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UV filter opticron es 80 ed (1 Viewer)

M

microwsoft

Member
Hi, i have just bought an opticron es 80 ed scope. This is my first scope and i know nothing about them.
I am a complete novice, and i am a little unsure on a couple of things.
1. Would a uv filter for the scope to protect the lens, in any way effect the clarity of the scope ?
2. What size filter i would need for it ?
3. Could anyone recomend a uv filter ? ( i am guessing that some are better than others for quality)
4. Wheres the best place to buy one from ?

Thanks for any help.
 
Hi, and welcome to Birdforum.

I've never heard of anybody using a protective filter on a scope, and I've never thought of using one myself. On the scope that you've bought (good choice, by the way) there's an inbuilt hood that offers quite a bit of protection to the front lens - enough for me, at least.

Any piece of glass added to an optical system will degrade the image somewhat. And small scratches to the front lens will also degrade the image - but not as much as you might imagine. Somebody on a photography forum suggested a good demonstration of this. Get a small piece of Post-It pad (about 2x4mm should do) and stick it to the front lens - then look through the scope. See much difference? So a small scratch would be almost totally invisible.

I don't know if you can buy a filter to fit the scope - but it'd be around £50 for a decent one.
 
I have heard of, and seen, birders using a filter (not sure what sort) to protect the objective. Then, if you do gradually acquire scratches and muck on the filter, you can replace it for £50, rather than the scope for anything up to £1000. If you get a decent one, then I don't believe that the image quality will be affected.

The inbuilt lens hood is largely for a different purpose, IMO - to cut out glare from the sun.

Must be someone out there on this forum who uses a filter? Any of the Finnish optics experts care to comment?
 
I did use a filter on my Leica 77 scope (and will be getting one for my new 62) - I used a standard UV filter that cost about £30. It did not have any noticable effect on the image quality. I used one partly to protect the front end of the scope from knocks and scratches, it's cheaper to replace a filter than get the objective repaired. I found the filter to be very useful when seawatching (which I do a fair bit of), as you often get a build up of salt on the objective. With a filter in place you can clean this off easily, withouty worrying about damaging lens coatings or the lens itself.
 
Thanks so far for the replies, the idea of the protective filter is as stated above, that i can clean the big end of the scope while out, without the worry of damaging the main lens. If i scratch the filter, then no problem i`ll just buy a new one. Better that than sending the scope off to be repaired. I`ve seen some filters for sale on ebay at some good prices. There seems to be some protective filters (plain glass i presume), and uv filters, to cut down haze and glare.

Quote for hoya filters :
Absorbs the ultraviolet rays which often makes outdoor photographs hazy and indistinct. A multi-purpose fine-weather filter for color as well as black and white films. Also serves as a permanent lens protector.

I think the big end of the scope is 82mm. Can someone confirm this please.
 
microwsoft said:
I think the big end of the scope is 82mm. Can someone confirm this please.
Click to expand...

I don't have my ES80 anymore and can't remember what size filter it takes - I will look into it at the weekend and let you know.
 
BUY A FILTER ! ! !

I have posted this precautionary tale on similar threads - I fit filters to all my camera lenses and did the same when I purchased my Leica APO 77 for the princely sum of £55.

Within a few weeks, I was walking over a stile in a hedge (for those who don't know this is a small wooden step/gate) when I heard a scraping sound - on checking I discovered a concealed strand of barbed wire within the hedgerow had made a 2" scrape along centre of the filter.

Result - binned £50 filter, saved £1000 scope

Needless to say I immediately purchased another filter (almost always Hoya as these are what my local camera centre stock).
 
Hi, well i have had confirmed that the scope size is indeed 82mm. I have ordered a uv filter ( hoya pro-1 ) and am now awaiting its delivery. I`ll let you know how i get on. Thanks for everyone`s help. Steve.
 
Steve, Where did you purchase the filter from and how much was it? I've always had one for my camera but never thought about the scope.
H
 
uv filter update

Hello,

just an update on the filter. Well it arrived yesterday and screwed straight on with no problems. My screw in lens cover now screws into the filter, and my stay on case still fits fine. I`ve been out with it today and given the scope a try with the filter on and off, and i can`t see any difference either way. At least i feel that my lens has some protection now. I would recomend the shop on ebay where i bought it from ( link above ), fast delivery, and quite a big saving compared to other sellers i found on the net. Hope this helps anyone who`s interested. Steve.
 
Maybe this is a bit late, but both Canon and Nikon manufacture clear protective 'filters' the sole purpose of which is to protect the front element of a camera. But they fit scopes too. Canon were cheaper so I put a Canon on my Leica scope. The quality is high and the degradation of the image probably minor. The main problem with filters is often increased ghosting and flare, but I've not noticed any. Leica do a UV filter, but it has a slight brown colour to it.

Leif
 
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