Don't Make THIS MISTAKE! | Here's why UV Filters hurt more than they help!
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- čas přidán 27. 05. 2024
- Scared of ruining your front element? Using a UV Filter to protect your lens & expect better photos? Let me show you in this video with real world examples why you might want to rethink that approach.
You will never look at UV filters the same way again!
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Say no !
0:41 The truth
1:18 Shoot off!
1:55 Sample images
4:48 Don't be scared!
5:21 Front Element Cost
5:34 How can we protect our lenses instead?
7:17 Don't worry
I haven't used a UV filter in many years, but I certainly did sell quite a number while working photo retail. One sale that I will always remember is when a couple came in to get a UV filter for the lens. They bought the filter and immediately put it on. As they were leaving, they ended up dropping their camera and the only damage was to the filter. They quickly bought a second filter to replace the broken one, and they left without further incident.
That camera went on to ebay: "good as new, always used with a filter!"
If you are clumsy than yes buy a filter, if you are careful you don't need one.
I wouldn't be so quick to assume only the filter got damaged. Lens internals could have been damaged as well, but they will only find out about it later when they look at the pics and they are fuzzy, or IS isn't working anymore and making loud noises.
nice story
If you are shooting as a pro with a $5000 lens you may be right, I shoot as an amateur on vacation and there I have a $500 lens and a UV filter made in Japan, I can't tell the difference in sharpness even on a 60" 4K TV and the colors are excellent. The UV filter serves me as protection against impact , dust , and can filter out the blue color a little better at the sea and in the mountains. Many pros use them and don't complain. Otherwise the faded photos in RAW never turn out like this , I set my camera so that I only tweak the details and the color of the light in Picture One . For the average photographer the UV filter is a benefit , it's a matter of opinion !
To really do this test you really need to do it against a static subject, in static lighting (or the same lighting at least). In doing so, in my experience, with some filters there isn't any discernable difference unless you get into peeping at the pixel level almost. The rason I say this needs to be done in a static test environment is that even slight movements of birds can give the appearance of a filter not performing well, but it could also be lighting and how light is hitting the feathers for example from one shot to the next. I am in agreement that people shoulid avoid UV filters when possible (although there are some good times you might want to consider using one -- for example if you're shooting a Holi Fest or something -- then the slight decrease in IQ -- if any -- may be greatly outweighed by the protection the UV filter can offer, but for normal shooting I don't usually advise people to use them). But again, a test on a static test chart in artificial lighting will be the best comparison (reduces the most variables).
People should realize that UV filters are not really necessarily a good thing for protection against damaging a lens. In some cases, it may prevent damage, in others it could cause damage. For example if you drop or bumpb your camera into something and the front of the lens comes in contact with something, a UV filter (or any filter realy) will either get scraped but not damage the lens, or in other cases the filter can break and damage the lens (and possibly cause MORE damage if it damages the front element -- I've seen times when people would have been better off NOT using a filter and nicking the front of the lens, versus a lens filter breaking and severely scratching the front of the lens). A lens hood is a better option as it doesn't impact optics, and can actually improve contrast in many cases, and acts as a bumper if you drop the lens or bumpb it against something -- and lens hoods are more expensive than some filters, but far cheaper than new lenses and front lens elements. So the happy middle ground for protectin would be a lens hood.
I didn’t just take one photo, but huge bursts of each scene.
And then picked representative images.
@@jan_wegener it does not matter. Your testing method is flawed. It is not controlled enough. It has to be done on a static subject under controlled lighting and tripod mounted with the camera shutter being fired remotely. Also why test a UV filter rather than a clear filter?
Haven't noticed any degradation with my B+W filters, but I don't really use them on my long lenses. Where I do use protective filters is when shooting landscapes near oceans, blowing sand, and rain. The filter absolutely will protect your front element from salt water and blowing sand. When it's raining, it is much easier to wipe off the flat surface of the protective filter than the curved surface of the front element. Plus, I feel like I don't have to be so gentle wiping the filter as I do when rubbing a cloth or Kimtech over the lens element with all it's special coatings.
Any piece of glass infront of lens will degrade the quality. Why do people buy expensive lenses when they have to put these silly gimmicks infron of it..
@@predatorishiMy experience is on par with the countless others that have stated it does not degrade their image quality. I have done countless comparisons in lightroom when I first got my UV filter. At all focal lengths on my lens I found absolutely no degradation even when pixel peeping. I think it truly matters the quality of the filter. Obviously there is gonna be some difference but if it isn't like what is shown in this video then there is no problem.
