Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
- Thread starter PaulK
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Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
Uncoated lenses will cause more flare than coated ones. So try your lens out in bright light, stop the iris way down and then point it at a bright light and see if you see reflections or flaring. If you don't, you're probably okay. What you don't want to do is add a lens onto your camera that starts showing reflections and flares all over the place!
Uncoated lenses will cause more flare than coated ones. So try your lens out in bright light, stop the iris way down and then point it at a bright light and see if you see reflections or flaring. If you don't, you're probably okay. What you don't want to do is add a lens onto your camera that starts showing reflections and flares all over the place!
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
For others that have been wondering the same thing: I did a little research, and the consensus I got is that when it comes to a UV Haze filter, multi-coated versus non-m.c. makes a virtually indistinguishable difference in the resulting image quality.
I contacted the owner of my local camera store. He has a background in professional photography spanning several decades. He said about half of the dozens of UV Haze filters he's bought over the years for his own personal use have not been multi-coated and he has never noticed a difference. He did mention that it's possible that there may be a slight amount of lens flare with the non multi-coated lens, but it's never been an issue for him, and he was quick to point out that with video, thanks to the instant gratification of seeing what you're getting through the monitor, any potential flare can be easily avoided.
Secondly, an employee at EVS, who owns a DVX and has plenty of experience in videography, echoed the same opinion. His opinion counted the most, since he's also a salesman and could have taken the opportunity to sell me a more expensive filter, and I gave him plenty of opportunity to say something disparaging about the choice I made, but he didn't try to get me to upgrade. On the contrary, he said it's not at all necessary. Kudos to EVS for hiring people that tell the truth at the expense of making a sale!
Despite my sampling space being miniscule (ahem, two! Hehe), here's what I've concluded: If you have a high quality UV Haze filter, it doesn't really matter if you have the multi-coated version or not. For all intents and purposes, you, and your intended audience, will never be able to spot the difference.
For others that have been wondering the same thing: I did a little research, and the consensus I got is that when it comes to a UV Haze filter, multi-coated versus non-m.c. makes a virtually indistinguishable difference in the resulting image quality.
I contacted the owner of my local camera store. He has a background in professional photography spanning several decades. He said about half of the dozens of UV Haze filters he's bought over the years for his own personal use have not been multi-coated and he has never noticed a difference. He did mention that it's possible that there may be a slight amount of lens flare with the non multi-coated lens, but it's never been an issue for him, and he was quick to point out that with video, thanks to the instant gratification of seeing what you're getting through the monitor, any potential flare can be easily avoided.
Secondly, an employee at EVS, who owns a DVX and has plenty of experience in videography, echoed the same opinion. His opinion counted the most, since he's also a salesman and could have taken the opportunity to sell me a more expensive filter, and I gave him plenty of opportunity to say something disparaging about the choice I made, but he didn't try to get me to upgrade. On the contrary, he said it's not at all necessary. Kudos to EVS for hiring people that tell the truth at the expense of making a sale!
Despite my sampling space being miniscule (ahem, two! Hehe), here's what I've concluded: If you have a high quality UV Haze filter, it doesn't really matter if you have the multi-coated version or not. For all intents and purposes, you, and your intended audience, will never be able to spot the difference.
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Links;num=1089868492;start=0#2 date=07/15/04 at 18:59:41]Uncoated lenses will cause more flare than coated ones. So try your lens out in bright light, stop the iris way down and then point it at a bright light and see if you see reflections or flaring. If you don't, you're probably okay. What you don't want to do is add a lens onto your camera that starts showing reflections and flares all over the place![/quote]
Thanks Barry. I posted my 3rd post with my hearsay evidence before I saw your reply. I don't want you to think I was dismissing your suggestion.
I'll do the test and, in case anyone is interested, I'll post the result.
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Links;num=1089868492;start=0#2 date=07/15/04 at 18:59:41]Uncoated lenses will cause more flare than coated ones. So try your lens out in bright light, stop the iris way down and then point it at a bright light and see if you see reflections or flaring. If you don't, you're probably okay. What you don't want to do is add a lens onto your camera that starts showing reflections and flares all over the place![/quote]
Thanks Barry. I posted my 3rd post with my hearsay evidence before I saw your reply. I don't want you to think I was dismissing your suggestion.
