What's so bad about external IR filters?

[stunsworth]

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I agree with you on the protection front, it's a must have solution.

 

It's a personal thing. I usually used a yellow filter when shooting b&w, but with colour I never used a filter. I would have liked not to have used a filter with b&w, but skies just look too washed out without one.

 

If something whacks a filter and it cracks, there's always the possibility of tiny shards of glass hitting the front element.

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[Nicoleica]

It's a personal thing. I usually used a yellow filter when shooting b&w, but with colour I never used a filter. I would have liked not to have used a filter with b&w, but skies just look too washed out without one.

 

If something whacks a filter and it cracks, there's always the possibility of tiny shards of glass hitting the front element.

 

But isn't that better than the same something whacking the front element of the lens?

[stunsworth]

Yes, but the point I was making was that a filter isn't a sure fire solution, and may itself cause problems.

 

The coatings on modern lenses are very hard. There are stories of Leica technicians using a polyester tie to 'clean' the front element - as a demonstration I might add, not as a routine method of cleaning lenses sent in for CLAs <grin>.

 

In any case, I've always felt that a rigid lens hood offers adequate protection for the front element. I can't recall ever scratching a Leica lens, or filter for that matter.

[Nicoleica]

Very true Steve, but having a filter on, does reduce the risk somewhat.

 

Like you, I cannot ever recall scratching or damaging a lens or filter. I used to use rubber lenshoods on my SLR lenses as well.

[stunsworth]

Very true Steve, but having a filter on, does reduce the risk somewhat.

 

The problem, for me, is that they also introduce problems of their own with reflections and flare so I prefer not to use them. A necessary 'evil' when shooting b&w.

[leicashot]

like they said, INTERNAL REFLECTIONS AND FLARE!!! BIG issue.

[pgk]

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I cannot ever recall scratching or damaging a lens or filter.

I actually have a collection of trashed filters (scratches, marks, salt spray damage, etc.) including one which shattered but saved my 50/1.4M from substantially more damage than it took when it was dropped. Although there has been much comment on the degredation caused by filters since the advent of digital, I suspect that whilst far from impossible, it is relatively rare to be able to see the difference in the vast majority of images taken with or without protective filters fitted. IR filters are IMHO very little different to using any other protection filter although care is needed under certain circumstances.

[Ted Lemon]

As Tgray has said ' the inability to use the same lens on a film camera without first taking off the filter' - what a pain this is. Especially with my new 21mm/1.4 and the hood secured filter...

[gfspencer]

I have one filter which must work for three lenses. It is a pain in the rear to move them. Other than that external IR filters are fine for me.