Many years ago I had big problems with a cheap UV filter. Then I start using Hoya filters which apparently did not had a visible impact on the IQ.
I also used lenses without filter. Even I was carefull, the front lens got some marks - the antireflex layer was damaged by dust.
So in my opinion, a good UV filter is the best compromise. I use a Hoya protection filter on my 300mm and still get very good IQ.
There quite a difference between UV & protect filter. I also use protect filter from HOYA works very well, I do not see loss of details. Put on UV (also Hoya) and things starts to fall apart. So yeah, stay away from UV-filters cheap or expensive.
Protect Filters of good quality, like Hoya, - works very well.
I must admit my experience with using high quality (B+W) Clear (and not UV) filters is different than yours. I've done several tests, both outside and in a more controlled environment and was unable to see any difference in any of the shots (even pixel peeping at 200%).
The reason I put a filter on top of almost all my lenses is not fall protection (the front element of the lens is way more sturdy than a thin filter), but protection against dirt and repeated wiping/cleaning of the front lens element (even with dedicated microfibers, very small scratches happen and will get worse over time).
…same here, usage of B+W clear filters and the results look just fine…
I have the same experience with the bw clear 000 mrc nano filter. I tested in a controlled environment with an optica chart and they are very similar maybe at 100% crop a barely visible advantage with non filter
Same here as well. Using repitable seller B+W 007 non UV for the same reason as you + lenshood for bump/"fall" protection. As you said, I see no meaningful difference in sharpness or tint, except for the shots into direct sun, where the filter tends to flare unpleasantly.
Maybe a bare lens is the sharpest and greatest, but bare lens with smudges that I dont want to clean will be probably on par with shining clean spotless filter...
Any filter in front of lens will degrade quality it’s science.. these are just gimmicks.. to protect ur lens just be careful unless u shoot at paint ball tournaments or live in the United States 💩
Thank you. Makes perfect sense. I'd rather wipe down the filter than the lens itself.
Depends on the filter. I have a Hoya EVO Antistatic Protector filter on my RF 100-500 and R5. You can't see any difference, no matter how much you pixel peep. It's not a UV filter. However, if in doubt, leave the filter off.
That’s a great filter. The only downside I’ve found with my Hoya HD filters is they are not anti static.
You must be a UV filter salesman.
I use a UV filter to protect the lens on my tired old camera. The images I get from it look beautiful to me because I don't examine them at the atomic level.
Great video! I’m so happy to see that you’re doing better!
Thank you so much!
I think there is a place and time for everything. If you're going to shoot in bad weather, dusty conditions, and you're not gonna earn to replace your gear faster than you can damage it: use UV filter. If you're going to a clean venue, no danger of liquids or dust to damage your lens, just use the lens-hood: it will protect from accidental bumps and improve image contrast in certain scenarios. You'll look more cool too.
Thank you for having a different and most likely more accurate view on UV filters than the majority of other reviews I have watched.
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always and the valuable information, keep up with the awesome content 👍👌
Thanks for watching!
It's easier to sell used lenses with zero hairline or fine scratches on the front element.
I personally use high quality UV and/or clear filters and have not seen any perceptable image degradation even when pixel peeping. The only instance I observed image degradation is when I used a low quality CPL.
What was the brand of the expensive filter? I switched to B+W MRC Nano UV filters and with testing shooting a brick wall I see no diff with or without. I did see a diff when using Tiffen and some others high end stuff. Granted, this was before my R5 (5DIII) so maybe I need to test again with the higher mps.
That was eye-opening, I have to say this when I was selling cameras in the 70's they asked us to well one with every camera or lens we sold. I was the 19-year-old guy who was the number 1 filter, 1 film, 1 battery seller for our company. My film of choice was Tri-X pan black n white 400 ISO. So guess what my camera is set on? yes 400 ISO. I thank you for sharing all you great camera tips. Still deciding on the camera, I know I have decided on the 100-500mm lens. Im so glad your back love watching your vids so many great tips. Yesterday I saw some of our spring birds in the yard our classic orange-breasted robbins
I'm surprised at how much UV filters affect image quality. Your points are all valid.
Thank you Jan, great information. I will take them off today; only keep them for paintball shoots and heavy particulate in atmosphere situations. Thank you.
