Hi! They say it's alright to leave on your UV filter on your lens all the time. How about those Skylight 1A and 1B filters? Can you leave them on your lens just like UV filters? Or do they have too much effect on shots to be on your lens at all shooting conditions?

Another thing, comparing those Multi-Coated UV filters to non-MC UV filters -- do they have effects on added ghosting and limage refractions, especially the non-MC ones?

Thanks!

Dex:)

Hi Dex,

No experience with skylight filters but I do use MC filters on my lenses (Nikon L37c and Hoya) but still experience ghosting. :( Now, I just take off the filters as needed to avoid this.

I've heard B+W's are better but they are pricey.

Skylight and UV filters are basically the same. The skylight is just a little bit warmer. I leave my UV filters on all the time except for my 50 1.8 which is dirt cheap. There were two occasions when the uv filter bore the brunt of my clumsiness. My 70-200 f4 L once fell out of its lens bag and the uv filter was in million pieces. The second time was when I slipped when photographing seals in Fiordland, New Zealand. The UV filter was cracked but it saved the same lens.
As far as MC filters, Ii started to use them initially but they scratch so easily that I stopped buying them altogether especially on my accident prone lens.
As far as brands B+W and Heliopan are the best MC filters available.

@bernard: will you please take care of that 70-200!! im the first buyer when you choose to get the IS version! tandaan mo yan :D

@dexter: generally no effects. but for night photography, it really wreaks havoc...flares, ghosts and other malevolent abberations to your images. pag daytime and mountaineering shots, i use it to protect my cheap lenses...

also have found it helpful in shooting waterfalls with powerful sprays.... :D