[ammadoux]

Hello all

when i first started to use the Lumix 100-300mm with the Olympus EPL1, i did not find a UV filter with the right diameter here. so until the one i ordered from amazon i used it without the filter, i have notice it was so fast and give very accurate focus.

when i mounted the filter which is Hoya the speed of focus and the IQ is nothing like it is without it.

i know that may sound strange to many, but i am sure its not me, as i now depend on the live view and the AF of the camera.

so my friends, what do you think.

thanks so much.

[Cristian Mihai]

Remove the filter.

[njlarsen]

Only extremely good (and therefore expensive) filters should be on a lens when using it. The others do degrade the results. There was a good thread on the m43 forum in DPReview showing that a couple of years ago.

Niels

[iveljay]

I used to have a full film setup with about 30 lenses - I eventually got rid of all the filters other than special effects as they added considerably to the workload (two more glass surfaces that attracted dust etc.) and also added weight. I never suffered any lens damage as a result.

The only proviso is that if you are shooting in a hostile environment - fine blown sand for instance - then you should use a filter + a sealed slr and lenses, I keep an E-3 slr for that reason. Your EPL-1 is more likely to suffer mechanical damage before the lens surface under those conditions.

I find a good blower brush is vital - microfibre cloths tend to trap abrasive particles so I avoid them.

For my EP-2, it does a maginificent job with no filters but all of its lenses do have lens hoods which helps to keep the fingers off the front elements as well as their intended use against flare.

However, discussions on using hoods, filters etc appear in photo mags and online groups going back many decades so it is clear there is no right answer, only what suits you.

[ammadoux]

thanks so much for the replies, enjoyed reading them.

certainly the filter is removed, also thinking of taking it from the Bigma.

never was convinced with filters before, as most of my work when i first started photography 20 years back was still life in home settings, so i did not use a filter with my Zuiko 50/1.2 macro, had one over the zoom lens i use for shooting out doors, but at the time of film photography the IQ was dominated by the quality of the film.

thanks also for the advise about the effect of dust on the mirror-less EPL1, that means i have to keep it home at the days of dust storms.

thanks again.