FOR LENS PROTECTION
When we buy a
lens it is with a purpose in mind, with great 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 and ghosting.
However, you can always it take off when necessary.
Plus, the ever present Murphy's law applies as shown in
the image
below. Keep your hood always on, even if reversed for storage.
|
|
"Falling lenses
are attracted to rocks"
80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Nikkor saved by a L37C Nikon
UV filter and hood in a nasty fall |
FOR
SHARPER IMAGES ON FILM
The UV, Haze
and Skylight filters filter out UV (ultra-violet) light
that caused
a bluish haze on some of our color film 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, becasue
they do have their own built-in filter, as pointed out by
Nikonian Len Shepherd and later confirmed through
exhaustive
and exhausting research.
Thus, if only
for protection, a clear filter like the Nikon NC clear
would be
better if less expensive where you live. Probably the main
reason for
UV filters continuing to be very popular is that they are
recommended by store sellers or by those who either grew
up with film or have been blesed with the joys of parenthood.
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 much
of 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 also
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.
Today, modern DSLRs
already have a UV filter over the sensor. Yet, try a few
pictures with and
without
a filter and see what
you
like
best under specific conditions. |
