UV filters are the commonest filters offered with each lens buy. You might have in all probability heard {that a} UV lens filter protects your lens from getting scratched. It’s actually true, however are you aware how to decide on the finest safety lens filter to guard your digital camera lens?
The finest safety lens filter to guard your digital camera lens is UV Safety Filter (Ultraviolet Filter). The standard UV filters shield your costly lens from bodily injury (scratches, bumps) and have minimal or no impact on picture high quality.
What Is а UV Filter?
Initially UV filters (Ultraviolet Filter) have been developed in movie images days. A UV filter was mandatory for the reason that filters blocked undesirable ultraviolet mild from hitting the movie. The picture suffered haziness and fogginess with out a UV filter, particularly in blue hues.
Since fashionable digital cameras have built-in UV filters on the sensor stage, the necessity for UV filters is minimal as we speak.
It’s a widespread perception that UV filters scale back chromatic aberration or coloration fringing, however I’ve by no means seen any proof of that with my eyes. Primarily based on my expertise, if a lens is poorly constructed, no filter can right the colour fringing it produces. And if UV filters do scale back chromatic aberration, the discount is simply too insignificant to make a distinction in picture high quality.
At present, the one perform that UV filters provide is safety. There may be little or no distinction between clear or UV safety filters.
Utilizing UV Safety Lens Filter in Trendy Images
That is usually a subject of debate within the images neighborhood as a result of there isn’t any clear consensus about utilizing UV filters for cover functions in digital images.
Completely different photographers method UV protecting filters otherwise.
We are able to separate most photographers into three teams relying on how they use UV filters.
- Group 1. Some photographers by no means use protecting or UV filters as a result of they imagine that including an additional layer of glass in entrance of an costly, state-of-the-art lens can probably degrade the standard of the picture. We name these photographers “the perfectionists.”
- Group 2. Photographers within the second group use UV protecting filters solely when mandatory. For instance, in the event you attend the Burning Man pageant within the desert, you’ll usually clear the entrance factor of your lens round 100 instances every day. The sand and mud can probably injury your lens.
- Group 3. The ultimate group of photographers is those that instantly connect a UV safety filter after they buy a lens and by no means take away it. The logic right here is that the danger of damaging the lens far outweighs the minimal degradation within the high quality of photographs and, in consequence, is price it in the long term.
How I Use UV Safety Lens Filter
For a very long time, I belonged to the primary group of “perfectionists” and refused to make use of the protecting filter. I assumed utilizing the lens hood was higher to guard my lens from any potential bodily injury.
What modified my thoughts was my frequent travels to the West Coast of the US. As a result of robust winds alongside the coast, saltwater mist is all the time current within the air, even when it isn’t raining. Continuously wiping the entrance factor of any lens can simply trigger injury to its coating, particularly when salt residue is current.
At this level, I’ve UV safety filters for all my lenses, however they principally keep in my bag. I solely use them when mandatory. Earlier than mountaineering alongside the coast, I all the time connect the filters to my lenses the night time earlier than. And earlier than driving via Loss of life Valley, I additionally guarantee all my lenses are protected with filters.
What are the Negatives of Utilizing UV Safety Lens Filter?
To reply the query in regards to the unfavorable uncomfortable side effects of utilizing protecting UV filters, we have to perceive the properties of glass in optics. They’re mild transmission and light-weight reflection. They point out the ratio of sunshine that comes via glass versus the sunshine mirrored by the glass.
As a common rule, the optical flat glass transmits 95% of sunshine, and 5% is mirrored.
It signifies that in the event you shoot via the optical glass, you lose 5% of sunshine and are at the next danger of undesirable lighting results resembling lens flare and ghosting.
In sensible phrases, you need to use UV protecting filters with the highest transmission and the bottom stage of reflection.
What to Search for When Buying UV Safety Lens Filters
Filter Materials
You in all probability seen that you possibly can purchase a UV filter for as little as $2-3. The explanation for that’s they’re fabricated from plastic. The reflection charge of plastic is far greater than even common glass and could be greater than 15%. Steer clear of plastic filters.
