Anti-fog Lens Filter?

[limgt]

Hi all,

I attached a Hoya UV-GUARD lens filter to protect my 18-55 lens from scratches. Yesterday I was sitting inside the bus and when I came out of the cold bus to a hot weather, my filter got fogged up, and I missed a rainbow shot.

Just wondering is there any anti-fog filters?

[coldrain]

Answer (yourself) this: What can possibly cause a lens to scratch when you only take the lens cap off when you actually are taking photos, and put it back on when you are done?

Personally I have no clue... So my advice is: Do not use UV filters for "protection", only use filters when necessary. I know a lot of ppl keep advicing UV filters for "scratch protection" but other than blind seaguls and sand storms I have no idea what can scratch a lens when making photos.

[jcon]

I agree with Coldrain, thats why I havent bought a filter since my Panasonic FZ20, its just not needed on the D50. As for the condensation, thats normal. Its advised that when you change from one extreme to the other, to "ease" your camera into the new temperature, as it may cause condensation.

[JREMKE]

I will agree with the other postings regarding letting the camera adjust to a warmer or cooler temp, but that's where I must draw the line. Regarding the use of an UV filter on a lens for protection, this is a no brainer. You have a lens with fine optics which has no protection coating applied to it. True that by taking the lens cap off when taking a photo and then immediatley replacing it will help, but the atmosphere has pollutants and other particles in the air than will attach to anything. When I use to shoot for NASCAR in the 70's my fiters would have a film on them at days end. Now imagine this on exposed optics.

Regarding the fog issue, before entering high or lower temps, try removing the lens cap and holiding the lens in you hand so that it will quickly adjust to your surroundings. Sort of like Leica use to do with an external battery pack that your stick into your pocket which would connect to the camera so that your motor drive would function properly.

JRE

[coldrain]

I will agree with the other postings regarding letting the camera adjust to a warmer or cooler temp, but that's where I must draw the line. Regarding the use of an UV filter on a lens for protection, this is a no brainer. You have a lens with fine optics which has no protection coating applied to it. True that by taking the lens cap off when taking a photo and then immediatley replacing it will help, but the atmosphere has pollutants and other particles in the air than will attach to anything. When I use to shoot for NASCAR in the 70's my fiters would have a film on them at days end. Now imagine this on exposed optics.

Regarding the fog issue, before entering high or lower temps, try removing the lens cap and holiding the lens in you hand so that it will quickly adjust to your surroundings. Sort of like Leica use to do with an external battery pack that your stick into your pocket which would connect to the camera so that your motor drive would function properly.

JRE
I guess you never heard of lens cleaning fluids. And you must be happy you do not wear glasses, else you would have to put "UV filters" on both sides of the lenses of your glasses too. Or do you actually trust yourself to clean them?

UV filters are nice for... filtering UV light when needed. Otherwise, leave them. It is a bit silly to pay big bucks for as good a lens you can afford, just to compromise the optics with a weird pane of glass in front of it.
Cleaning lenses is nothing difficult.

[JREMKE]

Lens cleaning fluid! That's old school. You apply a chemical to a special (so they said) tissue and wipe it on to a piece of fine optics. Would you do this to your eyeball? Yes I do wear glasses (with no UV filters on them) and do clean them but anytime you clean anytime type of optic you end up leaving a minute mark. This subject can on and on but some protection is better than none.

JRE

[coldrain]

Lens cleaning fluid! That's old school. You apply a chemical to a special (so they said) tissue and wipe it on to a piece of fine optics. Would you do this to your eyeball? Yes I do wear glasses (with no UV filters on them) and do clean them but anytime you clean anytime type of optic you end up leaving a minute mark. This subject can on and on but some protection is better than none.

JRE
Haha, that is just silly. So.. you have glass eyes, have you? And so all lens makers are crazy for thinking it is good to clean lenses with specialized fluids and soft cloths? Only things harder than glass can scratch glass, and you must be very clumsy if you don't trust yourself using your lenses how they are intended to be used.

You better tell Zeiss that they are all wrong with their lens cleaning sets.

And that they should put glass panes in front of their lenses, and not care about the problems that brings to the optics.

[K1W1]

This thread does seem to be developing into a bit of a flame war.

