UV filters provide a better quality picture and protect your lens from damage.
A UV camera filter is an important accessory in a photographer's arsenal. Natural UV rays from the sun can create blurry images. UV filters help prevent this blur or haze from occurring, among other benefits. UV filters help improve picture contrast and provide added camera lens protection. Fortunately, UV filters are easy to use and to install. On the other hand, these filters can also create lens flare (a minimal color tint), a phenomenon that reduces image quality. Understanding when to use a UV lens may reduce the chance of lens flare from occurring.
Instructions
1. Clean off the inside of the UV filter with a clean, soft towel. This will ensure that there is no dust or debris on the filter before it is placed on the camera. Attach the filter by turning the filter onto the camera lens threads until it is on tightly.
2. Attach the UV filter to your camera on hazy and cloudy days. The unclear sky will cause the UV rays from the sun to be uniformly distributed through the air. This results in the camera film being exposed to larger amount of UV rays than usual and poor color contrast will occur. UV filters will prevent this from happening.
3. Remove the UV filter any time it appears to adversely affect image quality. The most common problem UV filters cause is lens flair, a slight coloring tinge that appears in the film. You have several options if you notice lens flair and have to remove the filter. First, try taking pictures on clear days. You'll have a good chance of getting clear pictures without a filter since UV rays are not uniformly scattered when the sky is clear. Second, purchase a multicoated filter. Multicoated UV filters are able to stave off lens flair and poor color contrast, another problem associated with UV filter use. Third, you may want to consider purchasing a digital camera. Digital photos suffer very little, if at all, from UV rays.
4. Attach a UV filter to your camera during black and white photography only if you need or want the added protection to your front lens. UV rays adversely affect color. This means your black and white photos cannot be affected by the rays and a UV filter will do nothing to improve image quality. The filter will still cover your front lens from dirt, debris and therefore reduce the chances of lens scratches that will adversely affect image quality. Use a UV filter for black and white photography if you want this added protection. The filter provides little benefit outside of physical protection in this situation.
Tags: image quality, adversely affect, Attach filter, black white, lens flair