Are you using a filter on your 40mm

[melbournite]

I use filters on all my lenses bar this one.

[infared]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B&W MRC clear filter on all of my L-Glass, Zeiss and even my Sigma 50mm...
I may take them off in certain shooting conditions (especially the super-wide lenses))...but generally they are pretty much permanently on my lenses.
I know this is a personal thing and most shooters have their own take on it...
...But for the $149-Shorty-McForty I think I would get the hood and forget the filter. I would be able to feel the pure EXHILARATION, as though I was running thru a cold, mountain stream naked....aaaaaahhhhhhh FREEDOM! Who cares if it gets scratched!!!!    (Wow, that felt good)  .

[Rienzphotoz]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B+W filter on every single lens ... why? I shoot a lot in the desert and where I live dust is flying around everywhere ... all lenses need protection, the question is not about money but about not being able to make an image because of broken and/or scratched up lens front element ... BTW a decent filter does NOT "cost half that of the lens" ... one of the best filters out there is B+W XS Pro costs only $33 ... B+W UV filter costs only $20 ... Tiffin UV Protector filter costs only $5. So I am not sure what decent filter you are talking about that costs half of the lens.

[Zv]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B+W filter on every single lens ... why? I shoot a lot in the desert and where I live dust is flying around everywhere ... all lenses need protection, the question is not about money but about not being able to make an image because of broken and/or scratched up lens front element ... BTW a decent filter does NOT "cost half that of the lens" ... one of the best filters out there is B+W XS Pro costs only $33 ... B+W UV filter costs only $20 ... Tiffin UV Protector filter costs only $5. So I am not sure what decent filter you are talking about that costs half of the lens.

Ok fair enough, you use a filter to keep out the dirt. But my point is why does a person who is not running around the desert and is just out doing basic street photography need a filter on their shorty?

[funkboy]

Lens Rentals proved it (once again):

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/06/good-times-with-bad-filters

Nice UV filter = close enough IQ to no filter that it's worth it if you need the protection

Cheap UV filter = don't bother

[jp121]

It's such a small lens that I (irrationally) felt I had to add some protection to it. So I added a rubber lens hood.

[TrumpetPower!]

A filter? On the Shorty McForty? For protection? Seriously?

The front element isn't merely recessed, it's smaller than my thumbprint. And I have small hands.

If this lens needs protection, then so does the viewfinder. How many of all y'all have viewfinder covers?

Cheers,

b&

[distant.star]

...But for the $149-Shorty-McForty I think I would get the hood and forget the filter. I would be able to feel the pure EXHILARATION, as though I was running thru a cold, mountain stream naked....aaaaaahhhhhhh FREEDOM! Who cares if it gets scratched!!!!    (Wow, that felt good)  .

Yeah, that's what I meant to say!!!!

[tcmatthews]

Yes I was yesterday.  But to be fair I was on a beach with blowing sand so all my lens had filters.  I did not put a filter on it at first but I found it easier to clean with one.   I take pictures in dusty environments so often I tend to by a filter for every lens.  If not in a dusty environment however it would be unfiltered.

[Zlatko]

A filter? On the Shorty McForty? For protection? Seriously?

When photographing events, sometimes time is of the essence.  The filter lets me wipe off fingerprints and other smudges with almost any cloth, and be able to continue shooting with an un-smudged lens.  Without a filter, proper cleaning is a more involved process, perhaps necessitating a lens change to avoid shooting with the smudged lens.  The B+W filters have a coating (MRC) that wipes off especially easily.

In addition, a filter removes the problem of bumps and scratches from other photo gear (camera, lens, flash) either on me or in the camera bag.  It effectively replaces a lens cap for this purpose.  It also minimizes damage from bumps and scrapes against fences, doorways, door handles, railings, zippers, metal parts on camera bags, etc.

The only image quality problem I've encountered with filters is added reflections from candlelight.

"Who cares if it gets scratched?"  I do.  Without filters, scratches are almost inevitable.  Just look at older lenses that have been used without filters.  Who doesn't mind scratches on their lenses?

[Dylan777]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B+W filter on every single lens ... why? I shoot a lot in the desert and where I live dust is flying around everywhere ... all lenses need protection, the question is not about money but about not being able to make an image because of broken and/or scratched up lens front element ... BTW a decent filter does NOT "cost half that of the lens" ... one of the best filters out there is B+W XS Pro costs only $33 ... B+W UV filter costs only $20 ... Tiffin UV Protector filter costs only $5. So I am not sure what decent filter you are talking about that costs half of the lens.

