Camera Labs

Hello,

I have a Canon 7D with the EF-S 18-200mm lens and would like to have the best UV filter around.

Is one needed? If so then which one is recommended? I have narrowed it down to four (from cheapest to most expensive). Would be happy for suggestions.

1) Hoya 72mm UV (Ultra Violet) Multi Coated Glass Filter

http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Ultra-Violet ... 258&sr=1-5

2) Hoya 72mm DMC PRO1 Digital Multi-Coated UV (Ultra Violet) Filter

http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Digital-Mult ... 94&s=photo

3) Hoya 72mm HD Hardened Glass 8-layer Multi-Coated Digital UV (Ultra Violet) Filter

http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Hardened-8-l ... 502&sr=1-6

4) B+W 72mm UVA (Ultra Violet) Haze Slim MRC Filter #010

http://www.amazon.com/72mm-Ultra-Violet ... 69&sr=1-23

Are you using this entirely for protection, or because you genuinely need a UV filter? Ive always bought the cheapest UV filters (from Hoya or Jessops own) and these have done fine for protection and do not affect image quality in any way. Im sure that it is a case of you get what you pay for however...

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Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

I have the 18-55mm Canon EFS (IS) Kit Lens, so have bought an inexpensive UV Filter from ebay.

It has been mentioned before that the more expensive they are, the better they are in terms of photographic results, but I'm not sure how accurate those opinions are.

I would definately reccomend cleaning the end of the lens and the filter before screwing it in though, when mine arrived, I held it up to light, and noticed it was quite dirty, so I cleaned it with a lens pen, brush etc, and still dirty. I then cleaned it with soap and water, and it managed to do the job.

They're not very expensive atall really, and even come in a rather nice hard well built plastic case, which I would have expected the price to cover alone, without the filter.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

A lot or pros use to, and I assume still do not use filters. But lots of people are not today. The reason is that there can be image problems like flaring and ghosting.
I also seem to recall a test done some years hack that tested all the UV filters that people were using and found very few that really did a good job at blocking out UV rays. Hoya was one of the cheaper ones that did a great job in thier view.

But if you get and use one when shooting, make sure that you get one that is multi coasted. ITs coated 3 times on each side I read if it says Multi costed. Other wise its just coated once.

I know of a few people that would get a junk filter and keep in on the lens till it was time to shoot, and then took it off. they only used it for protection.

I remember when I use to work in a camera store about 20 years ago, maybe more than that. FIlters made you big money then. Not so much now with Photoshop and all that. But we use to sell tons of them. I still use them for B&W.

Just be sure that if you get a UV filter that you get what you pay for.

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Rob

If I where you I wouldn't spend more than 30$ on a UV filter for that specific lens.

I would have thought that the plastic lens caps provided would have been all the protection it needed.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II

Thats true about a lens cap. But thats what they did anyway. I will admit that I had seen some lenses that were protected from falls from a filter. But I have no idea what the status of the lens cap was.

But you made a good point about the lens cap.

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Rob

I have one on all my lenses.
My 50-500mm has one from Hoya...$90 ..I think it was.
I'd rather be cleaning that repeatedly than the lens itself.
For me they are strictly for protection of the lens.
Lens caps pop off sometimes and I gotta say the 500's lens hood and me reaching my hand in there to get a cap off is a bit of a fiddle.
A few times I have been setup somewhere I have removed it and shot and see no differance in any way shape or form in the pics but I'm by far no pixel peeper.

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

I sort of agree there about the lens hoods, I can't say I have really noticed a difference, nor found an advantage yet. After all, they only prevent a small amount of sunlight from getting in or so.

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Canon EOS 500D
Lenses: EFS 18-55mm IS, EF 50mm F/1.8 II