FOR PROTECTION
When we buy a
lens it is with a purpose in mind, with expectations and with
some effort. Surely we want to protect it from dust, dirt,
moisture, fingerprints, scratches and even from a fall. From
my own personal perspective, the best way to give our lens
that protection -in addition to care- is to place a
good multicoated filter and a hood on it and leave them both
there at all times, except when using an also multi-coated
polarizer. Some Nikonians don't share this point of view;
even react violently to the proposition, however with a valid
reason: the introduction of more glass surfaces attracts flare.
But you can always take off when necessary. Plus, the ever
present Murphy's law applies as shown in the image below and
at the link at the bottom of the page.
|
|
"Falling lenses
are attracted to rocks"
80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Nikkor saved by a L37C Nikon
UV filter in a nasty fall |
FOR
SHARPER IMAGES
The UV, Haze and
Skylight filters filter out UV (ultra-violet) light that caused
a bluish haze on some of our color pictures and loss of definition
on distance objects.
However, a not
so spread fact is that most modern color films -both
slide and negative- and digital camera sensors are almost
or not at all sensitive to UV light today, as pointed
out by Nikonian Len Shepherd and later confirmed through exhaustive
exhausting research.
Thus, if only
for protection, a clear filter like the Nikon NC would be
better if less expensive, but they seldom are and neither
are they multicoated. That's probably the main reason for
UV filters continuing to be very popular, like the multicoated
Nikon L37c.
On the other hand,
since B&W film continues to be not only sensitive to the
visible light, but also to the UV light rays, we want to reduce
it as much as possible or eliminate it.
Of course multi
coating of the front elements of newer lenses reduce UV light
rays coming in, but -as said- they reduce them, they don't
eliminate them entirely.
So UV, Haze and
Skylight filters continue to be most useful for B&W, especially
when we are taking pictures in overcast days, or up in the
mountains or by the sea or for aerial photography where there
is plenty of UV light under "thin" atmosphere. They will filter
out the blue haze that normally blurs the distant background
of your images.
They may turn
out to be very useful when taking pictures in winter, when
the atmosphere is cooler, but especially in the snow since
it is an splendid UV rays reflector.
To further penetrate
the haze that a UV filter can't do completely, some brands,
like Tiffen, have Haze filters in two grades: A Haze 1 reduces
excessive blue haze caused by UV light by absorbing 71% of
it (transmitting 29%). A Haze 2 absorbs all of the UV light
rays (transmitting 0%). These are best for the high altitude
and marine scenes mentioned before. I frequently have to remind
myself that haze can be dealt with the use of these filters,
but not smog, fog, smoke or mist.
An interesting thing
happened with the old color films: when the UV rays were filtered
out, we noticed the sky in our color pictures was not as deep
blue as it used to be. Of course, the UV component was missing,
but our images looked sharper.
Even today, just try
a few pictures with and without filter and see what you like
best under specific conditions. |
