UV lens covers vs Regular lense caps?

[Kolourl3lincl]

I just got my canon T3i lats week and I am slowly going over all the features in the canon.
However I have one questions to ask for anyone who will listen. Is it better to have an uv cap on or should I put on the regular lens can and only use the uv cap in the sun light?

Also what's a good lens for 18mm to say 300mm?

[dlambert]

What's a UV cap?

[Kolourl3lincl]

Amazon.com: Tiffen 52mm UV Protection Filter: Camera & Photo

[dlambert]

I see. The UV filter isn't a cap, and it's not meant as lens protection, though some people keep them on all the time so that any scratches occur on the filter rather than the front element. You don't really want the UV filter getting all scratched up, though, because that'll start to impact image quality.

[Kolourl3lincl]

Do I really need it? I might as well chuck it if it's not doing anything useful for me?

[NgaiHill]

It is useful for lens protection and I generally always have one on my smaller lens. However I always use the lens cap as well - stops scratches, dust & fingermarks.

[NathanFranke]

Keep the uv filter on at all times. It screws into the lens; you can set it and forget it. The lens cap can then go over the uv filter when you pack the camera away. If the uv filter gets scratched, toss it and replace it. It's cheaper than replacing your entire lens.

[Skoropada]

How do you need to handle the camera to get the front lens element scratched?

I find it very unlikely to damage the lens unles you go around tossing the camera or deep in the rainforest...

[NathanFranke]

It's never happened to me, so I don't know. I imagine dropping it on jagged rocks would do it (probably a lot more damage than just the front lens element/uv filter though), macro work where one doesn't realize just how close one is to the subject, mishaps with lens cap usage (holding the lens cap and something else in the same hand as you're placing the lens cap on the lens), protesters punching the camera.

That's all I got right now, but I'm sure I could come up with some more.

[Tzetsin]

Originally Posted by Skoropada

How do you need to handle the camera to get the front lens element scratched?

I find it very unlikely to damage the lens unles you go around tossing the camera or deep in the rainforest...

who cares how its done. Nobody goes around saying "I'm going to scratch my $3000 lens today", that shit just happens.

I factor in the cost of a uv filter for EVERY SINGLE ONE of my lenses. I do not own a lens that does not have a uv filter on it. You really dont LOOSE anything by having it on there, but you DO gain the added protection.

The ONLY time i take the uv filter off is if i'm adding a polarizer. stacking a polarizer on top of a uv filter sometimes causes vignetting.

Matter of fact, I have the uv filters on, an generally toss the lens caps. I've got them, but if the lens is on the camera the cap is in the bag. Having hoods on all my lenses really helps keeping stuff away from the glass too.

I'll give it to you straight. Anyone who tells you that you dont need a uv filter is a bleeding idiot and you should disregard everything they tell you from there on out.