Yes, in these extreme cases they can make sense
Nice comparisons! I took my UV filter off quite a while ago because I also noticed some difference but I had been considering putting one back on because I wasn't sure how much difference the quality of a filter makes. I appreciate an advise that for once will not leave me wanting to buy new things :). Still I had a little nick on my 100-400 II lens which I also used without a filter which made the sale of it a little harder but taking less than optimal pictures every day in attempt to prevent this seems not like a good trade.
just use clear filters like the Nikon Arcrest, you will get no degradation on your images. UV filters are usually crap
Outstanding - just purchased an EF 100mm macro - of course I purchased a UV filter with it, now I plan to remove from all my lenses to test sharpness. THANKS!
Yes, testing it yourself will be good!
Valid points Jan but having a filter on the front of my RF24-105 when shooting on a beach saved my lens when the tripod got knocked over and took the brunt of the impact. As I shoot landscapes primarily I tend to have a CPL on most of the time and do occasionally just shoot with nothing on the front but am always nervous as in the heat of the moment accidents can happen. It's down to each person to weigh up the pros/cons for them but better make sure you have good camera insurance...esp if you don't have a filter and/or lend hood on the lens.
Not sure which UV filters you used, but there are better ones. I have a B+W UV-Haze MRC on my 100-500 and the shots come out tack sharp with good contrast - just like your No Filter examples. I'm a pixel peeper and would definitely notice otherwise! There definitely are low quality filters out there though. And honestly I could probably remove my filter and not worry about it. I always use the lens hood.
I also use B+W mrc uv filters and did several pixel peeping tests with my 5d3 raw files. Could not tell the difference. Perhaps the issue is more noticeable on higher resolution cameras?
I use the B+W MRC nano clear filters and do not notice a visible difference when pixel peeping on a Canon R5 with L lenses. Even the measurable difference in respect to image degradation according to the manufacturer is less than 5%. I would say this video is a little bit on the clickbaity side, hence it got a downvote from me. Hope the algorithms will do the right thing to prevent this from spreading further.
I had a bad experience with a Best Buy filter on my 300MM Olympus bought a B&W for about $200. CDN I think it's fine but you know I'm going to check it out again now.
Doesn’t matter, it’s basic science ur degrading the quality with those fancy so called glass. If can’t pass ur finger thru it .. ur wrong that it doesn’t impact the quality, it does and it can quantifiable, but some people can’t see it in some situations.
Same Filter on Sony A7R5 and all my GM lenses (6) and even after retesting there is ZERO loss in sharpness or color. It is just a level of security doing a lot of beach photography in salty and sandy conditions
Great video - really striking differences being shown in your examples. I think it is hard to generalize on this subject. In my experience I have found the RF 100-500 to be very susceptible to lower quality filters. I rented the lens before I bought it and got terrible results the first day out. Someone suggested I take the filter off and the second day out I got fantastic results. Since buying that lens I have done comparisons with it bare and with a top quality clear glass filter from B&H and I can discern no difference. I have shot my 24-105 and 14-35 L lenses both ways as well and cannot see any differences when using high quality filters from Breakthrough Photography, Maven, B&H or Hoya. So I think the level of degradation is not only filter dependent but lens dependent as well. That being said, I do somewhat trend towards removing the filter entirely in cases where it seems safe to do so. I would be interested if you tried this test on another lens, maybe not super tele...
Thanks for the Video and Yes! it make a huge difference when I removed mine from most of my lenses, specially the ones used for Wildlife photography.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jan. I didnt noticed such degradation of image quality when using UV on my 100500L but will check this once again. I noticed on my 2870mm f2 problems with the right focucusing on certains focals like 50mm and 70mm on the wide aperture. I was getting ghosting on the photos but since I removed it is great. On Sigma 105A or 85A no loss in quality. They are sharp at f1.4. Adding glass to this combo like ef-rf adapter with builtin Nd filter changed it. My thoughts are that dependent on the lens built, prime/zoom You can use certain extra glass without changing a lot of quality.
Solved my problem. Evidence-based claims and good suggestions. Thank you.
Thanks!
Thank you for posting this video. I am sure you will get a lot flak for your position on UV filters. I have EOS R full frame and some expensive RF glass to go with it . I agree, with the lens hood protecting the front element. I had a situation a few years ago when my camera with a 24-70 2.8 EF went flying into the floor board of my truck breaking the lens hood and protecting the front element. You are a professional and it is critical that you get the best image possible . But at the end of the day we Armatures and advanced users are happy if we get a sharp image with decent composition. I am intrigued by the difference in image sharpness and detail by not a UV filter and may try this on my landscape and architecture shots.
