purple fringing?

[mugsisme]

Is the 50mm lens a bad lens for purple fringing? Or is the camera? I have noticed it a lot on my pictures lately. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/2133012819_5a0e05c5f3_b.jpg
I took some shots of the moon last night, and I used this lens. (OK, Rooz told me after the fact I shouldn't have used this lens.) But almost every picture of the moon had this lovely purple ring around it.

So is it the lens?

[Screenclutter]

I've been reading on the internet that a UV filter might help. Not sure how accurate this is. But it is also supposed to protect the lens as well.

[mugsisme]

I didn't even think of that! I actually took it off recently when I saw a debate about whether you really need one or not. (The filter, I mean, to protect your lens.)

[rawpaw18]

Have not had any issues with the 50mm, But it would not show
in what I normally use the 50mm for, I will try it if I get a
chance in the next day or two and see what happens.
I have not read reports of fringing by the 50mm before.

[coldrain]

An UV filter will NOT help at ALL.
Purple fringing is caused but very bright light hitting the sensor glass and micro lenses, and reflecting back partly, then hitting the lens back element, and then again reflecting back, hitting the neighbouring pixels again. Causing blue-ish or violet-ish fringing into the dark neighbouring parts.

The cause is the very bright light reflecting. The reason some lenses show it and others don't is the coating of the back lens element.
When you see lenses from Sigma witha "DC" or "DG" addition, a Tamron with "Di" or "Di II" you know that the lenses have gained a coating especially for (against) this effect.
With Nikon lenses you have to look at when the lenses were introduced. If they are quite new, the coatings will have been altered, the 50mm f1.8 is older.

But, you can do something against purple fringing... reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor. So, when you suspect a scene may be PF-prone, use a smaller aperture. This will decrease the amount of light hitting the sensor, and as such will reduce or eliminate the PF.