Filters Cause Light Loss?

[The Vulcan]

Interesting write up with comparisons here with regard filter use.

Personally, and I guess it goes back to my youth, I've always fitted a high end UV to any lens I've owned.

But this has me thinking!

Filter flare factor

Crap filters

[Nordlys]

Isn't this pretty obvious when you remove your cheapo UV or protective filter and put it on a piece of white paper?

And for that reason I only use Kenko's L41 Super Pro Wide series UV filters which guarantees 99% optical transmission. But it's so thin I once shattered the filter fitted on 135mm lens in a protective case dropping it from below waist height. It broke into so small shred, tiny pieces of glass was falling out from inside the lens months after I broke it. It used to be the most expensive UV filter Kenko had to offer but they now seem to have even better filter with a coating that only reflects 0.3% of incident light.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Nordlys

[The Vulcan]

Isn't this pretty obvious when you remove your cheapo UV or protective filter and put it on a piece of white paper?

And for that reason I only use Kenko's L41 Super Pro Wide series UV filters which guarantees 99% optical transmission. But it's so thin I once shattered the filter fitted on 135mm lens in a protective case dropping it from below waist height. It broke into so small shred, tiny pieces of glass was falling out from inside the lens months after I broke it. It used to be the most expensive UV filter Kenko had to offer but they now seem to have even better filter with a coating that only reflects 0.3% of incident light.

All my Contax G series lenses are fitted with Kenko UV filters and I have a range of black and white filters from the same Company. I must say they are good.

[Nordlys]

Yes, better than Canon filters (and lighter), and more expensive. The coating is so good it almost looks as if there's no filter on the lens. But Kenko's high end filters do not seem to be available in Thailand.