[Leica] filters, orange dots and baseplate stickers

["J. Coduto" <jcoduto@ix.netcom.com>]

i cant believe there are so many people out there that think placing a
filter on a lens has any useful purpose in photography. the only thing a
filter will do, is make lens manufacturers rich. in fact, most people i
know that use filters do so because they think it will enhance their
pictures or protect their lens. filters make your pictures look different,
not better. as for protecting a lens, put the front and back cap on when
not in use...these will protect your lens where it counts, jostling around
in your camera bag, bouncing down a rutted road in nepal or the australian
outback, but when you shoot...shoot clean. 

i'll never forget the day i saw a gentleman with an M6, and a 35 1.4 Asph M
with a UV, and a polarizer shooting his family in santa cruz. i asked him
what he thought of the images. he said he wasnt real happy with them
because they were always kind of dark and fuzzy...

the biggest hype yet is the advertising of BW filters. has anyone ever seen
a comparison of the cheapest vivitar filter and a leica or BW? ask yourself
why. besides there are much more important things for we lugheads to think
about...like orange dots and the baseplate protective stickers. Now these
things are really important.