RE: [Leica] Re: UVa Filter unwanted effects.

[Austin Franklin <austin@darkroom.com>]

I am still amazed that people think that there are no problems associated
with using a useless filter

[Austin] It clearly serves some purpose for people who use it in place of a 
removable, easily lose-able lense cap, to not chance the front lense 
element being damaged...which could cause REALLY crappy pictures...  Or 
what ever other reason, such as they would rather clean a flat piece of 
glass instead of the front element of the lense.  Just because you believe 
it is useless to YOU doesn't mean it's useless for EVERYONE.  The can serve 
a legitimate purpose.

...leaving
a UV filter on my lens all of the time cannot degrade my images" really
defys logic. It is absolutely wrong. It has been proven to be wrong. It
defys optical science.

[Austin] There ARE, obviously, certain situations that a filter CAN cause a 
problem, but aside from those situations there is NO degradation in the 
image quality by using a filter.  If one is aware of the potentially 
degrading situations, one can remove the filter during those shots.

For some people, finding out that a filter can cause problems under certain 
circumstances, may be new information.  I think it is good to bring up 
those situations and discuss what they are, and why it happens, not just 
tell everyone who uses a filter they are stupid for using one.  That's not 
really very helpful.

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