Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 9/29/99 4:44:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ramarren@bayarea.net writes: << My own testing in this area convinces me that there are many situations where even a super high quality filter costs me something in terms of flare/loss of contrast/loss of resolution. >> Once upon a time a couple years ago it was cold, drizzling and nearly dark outside and a couple rain droplets had blown in on the front element of my 180 3.4 APO-Telyt, blatantly violating the law that says a lens hood is supposed to protect from that sort of thing, and forcing me to wipe it off quickly with a microfiber cloth I keep in a ziplock bag in my pocket. When I got home, I noticed several deep circular scratches on the element (evidently there were a couple specks of grit that also broke the lenshood-as-protection law). I called Leica USA and was quoted the price for replacement of the front element group (it's a cemented pair): $800 plus labor. Well, I'd only paid $1000 for the lens so I sold it as-is for $500 which made more economic sense than having it repaired. Since that time I have kept UV filters on all my Leica lenses with no ill-effects. But recently I returned from Paris and noted in some otherwise great shots of the Eiffel Tower at night taken with a 35 ASPH Summicron-M that the huge illuminated "2000" had a ghosted upside-down image as well. So I am reminded that there are occasions when I've got to either unscrew the filter and take the shot, or else put the lenscap back on and walk away. DT