Even in the event you discover a low-cost ($10-15) UV filter fabricated from glass, it’s nearly assured it isn’t fabricated from optical glass. It’s extremely possible made out of low-coast development glass.
It might be finest to search for UV safety filters fabricated from optical glass. And to maximise the safety stage of your lens, the filter needs to be outfitted with tempered glass.
Nanocoating vs Multicoating vs Non-Coated Filters
As I discussed above, even high-quality optical glass can have a mirrored image charge of round 5% or greater. To scale back the reflection, filter producers use numerous sorts of coating.
Proper now, yow will discover three most important sorts of filter coating.
Non-Coated Filters
One of these coating is simple; it merely doesn’t exist. If the filter is supplied with high-quality optical glass, you’re going to get a mirrored image charge of about 5%. With a non-coated filter, it is going to be extra affected by lens flares and ghosting.
Multicoating Filters
Many of the medium and high-quality filters as we speak use multicoating. The mix of high quality optical glass and multicoating can scale back the reflection charge by as much as 1%.
Nanocoating Filter
Nanocoating is the late expertise used to cut back and even get rid of the reflection charge for good. You’ll discover new nanocoating expertise in some costly high-end filters.
Counterfeit UV Filters
Watch out the place you purchase protecting filters. Should you discover a high-end filter at a fraction of the retail value, it’s assured to be a counterfeit from China. Be sure you purchase your optics from respected retailers. Steer clear of eBay and AliExpress, the place most counterfeit optics are offered.
How A lot Ought to You Spend On UV Safety Lens Filters
The straightforward reply is as a lot as doable to buy a UV Safety Filter with high-quality tempered glass with multicoating or multicoating.
On the identical time, shopping for a $100 UV Filter to guard a $150 package lens wouldn’t be sensible. As a result of cheap lenses are usually not constructed utilizing the very best high quality glass and coating, the lens’s mild transmission is already low. The costly protecting UV filter received’t have the ability to right lens flaws and imperfections.
Fortunately for us, there’s a easy rule of thumb in images. It states that, on common, it is advisable to spend on a UV safety filter 10% of the price of the lens.
It signifies that in the event you shoot with a $1000 high quality lens, you will have to spend round $100 to match lens high quality.
I discover that the rule works fairly effectively for me. For instance, once I was trying to match my finest lens Fujinon 10-24mm, with the protecting UV filter, I discovered just a few fashions with excessive mild transmission charges at round $90-100.
And in the event you shoot with a $300-400 lens, the $40 Tiffen UV safety filter shall be enough.
The Finest UV Safety Lens Filters
1. Tiffen UV Safety Filter (Finest Funds Mannequin)
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: None
- Coating: Multicoated
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
A Tiffen UV Safety Filter is a necessary filter you’ll be able to personal on your digital digital camera lens. It gives an reasonably priced resolution for safeguarding your digital camera lens towards scratches, dust, and mud. This filter is important for out of doors images and is ideal for protecting your digital camera lens in good situation.
2. Breakthrough Images X4 UV Safety Filter (Editor’s Alternative)
- Materials: Shade-neutral optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: Climate-sealing
- Coating: Nano Coating / Low Reflection
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
The X4 UV Filter is the world’s sharpest and most superior UV filter. This filter ensures superior picture high quality and readability by that includes a SCHOTT Superwhite B270 optical glass made in Germany.
Moreover, the X4 UV Filter options nanocoatings and weather-sealing to offer further safety on your lens. Extremely-slim and light-weight, this filter is ideal for any photographer searching for the most effective in UV safety.
3. B+W UV-Haze Safety Filter (High Rated)
- Materials: Shade-neutral clear optical glass
- Ring materials: Titanium
- Water resistant: Sure
- Coating: Nano Coating / Low Reflection
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
The B+W UV-Haze Safety Filter reduces the adhesion tendency of dust particles and water droplets. The hydrophobic coating is a particularly skinny, clear layer that covers all the filter floor. This layer causes water droplets to bead up and roll off, making it tougher for dust particles to stick to the glass.
