UV filter advice please..............

[Macaroon]

I've just got my new (to me) Nikon D40 up and running in a serious attempt to put an end to my complete ignorance of all things photographic, and one of the things I remember from way back in the day is that everybody recommended that you should have a UV filter fitted pretty much permanently to a 35mm slr except for indoors. Is that the case with digital cameras such as the D40 or have the digital jobbies got that covered?

Any advice gratefully received!

 

[photonician]

There's a bunch of arguments for and against using UV filters online, neatly summarised here.

In short, people used to use UV filters with film cameras due to 35mm film being overtly sensitive to UV light, causing a blue cast in bright sun. This isn't an issue with digital cameras.

I tend to not use a lens cap on most of my lenses, and just use a UV filter instead: it prevents scratching the front element of the lens, makes lens changes quicker, avoids you losing the lens cap and makes the lens easier to clean.

 

[Wahboasti]

I keep a UV filter attached to my lenses most of the time, more as an extra layer of protection for the lens glass than anything else.

 

[Macaroon]

I hadn't thought of that aspect of it.........I still wonder if there's a technical argument for/agin it, though?

 

[photonician]

UV filters used to be used due to some film being sensitive to UV light, causing fogging or a blue cast to the images. Digital camera sensors have fixed this problem (in fact, most sensors are now overtly sensitive to the infrared end of the spectrum!).

There's arguments aplenty on the internet about the effects on image quality vs. the amount of protection that a UV filter gives you, and there's not really much of a consensus. Shooting in bright sunlight might cause lens flare or ghosting, but this is rare. You need to be taking a photo with the sun in the frame for it to happen.

I tend to keep a UV filter on most of my lenses instead of using lens caps: they'll stop a scratch to the front element, and I'm less nervous about damaging the lens coating when I clean them.

 

[Macaroon]

Excellent, thank you; that tells me what I need to know

 

[Robson Valley]

I've hear that UV filters are called "fingerprint filters." Filters are cheap insurance. Lenses are expensive.

Apparently, it can become an issue as you go up in altitude (thinner air, something like that.)
The village is about 2,700', some logging roads might go 4,000'. In old-fashioned analog color, I never noticed any difference.

B&W analog films were(?) more sensitive. I had some good opportunities long ago to photograph the "before" and "after" of small logging operations
for a concept called Visual Quality Objectives. Oh. Terribly sorry. Not "logging" but "harvesting."
Shooting stereo pairs in 4x5 B&W, I always kept a Wratten 2A on the rear face of my Rodie 210 in the view camera.
Without it, the contrast jumped and it was hard to dumb it down on Polycontrast papers.

 

[photonician]

No worries, happy shooting with the D40!

One word of caution: the D40, along with a few other entry-level Nikon cameras has limited compatibility with older autofocus lenses: the autofocus will only work with AF-S or AF-I labelled lenses. Worth double-checking on any cheap-o ebay deals

 

[Macaroon]

Good info again, thanks!

 

[Nomad64]

All my lenses (from the cheapest to those which Mrs Nomad would kill me if she found how much I paid for them) have UV or Skylight 1a filters on solely to keep dust, finger prints etc etc off the front element of the lens, with digital cameras, the effect on image quality is inconsequential.

Plenty of cheap UV filters out there, new old stock ones from the defunct Jacobs photo shops are available on the Bay of E for reasonable money but always worth a rummage in the bargain bins at any surviving camera shops in your area and/or charity shops - make sure you get the right size(s).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jacobs-58mm-UV-Protection-Filter-Quality-Glass-Slim-3mm-Mount-Nikon-Canon-/111999436390?hash=item1a13afc666:g:~e8AAOSwv9hW6p8p

Depending on what sort of photography you are into, other filters you might want to consider are;

polariser - to deepen blue skies and remove/reduce reflections from glass and water (nb the autofocus on digital cameras won't work with older/cheaper "linear" polarisers, you will need "circular" or "C" filters)

close-up - a simple magnifying lens which screws on like a filter and lets you get closer to your subject.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Macaroon]

More good info., thanks very much - just ordered one of the Jacob's filters