A UV protection lens filter is an accessory that attaches to the front of your camera lens and blocks ultraviolet light rays. Many photographers argue that UV filters are essential, while others maintain that they are a waste of resources and effort. Don’t listen to them — I think they are crazy, and all serious photographers should use a UV lens filter.
Filters are not only used to block UV light and reduce haze, but they also protect the front element of your camera lens from scratches, dust, liquids, and other hazards. That’s one of the biggest reasons I love using them, and haven’t had my Canon lenses ever unprotected.
What does UV light do to photographs?
UV light is invisible to the human eye but can affect image quality in terms of sharpness and vibrance. A blue cast may also appear in your pictures without any UV filtering.
Historically, using a UV filter was especially useful in old film photography because of how sensitive film was to UV light. Most modern film cameras, however, aren’t affected by UV rays.
Modern digital cameras come equipped with digital sensors that discard most of the UV light.
How to use a UV protection filter
The most common way of using a UV protection lens filter is to screw it onto the front of your camera lens. Make sure to screw it on tightly, so the UV filter does not fall off when using your camera, and this also provides a seal protecting from dust.
You can also place the UV filter in front of your lens and then attach the lens to your camera. This method is often used when using a telephoto lens, as it can help keep the filter in place.
Some photographers use their UV protection lens filter by holding it in front of their lens while taking a photo. This allows them to keep the filter in place and avoid having to screw it onto the lens, but won’t offer lens protection.
What UV Filter Should You Buy?
If you’ve decided to start using a UV protection lens filter, the next step is choosing the right one to buy. While a UV filter doesn’t affect image quality noticeably most of the time, you shouldn’t just buy the cheapest that will fit your lens. The measurement needed for your lens is usually written on the inside of the lens cap. This is important. If you don’t match the lens size, your UV filter won’t fit on it.
I started shooting with a Nikon DSLR and then switched over the Canon’s R mirrorless line, and Hoya was my pick until I tried the K&F, but all 3 are good choices.
Urth UV Filter Plus
The Urth UV Filter Plus is a high-quality lens filter that protects your lens and improves image quality. It cuts out 99.6% of UV light, helping sharpen your photos, especially in hazy conditions. The filter features a durable aluminum frame and a 30-layer nano-coating that protects against scratches, dirt, and oil damage.
These layers also provide a higher maximum light transmission and a more consistent transmission curve for sharper images, finer colors, and greater depth. The Urth UV Filter Plus has a 37mm to 95mm thread diameter range, making it compatible with a wide range of lenses.
The filter has a low-profile design that does not add significant weight or bulk to your camera. It is an excellent choice for photographers who want to protect their lenses and improve their photography.
Amazon Basics UV Protection Lens Filter
The Amazon Basics UV Protection Lens Filter is a high-quality, affordable filter that helps to reduce haze and protect your lenses from scratches, fingerprints, and dirt. The filter is made from optical glass that provides excellent clarity and color balance. It can also be multi-coated.
It also features an Avengers: Infinity War-designed active case with a soft-touch finish. The case has a built-in lens cloth for easy cleaning. This filter is compatible with most 58mm camera lenses. It’s ideal for serious photographers and videographers who want to protect their equipment.
The K&F Concept UV Filter Ultra Slim
The K&F Concept UV Filter Ultra Slim is a high-quality filter that helps to protect your lens from scratches, fingerprints, and other damage. It is 3 millimeters thick with a 37mm to 82mm thread diameter range. I currently am using this on my 24-70mm f/2.8.
The filter is made of durable optical glass and features 28 multilayer coatings. Coatings that are hydrophobic and scratch-resistant for durability. The multilayer coating also ensures maximum light transmission for clear, sharp images. The ultra-slim design minimizes vignetting and allows for easy stacking with other filters.
What’s the difference between a UV protection filter and a polarizing filter?
It’s actually a big difference! While a UV filter blocks actual UV light from affecting your photo more uniformly, a polarizing filter actually takes other ambient light in your photo and reduces it. Things like glare on shiny surfaces, automotive photography on a sunny day, or photos of the water.
Why should you use a UV protection lens filter?
Lens protection
UV filters can protect the camera lens from getting damaged if they get dropped or bumped against hard surfaces. However, the protection is minimal at best.
