To use protection filters or not ?

[Attila]

Please let me know what you think about protection filters like UV. Should I use them always or just if really need it. They affect picture quality or not.
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[lahnet]

[Attila]

Sometimes I shoot with really dirty, scratched old lenses, seem if front lens damaged only that is not impact the picture quality. This says to me should no problem to use all time UV filters.
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[peterqd]

[Attila]

To store them with protection filter make higher risk to get fungus if you have humid area.
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[Super Tak]

I used to use protection filters but never do any more, I remember reading "proof" that they degraded the image, I'm not so sure about that but I don't miss them so I haven't gone back.
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[bob955i]

Where possible I use a suitable hood rather than a protection filter although for some of the Canon 'L' zooms you do need to fit a filter to complete the water/dust proofing.

[LucisPictor]

If you use an additional glass in front of a lens, you (or better the additional glass-air-glass-system) will affect the picture quality, without any doubt. It will end in reduced sharpness or contrast (the latter is also true for your scratched lenses, Attila, but often only to such a small degree that you hardly notice it, only in direct comparison).

Nevertheless, I also constantly use UV-filters as a protection on lenses that were expensive and that still have an immaculate front lens.
It is much cheaper to replace a filter.
I scratched a filter badly once and believe me, I was very happy that I had this filter!
With some of my lenses (the rather cheaper ones or some lenses that already have some "spots" or cleaning marks at the front element), I don't bother. With those I only use a filter in kind of "harsh" surroundings, at the sea (sandy beach, wind and sea water spray), for example.

What I try to use is a hood, if I have an appropriate one, that is...
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[naplam]

A good uv filter is not noticeable at all in normal conditions. Picture "quality" is subjective. If you can't tell the difference, then there's no difference.

But if you're shooting against a window and/or at night when there are just several spots of light and total darkness elsewhere and so on, you may see some "ghosting" because of reflections. In that situations remove the filter to shoot.