Hi Jan and thanks for all your video contributions! Reading through the comments, it seems that a lot of people do just use HD Nano Clear Filters (as I do too) and can’t find this quality degradation as pointed out by you testing UV Filters. I’d suggest to have a second video, based on your subscribers base opinions, checking out on Expensive Clear Filters too! Many regards and best wishes for your health, 👍🙌🇸🇪
@jan_wegener …
It would be interesting, but keep in mind that even these super expensive glass filters are going to cause an additional reflection between the front element of the lens and the back of the filter. So there is no scenario in which they will not in some way degrade quality. Now you may be saying that this degradation is so subtle that you don't care, but it will absolutely be there.
It was my understanding that UV filters are not necessary on Digital Cameras ....since the sensors have UV filters, this was more of a film thing. The UV filter part is redundant, clear protectors all the way, probably the unneeded UV coating causing this.
Very clearly explained and demonstrated.
Amazing....thanks sir!
Most welcome!
I had some serious issues with an Amazon Best Buy UV filter. It almost looked like shooting through heat waver with a 300MM F4.0 Olympus lens. I bought a $200.00 B&W UV filter with all the Nano Tech speak and I think it's been working fine on the 300MM even with a MC20 2x converter. I did some tests and made a video about that experience. I will certainly check it out again. Thanks for the info. Mike
thanks, was very useful...✌
Glad to hear that
Hi Jan, Thank you for your videos, I have learnt so much from them. This video is particularly interesting given peoples varied experiences. I think what this tells us is always to be mindful of possible image alteration when using filters and to test with and without them to make sure with any given combination. I took some test shots with one of my lenses holding everything constant except for the filter and could not detect any appreciable difference. I think however I will do this with all my lenses that I intend to use a filter with. Thanks again.
Yes that’s was the whole point really.
Make sure to test it outside in the sun as well
I never got the idea of a UV filter for a digital camera since UV light doesn't impact a sensor like it can film. Though I have thought about getting a cheap one to crack to see what I can do with shots directly into lights.
You know there are times when using a lens hood will also impact your sharpness. Steve Perry did a great video on when you should avoid using the hood.
Beautiful images!
Will definitely consider this next time I want to take the best possible picture cause that yellow fuzzy UV filter looks awful 😬 but for my use case I actually need the UV filter 😅
Great video! Have you tried canon protect filters? They seem to work good (not uv filters at all though)
I enjoyed your video. As someone who takes a belt and braces approach ie. I use both UV filters and lens hoods all the time, I have never done any testing to see if it makes any difference without the UV filter. The one flaw I saw in your video was that you started with the premise of a cheap and an expensive UV filter - expensive does not necessarily equate to good quality nor does cheap necessarily equate to poorer quality as you discovered. Some of the better quality filters are made from the best quality German Schott glass and have up to 30 coating layers. Do they affect image quality in any way? I don't know, as I haven't tested them. I think your video would certainly have been more convincing to me had you appraised us of the specifications of the filters you chose, rather than just basing it on price.
Ahh, this makes sense. Thanks.
The Laowa 100mm X2 Macro lense i bought last year ,,, had 2 UV[0] Filters 67mm Hoya and a Laowa UV Filter , I took them off ...never put them back on since .
Though have been tempted to buy some filters for LE's whilst down at the Beach etc haven't even got round to it yet ..
Thank you for this tip
Great video upload......... Thanks a lot from Denmark 😀👍😉
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks Jan for an interesting video. I've always used UV filters for protection of the lens but have only been taking photos seriously for a couple of years. Now I'm very curious and will do some testing of my own. Cheers.
Thanks for sharing
This is so true. I dropped my M9 with a 24 Summilux on it. The lens had a really good aluminium (?) lens hood on it. The hood now has some battle scars and is dinged a little but the lens is still in perfect condition and the body was also undamaged.
Great!
And I was wondering why my old lens (without UV filter) has often sharper photos. Now I know . Thank you!
Glad I could help
Super helpful thank you. Do you think that the clear protective covers degrade images just as much as the UV filters? I purchased a bunch of B + W Clear Protection Filters, should have watched this vid before dropping all that cash on them haha
Jan, just took off the UV filters on both my Nikon Z50 kit lenses. I always use my hood when taking photos and put the lens cap on when putting my camera in my bag. Great video!
