At risk of stirring up controversy ...
Earlier in the summer, I went out onto the Greenway in East London and took some photos of the city skyline some miles away. I was using my cheap second hand stop-gap Vivitar 70-300mm, and the skyscrapers on the horizon were somewhat hazy. When I get back to base in the week, I can post an example.
Is this because I'm using a cheap rubbish lens? Or would a haze filter live up to it's name and cut through the haze? Or is the city smog unavoidable?
If anyone can advise from their own experience, it will save me from gambling on the purchase of a filter that may not help, and put the money towards the next new lens. I understand from elsewhere that UV filters are not relevant for digital sensors, as they were for film.
Conditions were clear (so I thought) and the sun was shining. I don't usually use UV or protection filters - though when I invest in my first expensive L lens, I will get a protect (not UV) filter to complete the weatherproofing. I am unclear about the difference between a haze filter, haze/UV filter, and UV filter - are they the same, or is a haze filter different?
Apologies for the flurry of questions. I didn't know if the answers will cut through the haze in my mind, or add to the confusion.