Those of you who know me are well aware of the fact that one of the words that can be used to describe me is 'cheap'. I prefer the term 'fiscally responsible', but it all means the same thing, and is also something very hard to be when you love taking photographs. With that in mind,what do you think my reaction would be when told that I should spend an extra $80 to buy a UV filter to go along with my obscenely expensive lens? Those of you who think I would pass on the option, you'd be right in just about every other instance except for this one. One of the lessons drilled into my head by professors Anber and Teoli was the importance of a good UV filter. It doesn't really do all that much in terms of photography, it was originally used to protect film from the UV rays. However, it acts as a great protective barrier for your lens. Something I learned first hand this past weekend. I was out in Cowansville taking some night shots when my camera came crashing down from my tripod. It fell a good three feet to the concrete steps below. Once my heart rate and breathing came back to normal, My Lovely Assistant picked up the camera as I was still frozen in place with images of a shattered lens going through my mind, and my wallet. Upon first inspection, the glass looked intact and no cracks were to be seen, but I did notice two nice sized dents on the UV filter. The filter was stuck in place, I needed a good pair of pliers to get it off, but there was no damage to the lens at all. Sure, I had to replace the UV filter, but when you consider the price of a good lens, buying the new UV filter was the happiest I've even been to spend $80 in a long time. So allow me to pass this wisdom along, always, ALWAYS, make sure to equip your lens with a UV filter. It might end up being the most important piece of equipment in your camera bag.
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