Happy to help :)
I have UV filters on on my lenses, but have often wondered about how it affects the photo. Based on your video, I think I’ll do some testing of my own! I crop pretty heavily on my 100-400 and I can see it may be more of an issue there.
I agree that cheap filters degrade image quality but having a protective filter depends on your needs. I don’t have high megapixel 20mp cameras so doubt that in my case I would see the difference. Looking at your images you have lots of fine details in the feathers so it makes sense to avoid using filters.
If people are spending $100 per lens for a “protective” filter they should look into the cost of insurance. My guess is that will be MUCH cheaper and cover more than just the front element including theft which is a much more likely event! And I’m pretty sure insurance has no impact on image quality 😊
Not a bad tip!
Not really £100 would barely pay the excess and I do have insurance also the pain of being with out lens for a few months
I don’t think this needs to become a big insurance debate. Obviously these things would vary greatly by region. But I’m seeing premiums of $50/year to cover $15,000 of equipment. There should also be options to add riders to home owner policies that could be even cheaper. And thats more than just front elements but bodies too. And if settling a claim takes months you need to seek another carrier.
I took mine off a long time ago, thanks for the video Jan.👀👀
You’re welcome 😊
So, what about the UV filter do you suppose causes the deterioration of image quality, the coating? I always use Nikon's NC (Neutral Color) filter on my lenses thinking it will keep dust from getting in my lens. Maybe I should experiment with and without.
Big fan of your logical and direct way of speaking. It's a refreshing change from some meandering presenters. ...and thanks for the tips !
If it is the glass of the UV filter that's degrading the image quality, what does that say about ND and CP filters and the possible degrading effects of their glass?
I think typically those filters, at least the high end ones are Ade with much better components and coatings, ensuring better IQ. Ido use CPL and CDs for video without much issue
Thanks for sharing your experience with great comments...yes I do use UV filters but maybe after watching your video I will try using lens without one just to see the difference...if any..
Cheers from Australia 😀
Yes, that's the best you can do
Hi Jan. Very interesting (and surprising) video on your UV filter experience! As a sharpness "fanatic" myself, I don't use any filters when doing product photography in studio. However, in my testing of expensive B+W and Hoya UV and/or Clear filters, I've found that only at around 400% magnification can I detect even a very slight negative impact on sharpness when using a filter...At normal magnifications or small print sizes, I can not really tell a difference in detail rendition. That said, I am considering the Nikon 95mm NC Neutral Clear Filter for the upcoming NIkkor Z 180-600 f/5.6-6.3...Reason being that Nikon makes their own glass, and I doubt they would make a less than optimum quality filter for that very nice and sharp lens, correct? Happy Labor Day sir!
Same here using only B+W UV-Haze MRC on all of my my GM lenses (6) on a 60MP Sony A7RV and even after retesting there is ZERO loss in sharpness or color. It is just a level of security doing a lot of beach photography in salty and sandy conditions.
Hi Jan I agree I was using B+W UV filters & discovered a few years ago that they caused some image degradation and threw them out. Like you suggest, I now just make sure I always have the hood on. Thanks & Cheers
Thanks for sharing!
I would like to see a sharpness test when using a moderate and expensive circ polarizer. Thank you.
It’ll likely have an effect, but a polariser also has a positive effect whereas that is more debatable with clear ones
Hey Jan is This the same With protection filters or Pol filters beside Those filters is made to be put on when needed not to use all the time
It seems the clear filters perform a bit better and high end CPL will perform better again
Crystal clear advice Jan. I couldn't agree more. And since your on the topic of filters, do you ever find the need for a circular polarizer when dealing with glare?
I have used CPLs in the past, but not really for birds
Great video but what about the B&W XS Pro Clear filters for protection only ?
Clear filters seem to perform a bit better going by the comments here
Hi Jan! my two cents... for protection (at least for those who lives in tropical countries like me) I strongly suggest a DRY CABINET for your lens. I got a ruggard 18l for $130 it fits my r7 with 100-500rf attached.
Yes, I'll need to get some of those at some stage
Very important information!
This should therefore also apply to the clear filters you get in the EF to RF adapters then?
If it's Canon made, it's different. Just like the clear place holder inside the big prime lenses.
I chucked my UV filters a long time ago.
I know it’s not super beneficial to have one in situations it’s not required like in dry environments. But I assume it would be helpful in salty and misty environments like the beach right? So would it be good to use a high quality, high-transmission multi coated uv filter in these salty environments? Would the good quality uv filter still be worth considering?