Most UV filters are made from weaker glass than those used for most camera lenses. Hence, they can get broken more easily than the lens itself.
Note: a UV filter will not protect your camera lens from internal damage. Camera lenses contain other glass elements asides from the frontal element. Dropping your lens with a filter on will probably cause as much internal damage as dropping it without one.
UV filters can come in handy in protecting the front element of a camera lens, though. They offer protection against dust, dirt, scratches, and smears. This can be pretty useful in keeping salt particles, grit, or sand from going near your lens when shooting.
UV filters are flat and are much easier to clean than lenses. They are also cheaper to replace if they get scratched or too dirty to clean thoroughly. In some cases, they can offer better protection than the lens hood can.
Blocking of ultraviolet light
UV light scattered in the atmosphere can make pictures look blurry or hazy. A UV filter blocks out this ultraviolet light, consequently reducing haze in your pictures. This could, in turn, make your picture a bit sharper. Not enough to make a difference, but subtle enough to the keen eyes. Modern cameras have no glaring reactions to the presence of UV light.
Cons of using a UV protection lens filter
Loss in image quality
A UV filter adds an extra layer of glass between the camera lens and digital sensor. This can reduce the amount of light that passes into a camera by 0.5% to 5%, consequently leading to a slight drop in image quality.
The drop in quality is largely dependent on the optical glass on your UV protection filter. Cheaper filters are more likely to cause a reduction in image quality than premium quality lens filters.
They can be quite expensive.
UV filters can be costly, especially those suitable for expensive lenses. Specialty UV lens filters can cost hundreds of dollars.
Lens ghosting
Ghost images are secondary images of very bright light sources. Using a UV protection filter on your camera lens when shooting in certain conditions can cause extra ghosting in images. The bright lights bounce off the digital sensor, reflect onto the rear surface of the filter and bounce back onto the camera sensor.
The wider your camera lens’s aperture, the more pronounced ghosting is. You can remove your UV filter if you want to eliminate ghost images. Sufficiently reducing the aperture can also help in removing ghost images.
Lens flares
UV lens filters are said to make your lens more prone to flares. A flare is an overall veiling of an image or parts of it due to stray light. Currently, there is no overly convincing evidence that a UV protection filter noticeably increases flare in camera lenses.
Flare images are caused by unwanted reflections or scattering of light from the various exposed surfaces within the lens and camera body. Modern digital camera lenses typically contain up to 15 or more glass elements. Hence, adding an extra layer of glass in the form of a UV lens filter won’t make that much difference.
Color casts
UV filters block out all types of ultraviolet light, including the kind that aids in producing vibrant colors. Shooting in certain lighting conditions while using a UV filter can make photo colors look washed out or muted.
FAQs
How do you use a UV lens filter?
You can use a UV protection lens filter by screwing it onto the front of your camera lens. You can also use it by holding it in front of your lens when taking pictures.
Should I keep my UV filter on all the time?
Deciding on whether to keep your UV protection filter on all the time is entirely a personal choice. In some situations, it is better to take off the filter when shooting pictures. But if the filter does not bother you or affect the image quality in any way, you can leave it on at all times.
When should you use a UV filter on a camera?
You should use a UV protection lens filter when shooting in environments that pose hazards to your camera’s lens. You should use a filter when shooting in places like beaches, deserts, and snowy mountains.
Should you put UV filter on lens?
A UV protection filter will help protect wind-borne substances such as salt particles, grit, or sand from coming into contact with your lens. So yes. It is advisable to use one but not compulsory.
Is it worth it using a UV filter?
A UV lens filter can serve as protection from dirt and scratches for the front element of your lens. They’re also cheaper to replace and easier to clean. So yes, using a UV protection filter is worth it.
What is the point of a UV lens filter?
A UV lens filter decreases the intensity of ultraviolet light entering the lens. UV rays have a more profound effect on old film stock than on digital cameras. A UV protection lens filter is not very important in digital photography, but it can be useful in protecting the lens.
Can I leave a UV filter on all the time?
Yes, you can. Most photographers who use lens filters leave them on all the time except when shooting in certain conditions.
Do UV filters affect image quality?
Some photographers say that an extra pane of glass may lead to miscalculations of how much light passes through the lens. But, the effect of UV lens filters on photo quality is quite negligible. Cheaper filters are more likely to affect image quality than premium quality lens filters.
