Bout to take the plunge with 70-200VR2, But what Filter

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Meds

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Hi Guys,

After listening to all the advise you guys have given me I'm about to take the plunge and buy the Nikon 70-200mm VR2, I was just wondering what Filter would i need with that?

A UV one or a Polorizer?

I understand the UV can be used just to simply protect the lens right??

Thanks

Meds
 
Just use a UV to keep the front element clean and scratch free. A circ pol will cut a couple of stops of light
 
UV or protection lens to protect the lens

Only use/get a polarising filter if you need one (photographing something with lots of reflections)
 
NONE - use the lens hood!
I have never scratched a lens and never use a filter - except very very rarely for an effect.
 
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Thanks guys, I will go for the option of none for now :)
 
it depends on what are you using it for? if you just want to protect the front glass then UV filter is the one to go for.
 
what do you plan to do with your lens that is going to harm it? What you will do is harm your pictures by putting a filter in front! Up to you though.

45 years+ of taking pics and have never damaged a lens - and I don't wrap them in cotton wool either.
 
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I was shooting a golfer in a sand trap last week - bloody glad I had a UV filter fitted to my 24-70 f/2.8...

But it's your lens - do what you feel is right.
 
Its the same as the "grip" senario - do you have one or dont you... Personal preference in my eyes - get one & see if you dont like it then Bobs you uncle - as you can always sell it on...

I've a couple of Nikon NC 77mm filters attached to my VRII & 24-70 2.8 - its mainly there for piece of mind (my mind) & just incase that 1% of bad luck decides to raise its ugly head and something happens to the front glass :lol:
 
I use a Hoya HD UV filter on my 70-200 VRII. It makes no practical difference unless you're shooting bright objects in low light, in which case you may get a little ghosting. As long as you use a high quality multi-coated filter, it'll be as good quality as one of your lens elements anyway. Some people seem to think a filter must cost as much as the entire lens to be any good, which is plainly nonsensical. I just prefer to use a filter than have to bother with a lens cap, The Hoya HDs clean up very easily, and are extremely smear resistant. B+W 's Clear MRC protectors are another good option.
 
SLRist said:
I use a Hoya HD UV filter on my 70-200 VRII. It makes no practical difference unless you're shooting bright objects in low light, in which case you may get a little ghosting. As long as you use a high quality multi-coated filter, it'll be as good quality as one of your lens elements anyway. Some people seem to think a filter must cost as much as the entire lens to be any good, which is plainly nonsensical. I just prefer to use a filter than have to bother with a lens cap, The Hoya HDs clean up very easily, and are extremely smear resistant. B+W 's Clear MRC protectors are another good option.
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I've seen filters smash and leave shards of glass all over a lens - not mine thankfully. No 'protection' there!
 
cobra_lite said:
I was shooting a golfer in a sand trap last week - bloody glad I had a UV filter fitted to my 24-70 f/2.8....
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awp said:
you should have been using a 70-200mm! :thumbs: without a filter! ;)
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Noooooooooo he shouldn't - :thinking: A 9mm with a silencer would've been better, as otherwise the noise would have put the other golfers of their game :lol:
 
awp said:
I've seen filters smash and leave shards of glass all over a lens - not mine thankfully. No 'protection' there!
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In a way its just as well it was the filter that smashed and left shards of glass over the lens than the front element & that leaving shards of glass all over it....

But like many have said - its down to personal preference...


Some do & some dont
 
the lens was knackered as well - scratched all over the front element - just use a lens hood - I have mine taped on to the lens!
 
A 9mm with a silencer would've been better, as otherwise the noise would have put the other golfers of their game
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:thumbs:
 
awp said:
you should have been using a 70-200mm! :thumbs: without a filter! ;)
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Next time I will be, but with a filter. :thumbs:
More to do with the angles though than out of any sense of self-preservation - *note to self - Tesco bags are still cheap*
I got more sand down my neck (and on my camera) than on a bad day at the beach.
I know it's one of those marmite things, but I'd never use a lens outdoors without a good UV or protection filter attached.
I sold my 14-24 and went back to using a re-furbed 17-35 for this very reason.

My macro lenses and portrait lenses for studio work don't have filters attached (unless they go outside on location), but for everything else barring nighttime work, filters stay on.
I have seen lenses destroyed by unexpected flying debris and I have had to wipe bizarre foreign objects of my filters (with no recollection as to how or when they got there).

If you genuinely believe your potentially award-winning images will suffer as a result of having a filter attached, then by all means do what you will.
 
Personally, I don't use a filter, I use a hood. I do a lot of outdoor work and can honestly say that my front elements have never been damaged.

I also know that for my current lineup of lenses the front element can be replaced as part of a service for not much more than a filter of the quality I would be happy using. If something were to hit my filter hard enough to smash it there is a reasonable chance shattered glass would also damage the front element anyway.

However when near salt water things are different and everything gets protection!
 
Let's sum this up quickly; 2 viewpoints,

1) Don't bother - why spend muchos money on a quality lens and chuck an extra bit of glass on it? It's bound to affect image quality.

2) Get one! - protect your muchos money and get a filter for it to ensure that the front element isn't damaged if stray stuff gets in.

Both are valid!
 
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