Thank you Jan, jus went to a photo session out and was unhappy with the results as I found my images not that sharp - I thought it was me (and it might be !) as I went handheld; but now I will take out the UV filter and try again to find out is it was me or that piece of so-called protection we are somehow pushed to buy by resellers ! I agree with you about the proper protection knowing I never came even close or scratching any of my lenses as I'm super careful - rather taking myself a knock or stumble rather than dropping my kit.. Good to be told, on my way to try and it all makes sense now, I'm sure my images will be much sharper now !
Fingers crossed
Hi Jan
Good to have you back.
Last video made me think. I have several friends who swear that primes provide better quality than zooms. Not sure that’s proven but could it be that what they are seeing is that the use of filters with zooms is degrading the images?
Bob
Thanks you Jan ... i was always septicle me too
I own an R6 Mark II and RF 70-200 F 2.8. I added a B+W Clear filter and immediately noticed a HQ difference. Specially when zooming in. I sent back and re ordered again from B&H and the second filter had the same behavior.
I then ordered a Hoya HD3 UV and this had 0 issues with IQ but for some reasons it was shifting the color of the images.
No more UV or Clear filter for me. I instead used that filter money and added Canon Care Pack + Allstate Insurance.
Thanks for sharing!
Twenty years ago I brought my Canon 400 mm in for repair with a UV filter attached. When I received the repaired lens back it came with a note from the tech repairman saying that I would get better results without the UV filter. Never used them since.
An interesting video and I was surprised at the results. I always use a lens hood and the lens cap. This video relates to a UV filter but I assume the same goes for a clear protect filter.
Would this still apply on beach photos where there is lens spray which can get onto the front element.
I never use filters. A clear one may be slightly better, but I would suspect it to still have an effect.
Your logic is sound, I have spent many hours trying the same experiments as you, some makes of uv filter can and do reduce image quality. After many experiments I finally found the best uv for each of my lenses. This isn't straight forward. The make I preferred is a cheap uv mc about £10 but was terrible on my Nikon 35mm, I then found that adding a Sigma uv DG about £25, the lens was very sharp again. I prefer to have a uv for protection. Just my preference. Yes this debate will go on, adding a filter requires thought, testing and more testing, if you have multiple lenses, don't assume a make of filter will be the same result on all of the lenses. Also some CPL filters affect image sharpness. Again the cost of these isn't a factor. More testing! Have fun. Scratches from grit eg sand can be a real problem, once you have the best match of filter and lens, you can also use the hood to maintain contrast and extra protection. £5000 for a lens, I would protect it, try other brands.
Is there such a thing as a good shot of a Bin Chicken (White Ibis)! Jan, I removed my UV filter after you mentioned it at the Gold Coast conference. I could notice the difference straight away. Might be my imagination but on the Sony a7iv with the 100-400 GM I think the AF fixed and stuck quicker. Maybe that was because of others tips I picked up at the conference.
They may affect AF as well, but not always easy to tell. I am trying to get some nice bun chicken shots 😀
I don't know if this would apply to closer shots up close?
Excellent vide and information. I have now heard this from 3 different photographers, 2 professionals and 1 amateur who has won several amateur awards for his photography. I recently attend a seminar, (being the son of an engineer I appreciated the presentation) that the lens today are designed and the extra glass of filters may affect images. Especially UV filters, and filters that were specifically designed for film use and affects. Basically don't use them. If you feel you need one, test and examine the results. It was recommended to remove the UV filter and shoot raw as you have described. I have removed my UV filters and will test and see the results. I am sure things will improve.
I am reading through this comment section… and nobody considered the fact that he’s doing wildlife photography at probably 200+ mm focal length and wide open to get nice bg blur… the quality of image that the lens (expensive as it can be) can produce is already stretched out because of the “extreme shooting conditions” of course throwing an uv filter under these conditions will degrade image quality significantly. Otherwise you wouldn’t need such an expensive lens to start with. In your case, yes using uv is a no.. but don’t let this video bias you… if you are shooting with primes like landscape or documentary or street photography the uv filter result will actually not be that bad. If you are doing kind of enthusiast/pro-work (I consider wildlife to be on the edge of pro) of course you probably don’t need one! Anyway great photos
On the other hand if you're working in a really dusty, maybe windy environment, you might get better results with a freshly wiped filter than a dirty lens that you can't clean safely until you get home.