To go back to the original topic I have never heard of a specific anti fog filter. Personally I do not use filters for protection, if you drop a lens it's unlikely that it will be saved from damage merely because a filter is attached. There again I don't make a habit of photographing blind seagulls either. :)

The advice about easing from one temperature to other is valid but obviously you can't take 5 minutes to step off a bus in most places so if you are going to fit a filter permanently (and that is your perfectly valid choice) then you just have to accept that what you have experienced is one of the drawbacks.

I just have one comment about this quote.


When I use to shoot for NASCAR in the 70's my fiters would have a film on them at days end. Now imagine this on exposed optics.

I don't think that this is at all a valid argument in the context of this thread. Shooting "for NASCAR" 35 years ago implies that you were probably close to the action. The crap that used to come out of racing car exhausts in those times of no pollution or noise or OH&S restraints cannot be compared to the rest of the world now or then. When I was involved in motor racing at that time we used to get covered in oil spray, asbestos dust from the brakes and goodness knows what else and think it was perfectly normal. People used to smoke in the pits for goodness sake. I for one don't apply what happened then to what happens today.

[JREMKE]

You all have valid points but why do the camera manufactures recomend the use of protective filters for their lens? To sell more items, create fear or possibly peace of mind. And I do not have glass eyeballs but thanks for asking.

JRE

[meillana]

about a few months ago, i brought my d200+sigma 18-200 on a hiking trip. needless to say, i wanted my camera always ready to take a shot in an instance so i put the hood on and put the cap in my pocket. great... was able to take shots of birds, landscapes and stuff while on the go, light showers and all. returning to the hotel, it was only that time that i noticed around 3 long scratches on the uv filter. true that i have a mediocre lens, but imagine how you'd feel should this happen to your beloved lens... say a 70-200 f/2.8 VR or a 17-55 f/2.8.
was glad to have had the uv filter on.

[coldrain]

about a few months ago, i brought my d200+sigma 18-200 on a hiking trip. needless to say, i wanted my camera always ready to take a shot in an instance so i put the hood on and put the cap in my pocket. great... was able to take shots of birds, landscapes and stuff while on the go, light showers and all. returning to the hotel, it was only that time that i noticed around 3 long scratches on the uv filter. true that i have a mediocre lens, but imagine how you'd feel should this happen to your beloved lens... say a 70-200 f/2.8 VR or a 17-55 f/2.8.
was glad to have had the uv filter on.
So you had the hood on but the filter got scratched? How did that happen then? My uneducated guess is that the scratches were on there already, because with the hood of the 18-200 mounted you have to do very weird things to get to the filter or lens.

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_18200_3556vr/lens.jpg

So... either it was already scratched, or you need to be less careless poking hard materials into the hood!

[JREMKE]

Thank you meillana. You don't want to agree with anything coldrain!:) Is that a Nikon lens in your photos? Are the Sigma's lens hoods the same as Nikon?:

JRE

[pagnamenta]

Keep in mind that not all lenses come with lens hoods. If would definately buy UV filters for those that don't have hoods because they are usually cheaper than hoods. However, I like to put UV filters on all my lenses anyway. You never know what could happen while taking off the hood and putting the lens cap on. When you have a 24-105 or a 70-200 valued over a $1000 each, you want to protect your glass. Besides, if you can afford that glass, you can afford a filter.

[Wowzer]

Thank you meillana. You don't want to agree with anything coldrain!:) Is that a Nikon lens in your photos? Are the Sigma's lens hoods the same as Nikon?:

JRE


The lens hood is about the same...not significantly different.

[JREMKE]

That's what I was trying to get at. Thanks pagnamenta.

JRE

[meillana]

@coldrain
am pretty sure that the scratches weren't there as i cleaned the filter prior to the hike. it was a pretty tough hike so to speak... tall grass, shrubs, vines, etc, in undisturbed forest and grasslands areas ..... and i was the lead. yes i do tend to do weird stuff when on hikes but not to the point of wanting to damage my equipment.

@JREMKE
the sigma lenshood i think is a little shorter. not sure if the nikon 18-200's a 67mm but the sigma is only 62mm... eg. smaller opening.

@pagnamenta
spot on!