With its MRC nanocoating, the filter has a particularly low reflection, making certain that your photographs shall be unaffected by glare and reflections. This filter is good for nature, panorama, and journey images.
4. Gobe UV Safety Lens Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Magnalium
- Water resistant: None
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
Gobe UV Filter’s high-quality magnalium-alloy ring ensures sturdiness whereas remaining light-weight. The steel filter case is ideal for storage and transportation, making it the best addition to your images package.
Gobe UV filters are comprised of optical glass, function 16-layer multi-coating, and stop inner ghosting and reflections whereas selling readability.
5. Hoya HD3 Multi-Coated UV Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: None
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
Hoya HD3 UV Filter is the newest and probably the most superior filters in the marketplace as we speak. It reduces mud, moisture, and scratches from reaching your lens components. Plus, it doesn’t add any further coloration or distinction to your photographs in an effort to obtain natural-looking photographs each time.
This light-weight and aircraft-grade aluminum filter body is ideal for any photographer to function entrance filter threads that settle for lens caps and different filters for stacking.
6. Okay&F Idea UV Lens Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: Sure
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
This Okay&F Idea UV Lens Filter is the right option to hold your digital camera lens protected against scratches and different injury. The ultra-slim aluminum filter ring is designed to suit most lenses, and the tempered optical glass gives superior safety. The scratch-resistant multicoated nano resistance coating additionally helps hold your lens trying new.
7. Marumi EXUS UV Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: None
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
This Marumi EXUS UV Filter has a singular oil and water repellent coating that makes it proof against fingerprints and grease.
The anti-static and stain-resistant coating helps to guard the filter floor from mud, dust, water, and oils whereas additionally aiding in protecting your photographs clear and clear.
The Marumi EXUS UV Filter has a thin-profile filter ring that reduces the probability of vignetting when used with wide-angle lenses.
8. Hoya NXT HMC UV Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: None
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
The Hoya NXT HMC UV Filter is a high-quality common protecting filter with a 3-layer HMC multi-coating to protect towards scratches, dust, and flares. The low-profile aluminum body makes it ideally suited to be used with wide-angle lenses, and the high-transparency optical glass ensures wonderful picture high quality.
9. Zeiss T* UV Filter
- Materials: Optical glass
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: Waterproof
- Coating: Multicoating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
The high-quality glass incorporates a ZEISS T anti-reflective coating that helps to stop reflections. By decreasing floor reflections, you’ll get extra mild transmission for sharper, clearer photographs. It’s good for panorama and out of doors images. The excessive match accuracy ensures a quick filter change, so you’ll be able to spend extra time capturing and fewer time fiddling together with your gear.
10. AmazonBasics UV Safety Lens Filter
- Materials: Plastic
- Ring materials: Aluminium
- Water resistant: No
- Coating: No coating
- Guarantee: Restricted 1-12 months Guarantee
The AmazonBasics UV Safety Filter is an entry-level funds mannequin for common use. It’s fabricated from plastic and has no coating, however it would shield your lens from mud, dust, and scratches. It’s possible you’ll think about it as an possibility for on a regular basis use when capturing with a cheap package lens.
The Finest Safety Lens Filter: Conclusion
Do you have to use UV filters?
There isn’t any proper or mistaken reply right here. Every photographer should determine for themselves whether or not or to not use a filter. Ask your self this query: Is sacrificing picture high quality definitely worth the danger of doubtless damaging the entrance factor of your lens? In case your reply is sure, then apply the filter.
In the long term, it doesn’t matter whether or not or not you select to make use of UV filters or not; what issues is the standard of the filter you select. In case you have a high-quality lens that prices you round $1,000, it is unnecessary to stay a $10 filter on the entrance of it. You may all the time apply the 10% filter rule, which states that your protecting filter ought to value roughly 10% of what you paid on your lens.
I’m curious… Do you employ UV filters? Share your solutions within the feedback under.