UV protectors on lenses

Tony Polson wrote:
> "Gary Hendricks" wrote:
>
> >Its good to have a UV protector on your lens. I've read horro stories
> >of people getting sand or dust into a unprotected lens. Especially when
> >taking photos on the beach.
>
>
> There are very few lenses where sand or dust can enter through the
> area between the filter ring and the front element. It normally gets
> in through gaps between the focusing and/or zoom rings and the lens
> barrel, or from the camera's mirror box through vents in the lens
> mount. Therefore, with most lenses, a filter offers no protection
> whatsoever against ingress of sand and dust.
>
> The protection offered by a filter is limited to the front element of
> the lens and the filter ring.
>
> A filter protects the front element of the lens from the effects of
> frequent or inappropriate cleaning and environmental damage such as
> salt spray or wind-borne abrasives. It also reduces (but not
> eliminates) the risk of damage to the front element through careless
> handling or storage.
>
> Finally, it protects the filter ring if the lens is dropped. It is
> usually expensive to have a lens's filter ring replaced. Cheaper to
> replace the filter.

I agree with everything but the "Finally" part. It also removes the
need to clean the actual lens front element with any frequency, and
that can be a big thing by itself, given enough time.

"Gary Hendricks" wrote:

>Its good to have a UV protector on your lens. I've read horro stories
>of people getting sand or dust into a unprotected lens. Especially when
>taking photos on the beach.


There are very few lenses where sand or dust can enter through the
area between the filter ring and the front element. It normally gets
in through gaps between the focusing and/or zoom rings and the lens
barrel, or from the camera's mirror box through vents in the lens
mount. Therefore, with most lenses, a filter offers no protection
whatsoever against ingress of sand and dust.

The protection offered by a filter is limited to the front element of
the lens and the filter ring.

A filter protects the front element of the lens from the effects of
frequent or inappropriate cleaning and environmental damage such as
salt spray or wind-borne abrasives. It also reduces (but not
eliminates) the risk of damage to the front element through careless
handling or storage.

Finally, it protects the filter ring if the lens is dropped. It is
usually expensive to have a lens's filter ring replaced. Cheaper to
replace the filter.