Re: [Leica] Filters

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

"Perfesser" Jim;
Aha!
Succinctly put... you need to cut, print, and save this note, and like the
ever helpful CAMS 101, send it to late comers! I have found it's good
advice, and you do indeed put it well.

Dan'l
dwpost@msn.com
- -----Original Message-----
From: Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Sunday, March 22, 1998 10:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Filters


>Mr. Colen,
>
>Since you filter question was, and no fault of yours, untimely, I'll put
>away my cynicism and politely answer your question. Just because you popped
>in late, doesn't mean you don't disserve the truth.
>
>
>>>At 04:14 PM 3/22/98 -0500, Craig W. Shier wrote:
>>>
>>>Conclusion,  the filter is on most of the time.  In tricky or
>>>questionable lighting, off it comes.
>>>
>>>shier@mnsinc.com
>
>
>Since Leica literature states "don't use ANY filter of ANY KIND during
>these tricky and questionable lighting situations, and we all know Leica
>put the UV inhibitor in the lens glue so you would NOT have to use a UV
>filter, I'm having a very difficult time figuring out just when one should
>use a UV filter.
>
>If the answer is "for protection", I have to ask "what about the time
>during tricky and questionable lighting situations, when a filter will
>indeed, screw-up your photograph?" Perhaps protection is only needed during
>the time when tricky and questionable lighting situations don't occur.
>Great concept. Probably a bunch of pregnant women out there that wish they
>had similar luck.
>
>Usually, if shooting with an M camera, hand held, one does not stop an
>think "is this a tricky and questionable lighting situation?", one just
>shoots. If you are using an R camera, you can see the filter flare plain as
>day through the viewfinder. It's in your face.
>
>About the ocean and desert. Salt water is not, in any way, going to harm
>your front lens element. I've lived by the ocean for 60 years with no tales
>of "ocean lens woe." Brooks Institute is in Santa Barbara (an ocean kind of
>town) and Brookies spend a lot of time along the water's edge. With view
>cameras, Hasselblads, leicas, Nikons, and no UV filters.
>
>What you need to protect, in a salt air or dust air environment, is the
>INSIDES OF YOUR CAMERA and the INSIDES OF YOUR LENS. Salt air and/or dust
>will not get into anything through the front lens element. It's sealed. The
>UV filter does absolutely nothing. Clean your lens occasionally. What about
>inside your camera. That's where the REAL DAMAGE IS DONE.
>
>If you dropped your camera into a lake (or ocean), would you be worried
>about the front lens element. Hell no! You would be worried about the WATER
>INSIDE YOUR CAMERA. So if water can easily get into your camera, don't you
>think salt air and dusty air can get there as well? Actually, it has a much
>easier time getting in.
>
>When photographing along the seashore or lakeshore, you have much more
>reflected light. The sun reflecting from the water. This direct sun or high
>contrast situation is EXACTLY the situation that Leica literature says "do
>not use a filter". So you put on a UV filter to protect from the elements
>(?) then have to take it off to photograph. Use a lens cap. It does it's
>job and cannot possible screw-up your photograph.
>
>I mostly use an R camera. I use lots of filters. Useful filters. But I
>cannot use any filters during tricky and questionable lighting situations.
>I know from experience. I know because I can see the problem directly on
>the ground glass in the viewfinder. It's right there. In your face.
>
>So, what are my thoughts about using filters? Glad you asked. Contrary to
>popular belief, I use filters with my R camera almost most of the time. I
>use filters when I need to alter the light in some way. Polarizer, warming,
>cooling, ND, ND and color grad, soft focus, fog, enhancing. But as I said
>earlier, there is UV inhibitor in Leica lens glue. So a UV filter is a
>useless filter.
>
>The best advice is:
>
>Use real filters a lot. Don't use any filter in tricky and questionable
>lighting situations. Throw away your UV filter. Use a lens cap and a lens
>shade religiously. Keep your camera under wraps, when possible, in very wet
>and humid or very windy and dusty situations. Your front lens element will
>be fine. You should worry more about your camera body. Clean your camera
>and lens often. Throw away your UV filter. It's absolutely useless.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jim