I'll do the test and, in case anyone is interested, I'll post the result.
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
OK, I did Barry's test. There was a little lens flare and ghosting with the filter on and with the filter off. However, the difference between having the filter on and off was indistinguishable, at least through the EVF and LCD. Therefore, the conclusion is obvious: The amount of flaring/ghosting inherent in the Leica lens is going to be a bigger factor in image quality than the difference between using a multi-coated lens and a non multicoated lens, at least in the case of my B+H filter.
OK, I did Barry's test. There was a little lens flare and ghosting with the filter on and with the filter off. However, the difference between having the filter on and off was indistinguishable, at least through the EVF and LCD. Therefore, the conclusion is obvious: The amount of flaring/ghosting inherent in the Leica lens is going to be a bigger factor in image quality than the difference between using a multi-coated lens and a non multicoated lens, at least in the case of my B+H filter.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
If you're getting satisfactory results, there's no need to change. But if you're using Schneider or B+W, you're talking about top quality filter manufacturers there, so I'd expect great results no matter what.
The difference between an uncoated B+W filter and an uncoated "Digital Optics" filter will likely be night and day (hyperbolic speculation here) so let's not just assume that multicoating makes no difference (I know that's not what you said, but for those who may not understand, I just wanted to spell it out).
I would still recommend the multicoated version of the best filter you can get, under the premise that anything that gets between your lens and the image had better be the very best quality optics possible.
If you're getting satisfactory results, there's no need to change. But if you're using Schneider or B+W, you're talking about top quality filter manufacturers there, so I'd expect great results no matter what.
The difference between an uncoated B+W filter and an uncoated "Digital Optics" filter will likely be night and day (hyperbolic speculation here) so let's not just assume that multicoating makes no difference (I know that's not what you said, but for those who may not understand, I just wanted to spell it out).
I would still recommend the multicoated version of the best filter you can get, under the premise that anything that gets between your lens and the image had better be the very best quality optics possible.
Re: Bought a Schneider (B+H) UV-Haze filter...
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Links;num=1089868492;start=0#7 date=07/16/04 at 17:16:02]The difference between an uncoated B+W filter and an uncoated "Digital Optics" filter will likely be night and day (hyperbolic speculation here) so let's not just assume that multicoating makes no difference (I know that's not what you said, but for those who may not understand, I just wanted to spell it out).[/quote]
Hehe... OK, now I'm really confused. I thought we were talking about the difference between multi-coated and non multi-coated, and *not* uncoated B+W and uncoated "Digital Optics." So, what is a Digital Optics filter? I'm assuming that my B+H haze filter has one coat, i.e., an anti-UV coat, right?
What I found interesting was that there was a fair amount of flare/ghosting in the stand-alone DVX Leica lens, as with any complicated lens assembly with many glass elements, I'm assuming. Obviously I'm no expert, but wouldn't a person have to purchase the Filter From Hell to make the flaring and ghosting noticeably greater than what is already inherent in the actual lens?
[quote author=Barry_Green link=board=Links;num=1089868492;start=0#7 date=07/16/04 at 17:16:02]The difference between an uncoated B+W filter and an uncoated "Digital Optics" filter will likely be night and day (hyperbolic speculation here) so let's not just assume that multicoating makes no difference (I know that's not what you said, but for those who may not understand, I just wanted to spell it out).[/quote]
Hehe... OK, now I'm really confused. I thought we were talking about the difference between multi-coated and non multi-coated, and *not* uncoated B+W and uncoated "Digital Optics." So, what is a Digital Optics filter? I'm assuming that my B+H haze filter has one coat, i.e., an anti-UV coat, right?
Sounds like good advice to me.
What I found interesting was that there was a fair amount of flare/ghosting in the stand-alone DVX Leica lens, as with any complicated lens assembly with many glass elements, I'm assuming. Obviously I'm no expert, but wouldn't a person have to purchase the Filter From Hell to make the flaring and ghosting noticeably greater than what is already inherent in the actual lens?