What about circular polarizers. Should you use them and will they help or hinder.
They are good if you are dealing with reflections mainly
I droped 70-300 is usm mark 1 on the concrete from 1,5m with the lens hood on no damage to the lens even the hood is alright and this crapy lens is not made to last so totally no need for uv filters lenses are quite hard to destroy
Nice
I put on a uv filter right after getting a new expensive 150-600 lens, then i saw the images were absolutely garbage, took off the uv filter, store replaced it with a better one but i didn't put it back on, used the lens for half a year. I somehow managed to scratch it while never using it outdoors without the hood and only using a cleaning cloth i have at home (where i kept it inside glasses carrying case and washed my hands before using it), and having the cap on when not using it, luckily it's on the very edge so likely only an issue unless i shoot without the hood and sun shines on the front element, but i'd rather have a tiny hit in quality than having the quality degrade over time from micro damage accumulation.
Hello Jan, how are you today? I am having troubles with some of the steps of the editing course, Around the minute 56, you tell us to "load the selection" into a New Layer.... I can't figure out how to do so, can you help me out? Thanks a lot, and best wishes from Uruguay.
You can send me an email. I think you are referring to me to save the selection. So once I have the selection made. I create a new layer and then go to Edit - Fill - Black. Once that is done I untick the little eye icon next to the layer, so it's hidden. If you now left click and hold down the command/control key it will load your selection .
@@jan_wegener Thank you Jan, I will try this, and if I can't figure it out, I'll bother you with an email :)
Thanks!
This is why top filter makers, including B+W and HOYA make clear protective filters. UV filters were designed largely to solve a problem endemic to shooting film. A problem that doesn't exist with digital cameras, so it's not surprising that corrections never intended or useful for digital shooting would degrade digital images. But that problem of inappropriate "correction" doesn't exist with the top clear protective filters from the companies mentioned. The real problem is that UV filters have a useful purpose only for film shooting, yet many people don't knows this, and sellers too often will sell whatever people will buy. I'll that three times, I've dropped a camera with a Canon L lens on it, and each time, the filter cracked or shattered, but the lens was left completely unharmed. I've enjoyed and benefited from a good number of your videos, Jan, but you're leading people astray with this one. You rightly steer us away from UV filters, but the reasons for concern don't apply to the best clear protective filters.
the question is what kind of brand UV filter are used ?
in my case using B+W i dont find any degradation
what the sample look at the pictures it looks like using cheap UV filter
I've done a test with static subject, using a good quality Hoya filter and the result is not as bad as in the video. Yes, there is a slight difference in sharpness, but almost negligible. I wonder if the resolution of the sensor plays a role in this? Can it be that in a low megapixel camera (like 40mp)? interesting video anyway, it would be interesting to see one more video where other high quality filters are tested :)
Jan on that note, have you ever tried the polarizing drop in filters on your 600mm f4? I'd be quite interested in you opinion on those. They might be beneficial for waterfowl
I haven't. They could work well at times, but also usually take one stop of light
I do not use UV filters on my mirrorless lenses! I use clear filters. I fit filters to keep the weather out, not to reduce physical damage - I use plastic lens hood that absorb damage (sometimes breaking). I do have to wipe off smears from the filters every 4 months or so. Filters are also removable so I make sure they aren't too tight.
Never knew this…thanks
I agree 100% so glad you posted this, now when I get involved in discussions about this topic I can just show people you're video, lens manufacturers spend millions designing a lens, then you go and buy one for a lot of money just to stick a piece of glass in front of it that don't belong there, why??? this subject was covered many many years ago in Practical Photography magazine, and they also came up with the same conclusion,
Thanks for sharing
Jan, your story is valid and relevant as a general observation. The colour deviation variances we get from filters can be huge (some years ago a bunch of ND filters or polarizers got tested by another influencer, illustrating this).
Your observed sharpness impact - I don't see it from my Nikon "S" class Z mount glass with Hoya Fusion UV filters. And as protection in my Z 7ii, there still is a Kase filter.
My biggest problem with these losses of detail are in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) when for example Topaz Gigapixel AI retrieves details from raw that I had not thought would be possible.
It's an interesting experiment you did, though, and I now have homework to do. I hate hoods in general and my Z primes seem very resilient to glare as well as flare (the new 85/1.2S seems an exception though).
On another level, as AF software got developed without filter most likely, I may have to ALSO verify if these UV filters actually impact AF speed, precision, and/or low light abilities.
