UV or Skylight filters for colour film?

[ChrisR]

Back in the day, ISTR I always used to use skylight filters for colour film. These days, most people seem to use UV filters, maybe because those digital sensors tend to get confused by UV light (AIUI). Anyway, I think I've got a few of both kinds of filter, but pretty much no digital cameras. So which should I use for colour film in daylight?

 

[StephenM]

Both will protect the lens (or not depending on who you read) but skylight will have a slight warm up effect, skylight being, like the sky, sometimes blue

 

[excalibur2]

Well I have a drawer full collected over the years and don't use them as I read (years ago) they could reduce the the quality of the lens i.e. sharpness. But thinking could you see the difference anyway? And I suppose it also depends on the quality of the filter from different makes.....h'mm maybe I should fit back all the filters on my lenses as I'd rather clean the filter from dust etc than wiped a VG lens.

 

[Woodsy]

Any filter in front of the lens will have an effect on the transfer function of the optical system, colour transmission, scatter, etc. The question is will we ever really notice it? Probably not. I use a UV filter on my digital lenses because I am much more likely to use that camera system in adverse weather conditions, or just dangling around my neck when hiking etc. Rather kill a UV filter than a lens front element.

As for the OP's question, and as StephenM has said, the daylight filter is likely to change the colour balance marginally, and probably more so than any change a UV filter will make unless the film happens to have an unusually strong UV sensitivity.

 

[StephenM]

The time you're most likely to notice a difference are situations where the light source is either in the image or just outside it, and you're not using a lens hood. Filters are usually right out in front to catch all the oblique rays, whereas front elements are very often recessed.

Personally, I have filters on all my old 35mm camera lenses permanently, and only use filters for effect on larger formats. Not from any deep principle, just that when I bought the older lenses, it was the norm to fit them, and the MF and LF lenses after I questioned the habit. Plus I hardly ever use colour film now, so red/green/minus blue are more likely to be fitted.

 

[ChrisR]

I do use filters, so it's only a question of which one. I think mine are mostly UV filters (for colour), and I've never noticed any blue cast, so I'll carry on using those. Thanks for the advice.