[Leica] Re: UVa Filter unwanted effects.

[Thomas Kachadurian <tom@kachadurian.com>]

Jim:

I won't add more to the points you have made except to let you in on 
the dirty business of filter.

It's all about profit. The mark up on cameras is so slim, that 
dealers learned they could double their profit by selling some high 
mark up add ons, Everyready cases and filters. The whole "protection" 
angle was a sales pitch that became truth with frequent repeating. I 
worked in a camera store for several years while I was in college. In 
all those year I only saw one lens with a damaged front element; it 
was scratched by a piece of glass from the filter which broke when 
the lens was dropped.

I have seen filters that saved the filter threads on the lens, but 
you can achieve that with a good lens hood.

I don't use filters except to intentionally alter the image I'm 
making. I really don't care if others do or don't. What bothers me is 
the perpetuation of myths.

Tom

>You can believe what you want. Weld those filters on those lenses. I could
>care less. It's your pictures. Flame me all you want. It is simply not
>going to change the science of optics. My delete key gets lots of use. But
>listening to those of you who continue to say (in a squeaky voice) "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.
>
>Either wake up or don't complain about crappy pictures.
>
>Jim

Thomas Kachadurian
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www.kachadurian.com