Lens hood or filter?

[mischiru]

Hi,

I just got my D50 kit and a Hoya UV filter.
I am wondering if I still need to get a hood (Nikon HB-33) or the filter is good enough.
Thanks!

Kevin

[rjseeney]

I would opt for the hood over the filter. I only use filters to achieve a specific effect. With custom white balance and photoshop, the only filters that really have any use are polarizers and ND. A uv filter just adds another cheaper and not as well made piece of glass in front of your hopefully quality lens. Filters increase the chance of flare, vignetting and softer images. In terms of protection most small scratches don't really affect image quality, and if you bang a lens hard enough to break it, the broken glass from a filter is likely to cause a serious scratch on your lens and render it useless anway. The only person who benefits from a UV lens is the camera dealer who makes significant money on the filter.

[ruchai]

rjseeney wrote:

I would opt for the hood over the filter. I only use filters to achieve a specific effect. With custom white balance and photoshop, the only filters that really have any use are polarizers and ND. A uv filter just adds another cheaper and not as well made piece of glass in front of your hopefully quality lens. Filters increase the chance of flare, vignetting and softer images. In terms of protection most small scratches don't really affect image quality, and if you bang a lens hard enough to break it, the broken glass from a filter is likely to cause a serious scratch on your lens and render it useless anway. The only person who benefits from a UV lens is the camera dealer who makes significant money on the filter.

I agree with rjseeney. I will not use filter on my lens for the same reason. For protections Iprefer lens caps. It's a pitty to put apiece of glassinfront of the expensive lens.

[mischiru]

thanks guys!

[melt1109]

Wow, and hereI thought I was being remiss not having rushed out to get UV filters (multi-coated of course) for the 2 lens kit. Thanks!

I'll find the hood that isn't included in the kit (can never remember which one) and order it straight away.

Thanks,

M

[rey]

I read somewhere that CCDs and CMOS has a built-in UV filter, just like they have IR filters. I may be wrong about this. I've also read that a filter is a nice substitute to a lens cap, it protects your lens, but be sure to take it take off when you take a picture :-)

But it may be a good idea to use one when shooting around the beach especially when salt water splashes on near-by rocks. It's easier to spot (and wipe them off) on a flat filter. But be sure to take some pics without the filter as well.

[Shred]

I prefer multicoated UV filter + lenshood combination,
surely image quality can suffer a bit, but it just makes lens cleaning so much easier.