I may have to move to your side of the hood.
It's hard to properly test AF performance with and without filter. It did seem to use less eye tracking and instead often went to a wider box with the filter, but Idid not test that aspect enough. However it would make a slot of sense if it affected AF to some degree as well. If it impacts sharpness that much.
I think the lens hood on telephoto lenses offers sufficient protection. Great vid!
Agreed
Great video!
Thanks!
What do you think about protectors made by the manufactures of the lens itself?
Awesome video and commentary 👌
Glad you enjoyed!
oh my god. you just fixed my sharpness issue. It was just this damn stupid UV filter. thanks man. it worked. 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Awesome!
Thank you for this video. I have a number of HOYA UV, but never compared them until now. I did not take test photos, but I did do an eye inspection over a bright light. It was compared with a B+W Pro Clear Nano. The B+W is completely clear; The HOYA UV is slightly clouded, almost not noticeable. I am buying more B+W filters ASAP.
Ok, here is a follow-up. Just to be fare to HOYA filters. I did a photo test of an object outdoors about 12ft away. UV then no UV. In PS I had to zoom @200% to see a very_very slight difference in sharpness. Still plan to replace my UV filters. The more you know is good.
Hello Jan ! Thank you for all your videos. I have learned really a lot and enjoy all the small details you provide.
As for this topic, i use UV filter for 15 years, mainly on shorter lenses. Last year i did add one a Tamron 150-600mm and did some tests but could not find any difference and if any it was almost not noticeable.
I week ago i got the canon 100-500 and a Hoya UV filter and wanted to do again some tests after watching your videos as i was suspicious of how much the UV filter degrades my image on a much sharper lens.
I took many similar staged shots with and without the filter, but could not see any difference even while pixel peeping. Surely your results show a completely different story. I will have them in mind and give one more go.
All in all, if the IQ degradation is like 0.5%-1% , i think its not worth risking a 600 Euro damage.
Did you test it in the sun? Inside there will be hardly any difference
@@jan_wegener Hello Jan. Thank you for your reply. I wanted to take the time and do some further tests one more time (with and without filter) as your opinion counts a lot to me and you made me suspicious if i should continue to use the filter or not.
In my shared drive ( drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Wn1h4WvLxOKJk13y9XKnLcr12gUlurI9?usp=share_link ) you can find some 100% crops. Below some information for the images.
1) The images have as filename the marking Filter / No-Filter for identification
2) Camera used Canon R7 . Lens RF 100-500
3) Filter Hoya Fusion UV
4) Settings:
Center focus at 500mm
Image 1: F8, 1/800 ISO 1000 (Light: Overcast)
Image 2: F8, 1/320 , ISO 320 (Light: Morning sun)
Image 3: F8, 1/500 , ISO 640 (Light: Morning sun)
5) All images are exported from Raw without processing (sharpness on Lightroom turned to 0%) .
I can barely notice any difference in my shots, if any and i am amazed by the difference you provided through your images. I wanted to do some real test scenario on the beach yesterday with some sandpipers but they were a bit too skittish and my images were not ideal for comparison.
I will have your results in mind and try to find a more suitable scenario to do another more test.
Thank you for taking the time to create this video.
A game changer. Took my UV filter off immediately. And I have only high end filters. Possibly only for rain and beach sand. Have to really think. Possibly a polarizer for the beach. A big decision. Will research.
Is it the same with put-in filters on your 600 mm? Do you use your 600 without that filter or with it?
No, those filters are part of the lens design. I don’t touch them
I stopped using them after I had blurry issues with a Hoya one on the ef100-400
But I’m kicking myself as on my 1st shoot down the local canal shooting kingfishers a motorcycle came down the towpath at speed I kept myself between the camera and the motorbike but wasn’t till the day after when uploading firmware I noticed 2 tiny pinhead size spots of mud that had dried on the front lens well I got my cleaning gear out sprayed the new cloth lightly wipes the 2 spots off and shocked I now have 2 scratches on the front glass I’ve never had this issue with any other L glass and so after speaking to my insurance they wonder if there are faults or issues with the lens coatings or something so I’m going to send it off to canon for them to check out and see where I go from there but after how weak the RF lenses seam to be I’ll be keeping a filter on from now on it’s crazy as my old ef 600 f4 and ef 500 f4 there like over 20 years old and are now in better nick than this brand new rf 100-500 shocking