Comments on: Protect Your Lens With A UV Haze or Skylight Filter. Or Not.

By: Katlin Webster

Katlin Webster — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:38:43 +0000

I always use filters to protect my lenses. Even a small scratch from cleaning or transportation can completely damage a lens and it costs way less to replace a filter than it does a lens. And if you get a good enough quality filter it can protect it from much more than that. Damage is rarely passed on to the lens, unless its really bad damage of course. A friend of mine dropped his camera lens down on a rock. the filter was shattered, but there was absolutely no damage to the camera or lens. They are a good investment and a must have for any photographer. Any blurriness or degrading of the photo is completely undetectable.

By: Beverly Brock

Beverly Brock — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:37:13 +0000

Alan,

Late on reading your very good article about protect your lens. I use a UV lens I bought it way back when it was thought to be the best for your lens (or the people I bought it from were wanting to make money). Maybe it’s time to do something new no UV.
Thanks for your information
Beverly

By: Alan Haynes

Alan Haynes — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:52:26 +0000

Hi Ernesto, I have not heard that - at least, not from any reliable source. Nikon uses what they call "Nano Particle Coating" or "Nano Crystal Coating" on their lenses, but it sounds like this coating is designed to reduce the reflections within the lens between the various elements. These reflections include light in the UV wavelength. These kinds of reflections can lead to lens flare. I'm no optical engineer, so read about it yourself and draw your own conclusions: "Nano Particle Coating". Here's another article about "Nano Crystal Coating."

By: Ernesto Corte

Ernesto Corte — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:06:43 +0000

Alan,
I read somewhere that modern digital lenses are coated for UV protection and consequently a UV filter is not needed. Is that true?
Ernesto

By: Alan Haynes

Alan Haynes — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:09:42 +0000

Hi Ken,

Good to know that the filter worked for you. Did you have a hood on the lens as well? If so, how did the hood do?

I think the kid should have grabbed the camera for you. They need to make themselves useful somehow. LOL.

Alan

By: Ken

Ken — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:32:37 +0000

Hi Alan,
Fellow Poly photographer here. I actually did drop my Nikon 35-75 2.8 macro. I was holding a friends kid and could feel the camera slipping away. The camera dropped right on the lens. Shattered the filter and the lens was fine. That was 6 years ago and the lens still working perfectly. I am sure I wouldn’t have had the same results with out the filter. – Of course after the incident I re-thought the situation and thought why didn’t I drop the kid and save the camera. The kid would have only cried for a little while. (just kidding folks) 8>)

By: Alan Haynes

Alan Haynes — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:15:38 +0000

Hi Fred, My first choice for cleaning lenses is a Lenspen. It has a brush on one end and a cleaning tip on the other. First I brush it, then I rub it lightly with the cleaning tip. It's especially handy in the field. If that doesn't work, use liquid cleaner meant for optics - such as the Nikon Lens Cleaner solution - with a soft cloth. Even if you leave your UV filter on the lens, you'll need to clean the filter once in a while. The Lenspen and cleaning solution work equally well on filters.

By: Fred Mandabach

Fred Mandabach — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:55:06 +0000

Alan,
If I take off the UV filter and now see that I have accumulated dirt/dust/whatever on the lens, what is the safe way to clean it? Someone somewhere has suggested the kit you can buy at Costco to clean eye glasses. Is that wise?
Thanks! Fred