Photo How To

This eye-opening tutorial explains why you should ignore the conventional wisdom regarding so-called drawbacks to using UV filters on your lenses. Instructor Mark Wiemels backs up his advice with tragic mishap that cost him thousands to replace a damaged lens.

Weimels is a budget-minded outdoor photographer whose tutorials often discuss how to capture great images with simple gear that you can afford. And the common UV filter is one of the least expensive photo accessories on the market.

There on two common criticisms of UV filters, and the first goes like this: "Why take a flat piece of glass and put it on the front of my highly engineered lens and ruin image quality? The other suggests using a lens hood instead a UV filter to get the same type of protection without degrading quality. Weimels say that both of the concerns are based upon some form of logic, but they not entirely true.

So here's what happened to Weimels during a hike that entirely changed his mind. That day he was carrying a brand new lens and a new a new camera. The lens was outfitted with a front cap and hood—but no filter. His shoulder strap caught on a pointed rock, at which point the camera was ripped off his shoulder and crashed to the ground.

The lens cap fell off during the fall and a sharp rock on the ground went between the hood and damaged the front element of his lens beyond repair. Lesson learned. That's when, like other pros, Weimels made a commitment to protecting his lenses with high-quality filters.
So what about the notion of sacrifices in image quality? Weimels says he didn't notice a difference.

He then conducted a couple of real-world tests to confirm his initial impression. First he maded a test shot through a window with a resolution chart on the other side off the glass, and a second shot with the window slid out of the way. Once again, there was no difference whatsoever.

Weimels then took things even further by testing the UV filter itself to see if there was a color shift or if lens flare reared its ugly head. Take a look at his results and we think you may be surprised,. Bottom line: Don't believe everything you hear or think.

Weimels instructional YouTube channel is full of interesting videos like this one, especially for budget-conscious photographers, so be sure to pay a visit when you have time to explore.

On a related note, but sure to watch an earlier tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who reveals what he insists is the one "essential" lens filter for capturing great images when photographing landscapes and other outdoor scene