Hello. I have read numerous times it's wise to protect your lens. I ignored this advise for some time until I scratched the lens on my Panasonic FZ20 while taking a macro shot of a bush bud. With that cam you can get pretty close up to a subject. Luckily it is a very small scratch.. So I went out and got me some UV Haze filters. Some time later and most recently I picked up some mc skylight 1a filters for my cams as advised by the friendly camera salesman. Does anybody know if these skylight filters affect the picture quality in anyway indoors or out, light or dark or whatever? If you do know will you please tell me ? :-) Depending on your answer I may even send you a Christmas present of some UV filters or skylight filters. To my knowledge the UV is for protection, reducing haze, and absorbs both uv and blue light waves. At least that's what it says on the packaging, except it says rays rather than waves. As far as the uv filter goes I don't really have the slightest idea of how to use it. The picture on the packaging shows before and after photos of a snow-covered mountain under blue sky so maybe I will take a picture of Mt. Rainier some day if it ever stops raining here in Washington. I could have a long wait...The pictures look different...the after looks better. It doesn't say anything on the packaging about affecting the actual picture. It just says for lens protection... As long as I am on the topic of filters I was wondering if the brand name makes any difference. These are Quantaray filters, and I figure they are fine for an amature like me. I don't see how one slab of glass could be more extravegant than another. Please forgive me ignorant filter questions, and I appreciate your taking the time to read this, and your input will be most appreciated. --Jeff p.s. another thing I got is a product called digital camera screen savers for protecting the camera's lcd screen. It's a cut-to-fit clear plastic product similar to those reusable car window decals. Seems to work well...

The skylight filters will do the same job as the UV filters. Both absorb ultra voilet and blue light without affecting the length of exposure time needed. Maybe there is some subtle difference somewhere but I don't know of it. At normal altitudes above sea level I doubt you will notice any difference to your pics so use either for lens protection.
There is no method of use - just fit to lens and thats it.
As for different brands it makes sense to buy the best you can afford within your budget. If you fit anything to the front of your lens it must have some effect on quality and the higher priced ones will have coatings helping to prevent lens flare and reflections. The only other consideration should be the thickness of the filter and casing. If you are going to use multiple filter set ups the thinner the filters the better to prevent any vignetting occuring, using one filter on it's own this doesn't matter.

Message edited on: 11/14/2005 05:38

I have read that a UV filter cuts down on haze and a skylight 1A slightly warms the picture in addtion to cutting haze.

I use filters (sunlight, clear) purely to protect the lens's!...very expensive glass so a 30-50 pound filter is nothing compared to protect!

Message edited on: 11/14/2005 13:46

Thanks for the info. I suppose the best way to check for sure is to take some with and w/o pics then compare the results. I would think any noticable effect would be subtle with these particular filters. If I ever invest in a lens with high quality glass then it makes sense to use high quality filters to go with that lens. As for the Minolta slr lenses I have now...two kit lens (one quantary, one Minolta)and one Minolta 100-300 mm zoom that was around 200 bucks...I'm not sure. I read a magazing article about lenses that said unless you are a really experienced photographer you probably won't notice much difference between high end glass and cheaper glass in todays modern lenses.

A subject of great discussion pros and cons.... etc. Another point that never seems to get mentioned is that if you touch the lens with your fingers, the oils in your skin may damage the optic coating. Having said that I don't always use filters, I usually do out and about, but not normally in-doors/studio Simon

Thanks for that info. Simon. I didn't know skin oil could damage the lens coating. I do try and avoid lens touching because it leaves a smudge, but now I will be even more careful to refrain from such touching of the camera's sensitive parts.

There now are straight-out "Protection Filters" made for cameras. These are just a clear filter made for no reflection/refraction so the image stays as-is. Just be sure the filter is "Multicoated" so there will be no reflections on the backside of the filter from the front lens element. As for a difference between a UV & a skylight filter- A skylight filter is usually tinted yellowish or pinkinsh to not only filter the UV rays (which film is still sensitive to) but it will also warm the image more.

hmmmmm....Protection Filters eh? I must keep an eye out for this product. Interesting what you say about Multicoated. I always thought it meant multiple layers of coating, not coats on both sides of the filter. Thanks for the info :-)