suggest a modern multicoated UV or clear protection filter with an easy clean layer like B+W MRC, B+W MRC Nano, or Hoya HD. For a Summaron f/3.5 that takes push-on A36 filters, you can use a SOOGZ adapter to mount an E39 filter.

This article shows the benefits of a multicoated filter when shooting into the light (they also rate filters based on UV absorption, but that isn't really relevant to digital):

https://www.lenstip.com/113.1-article-UV_filters_test.html

Compare a B+W MRC:

https://www.lenstip.com/113.5-article-UV_filters_test_B+W_72mm_010M_UV-Haze_MRC.html

with an uncoated B+W:

https://www.lenstip.com/113.7-article-UV_filters_test_B+W_72mm_010_UV-Haze.html

or an uncoated Tiffen:

https://www.lenstip.com/113.24-article-UV_filters_test_Tiffen_72mm_UV.html

I would now also avoid multicoated filters that lack the easy clean layer (e.g. Hoya SHMC or Pro1), since the extra layer really does make maintenance easier.

 

 

[pippy]

Late to the thread...

Like many folks here I've done various extreme 'torture-tests' in the studio to explore any possible negative aspect in using filters and, yes, there is a near-insignificant amount of IQ loss with even the highest quality brands but, in a real world and to all practical intents and purposes, they are essentially 'not there' as far as the end-product / final print is concerned.

I admit that I split my shooting time between the two basic "On or Off?" camps. For all my Pro work my lenses are used 'naked' as the lenses will only be used in the studio and there is no risk whatsoever of them becoming damaged (famous last words).

For all my outdoor personal work, however, I will normally use a filter for protection (for the same reasons mentioned by jdlaing and Good To Be Retired in posts #47 and #48) and have managed to amass a reasonable number of Leitz-made 'clear-glass' examples over the years as well as a few colour filters for dedicated B'n'W shooting.

The only exceptions to filter-on-when-outdoors are when I am using my 75mm or 90mm Summarits as the depth of their hoods means that, atmospheric conditions apart, the front element of each is safely out of ham-fisted harm's way.

Philip.

Edited December 16, 2020 by pippy