Ok fair enough, you use a filter to keep out the dirt. But my point is why does a person who is not running around the desert and is just out doing basic street photography need a filter on their shorty?

For me, it's not about the cost. I don't like to wipe off water, dust etc directly from the lens. PERIOD.

I like to keep my toys in shiny condition

[Rienzphotoz]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B+W filter on every single lens ... why? I shoot a lot in the desert and where I live dust is flying around everywhere ... all lenses need protection, the question is not about money but about not being able to make an image because of broken and/or scratched up lens front element ... BTW a decent filter does NOT "cost half that of the lens" ... one of the best filters out there is B+W XS Pro costs only $33 ... B+W UV filter costs only $20 ... Tiffin UV Protector filter costs only $5. So I am not sure what decent filter you are talking about that costs half of the lens.

Ok fair enough, you use a filter to keep out the dirt. But my point is why does a person who is not running around the desert and is just out doing basic street photography need a filter on their shorty?

As I said earlier, "all lenses need protection" ... even if you are "not running around the desert" ... OK lets imagine the following scenarios:
You are carrying only 1 lens (or the only lens that covers 40mm) and you have a small accident, could be dirt, oil, grease whatever on the lens ... OR you come out of a nice warm car into a cold outdoor environment or vice versa (this happened to me on quite a few occasions), you see a fantastic photo opportunity, but your darned lens is foggy due to the temperature change, which one of the following would you feel is safer, faster and/or comfortable to do:
a. Search, pull out and clean the lens with micro fiber cloth that is good enough not to scratch the front element?
b. wipe the filter with your shirt or even a tissue?

[rpt]

No filter for this one. In fact I have 52mm filters from my AE-1 days but I have not put one on this lens.

[dr croubie]

I've had a Hoya Yellow-Green filter on it for the last few weeks, because it was the only 'yellowish' filter that I had lying around in 52mm, but I just put in an order at B+H so I picked up a B+W Yellow-Orange (much better for skin-tones) and a Dark Red (for that really dark 'black sky' look). I've also got an old B+W CPL that I got off ebay for $10 that I put on it sometimes, it's not often that i shoot colour film with the McForty but it does help stacking a CPL on top of the yellow filter on black'n'white film to darken the sky a bit.

[Zv]

I have B&W Clear filter on all my lenses, no exception for shorty

Sorry, I have to ask. Why? The cost of a decent filter is about half that of the lens. And the front end doesn't seem too vulnerable. I know the hood is ridiculous for the shorty but does it need protection?

I have a B+W filter on every single lens ... why? I shoot a lot in the desert and where I live dust is flying around everywhere ... all lenses need protection, the question is not about money but about not being able to make an image because of broken and/or scratched up lens front element ... BTW a decent filter does NOT "cost half that of the lens" ... one of the best filters out there is B+W XS Pro costs only $33 ... B+W UV filter costs only $20 ... Tiffin UV Protector filter costs only $5. So I am not sure what decent filter you are talking about that costs half of the lens.

Ok fair enough, you use a filter to keep out the dirt. But my point is why does a person who is not running around the desert and is just out doing basic street photography need a filter on their shorty?

As I said earlier, "all lenses need protection" ... even if you are "not running around the desert" ... OK lets imagine the following scenarios:
You are carrying only 1 lens (or the only lens that covers 40mm) and you have a small accident, could be dirt, oil, grease whatever on the lens ... OR you come out of a nice warm car into a cold outdoor environment or vice versa (this happened to me on quite a few occasions), you see a fantastic photo opportunity, but your darned lens is foggy due to the temperature change, which one of the following would you feel is safer, faster and/or comfortable to do:
a. Search, pull out and clean the lens with micro fiber cloth that is good enough not to scratch the front element?
b. wipe the filter with your shirt or even a tissue?

I once smudged my 50mm f/1.8, wiped it with my scarf and went on with my day. All lenses do not need protection. Does my P&S need a filter too? That is much easier to smudge. My point is where do you draw the line between protecting an investment and overprotecting something that is almost disposable? Surely a small rubber hood would do that? Why pay $33 for a UV filter for my 50mm lens that cost about $80? By your theory it must be protected right?

Now, a $1000 L lens is a different story. I have no issues with protecting that.