Re: [Leica] Filters ( with or without a proposal for a dual) again, very long.

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

>Jacques Grilli wrote:
>
><<<<The response posted   are divided about 1/3 recommend no filter-
>1/3 recommend the use of a filter and the other 1/3 are cleaning the lens
>with a different brand of whiskey(mostly scotch) so they do not care.>>>
>

At 10:02 PM 1/31/98 -0500, Ted wrote:

>Sorry Jacques,
>
> No offense for the somewhat frivolous response from the Scotch drinking
>crowd. We may not sound serious, we are.
>
>A test? I guess the simple one is to shoot one frame of a scene without a
>filter, next frame with and do this on several situations similar to the
>type of photography you like to do.
>
>It is only this immediate frame to frame slide comparison will you be able
>to see any difference. You may or may not notice some slight difference,
>but on the whole with the Leica glass, it's unlikely. However possible.
>
>Basically, I never use UV filters regardless of the maelstroms of dust,
>dirt, water, wind and smoke one may encounter. The filter still works out
>to putting a two bit piece of glass on a multi thousand dollar piece of
>glass.
>
>You've seen the arguments and all this does is lead to a great deal of
>confusion for yourself, simply because it is almost like religion as to
>whether the filter is worth it or not.
>
>Bottom line after 45 years as a photographer! Save your money from the
>filter, buy film, shoot pictures and have fun.
>
>If in 45 years I've only had one lens receive a "zit" and only because I
>was shooting too close to a welder, trust me! Yes and I've dropped one or
>two also.
>
>By the same token others will fight just as hard to get you to use them.
>And I'll still come back and say they are a waste of money to put on a
>multi thousand dollar lens!
>
>Do the little test I prescribed and see just how much difference you can
>detect.  It isn't like putting a polarizer on the lens where you can see
>very distinct change.  Under some light conditions you "might see" some
>difference, but the difference isn't worth the internal reflections and two
>extra glass surfaces you'll have to keep clean and reflections in some
>lighting conditions.
>
>But then this is only my humble experience of 45 years punching the button
>and not one iota of theory! :)
>
>ted
> 

Thank you very much Ted. I've tried theory, logic, quotes from Leica,
etc... but as you say, people remain confused. It's simple. You just said
it. I cannot understand the logic behind using a UV filter. Why? Because
there IS NO LOGIC.

Thanks again,

Jim