A case for using clear UV filters over your lenses (Patreon)

Should you use clear UV filters on your lenses? Is this a good way to protect your lenses while doing nightscape photography, or will they degrade the quality of your images?

While conducting dozens of nightscape workshops over the years, I've seen a lot of crazy things happen to photo equipment at night. Darkness increases your risks for fumbles and accidents.

My own experience: In the past 15 years of shooting nightscapes, I've had two cameras/tripods fall over onto their lenses (usually due to gale force winds). The top photo is the result of what happened to a $2,000 Canon prime lens, just this past weekend, while photographing an alpine lake in Utah's High Uintas Wilderness. It fell on a rock. The B+W UV filter was destroyed, but the lens receive only some cosmetic damage (although, I'm sending it into Canon for a complete checkup)!

This is why I try to protect most of my lenses with a clear, high-quality UV filter (with the exception of some of the ultra wide lenses, i.e. 14mm to 16mm, which are usually too wide for filters).

Will these filters degrade the quality of your images? If you use high-quality filters. I think the benefits far out weigh any possible quality loss. Here are two authoritative articles on the subject:

• UV Filter or No UV Filter: Can You Tell the Difference?

• The Truth: Are UV Filters Necessary For Your Camera Lenses?

What are your own thoughts and experiences with UV filters? I'd love to hear them! Feel free to comment below.