Some photographers refuse to place a UV or clear filter, or any other type of photographic filter, in front of their lens—worried about sacrificing image quality in the name of a layer of protection. It’s a fact that the more glass elements that light has to pass through, the greater the chance that the light is bent, altered, or degraded in some way. This fact is what keeps some photographers from using UV or clear filters on their lenses—the search for the ultimate image quality. But does a UV filter really degrade image quality? Does it really protect anything? What exactly does a UV filter do? Let’s find out.
UV filters block UV light and remove cool tones from images taken in harsh, sunny conditions. Makes sense but hold on. Film is extremely sensitive to UV light, but digital imaging sensors are generally insensitive to UV light. Does that mean UV filters do nothing for digital cameras? Not at all. Some UV filters can reduce certain color fringing from occurring, but more importantly, the filter provides protection for our expensive lenses.
Protection
We here at B&H have seen plenty of shattered UV filters on otherwise untouched lenses. Was this damage the result of a drop or spill? Did the filter, in paying the ultimate sacrifice, protect the lens? Perhaps. Perhaps not. We seriously doubt that filter will protect the lens during a drop, but it does reduce the chances of scratches and grime.
Is your filter dirty? Remove it and clean it off. It’s much easier and significantly less nerve-racking than cleaning the front element. If a filter gets scratched or corrodes from repeated exposure to salt spray and other abrasive elements, we can simply remove it and replace it. Much easier than having to send our valuable lens in for a pricey repair.
Is There a Visual Difference?
Protective capabilities aside, can you see a visual difference in two identical photos—one with a UV filter and one without? We’ve done the test for you!
Let’s take a look and see the results….
Example: Here are two images from a FUJIFILM XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens. The first image is from the au naturel lens and, in the second image, the lens sports a SH-PMC multicoated UV filter.
Can you see the difference between the two images? We cannot.
Even when we do some serious pixel peeping at 200%, the images look identical.
While we encourage all photographers to use a UV or clear filter on each and every lens that they own, there are times where even us experts here at B&H have removed my UV filters when out shooting to avoid lens flare that was happening at the filter despite the filter’s the multi-coating. The same glare issues can occur with any filter, such as a circular polarizing filter or ND filter. When this happens, simply remove the filter for the shot.
Other than the occasional bit of glare, most high-quality UV or clear filters will not have any effect on image quality, but some inexpensive filters may Experiences with cheaper ones usually turn users away from filters for good, but there’s good reason to reconsider. So long as you pick a quality filter, your lens’s performance will remain unaffected, while being protected from scratches, chips, and all manner of environmental wear and tear.
Our recommendation? It’s better to play it safe than to be sorry. A quality UV filter will keep your gear safe to some capacity. This is especially true if you routinely shoot at beaches or anywhere salt, sand, or some combination of the two are present. If you’d like to learn more about filters and photography, check out our other articles and guides on the B&H Explora page!
