Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/11

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Subject: Re: [Leica] UVa Filter unwanted effects.
From: "Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 00:01:03 -0800

At 1:47 PM +1100 2/10/00, Peter Zak wrote:

<snip>
>Ok, so the solution is (surprise, surprise) take to UVA filters off for
>night shooting.
>
>But my question is - why have I never noticed this in 7 years of Nikon
>shooting using some very cheap and nasty UVA filters at all times (ie
>non-HMC Hoya, Arrow !!).  A $15 filter doesn't have this problem, a $200 one
>does ??.
>
>I have sent an email back to Leica asking the same question.  I will post
>the response when it arrives.

I've had the same problem with Nikon filters, B+W, Tiffen, Hoya, Cokin,
etc. Cheap filters have done it. Gels usually don't as they aren't
necessarily flat (which doesn't matter, as they are thin enough). So on
large format stuff I tend to use gels, and on smaller formats, Leica
included, I generally use the filters that fit and don't worry too much,
and take off all filters that aren't strictly necessary. If it's a tripod
situation, with odd lighting and I measured it with my color meter, I
usually use gels anyways. Treat them carefully and they can last a long
time. The main thing is, don't use filters unless you have to, and use thin
ones with parallel faces (the latter item isn't as common as you might
suppose).

   *            Henning J. Wulff
  /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
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