A detailed caption of how UV lens filters work — a popular choice of filter for many outdoor photographers.

UV lens filters piece of work by blocking out UV light from your camera lens. To capeesh how UV lens filters office, it helps to empathize what UV (ultraviolet) light is.

UV Calorie-free EXPLAINED

Light is made up of electromagnetic wavelengths, measured as nanometers (or nm). The spectrum of lite visible to humans consists of reddish, orange, yellowish, light-green, blue, indigo and violet. Mixed together, these create a white light. This commonly sits at between 390 to 750 nm on the electromagnetic bandwidth. Ultraviolet light resides higher up the blue end of the visual spectrum at around 10 to 390 nm, so has a shorter wavelength than visible light.

Although human eyes tin can't detect UV light, this isn't the case for a camera's sensor. This is especially truthful if y'all utilise a film camera or a digital camera that's over ten years old. Still, modern digital cameras are now designed to do a good job at handling UV light. But, without a UV lens filter, the quality of your images may however exist compromised by this calorie-free radiation.

A Blueish CAST

This may exist evident if you've photographed a scene that looked clear to the naked eye, but on camera, showed a blue-tinged brume. When UV light combines with moisture or dust particles in the air, it becomes diffused or scattered. This creates the blue hue.

As well equally a blue cast on your pictures, UV light can degrade image contrast and sharpness, creating a haze. This is especially the case if you take photos outdoors, such as a sunny solar day at the seaside. Or, at a loftier altitude, where UV light is stronger. If you shoot images of snow, h2o or glass, these reflect sunlight. This farther magnifies UV levels, creating a hazy event. Faraway images, such equally mountain ranges or cityscapes, are also susceptible to atmospheric haze from UV light. More so if you use longer focal length lenses. This can reduce the amount of detail and sharpness from your images.

Calculation a UV lens filter to your camera makes sense if you want to reduce the gamble of haze and a bluish cast, as the filter blocks out the UV light, which causes these to occur. UV lens filters can, therefore, help to ameliorate the clarity and sharpness of your images.

IMAGE—@tomasalvarezph

Drinking glass CONSIDERATIONS

UV lens filters are made from drinking glass that passes all or nearly all light on the visible spectrum, just blocks UV lite at a specific wavelength, typically below 400 nm. You tin can find various filters according to how much UV light they absorb by percentage and nanometers. For example, Urth sells UV lens filters fabricated from the highest quality optical glass that can transmit up to 99.6% UV light, as well as superior UV reduction of simply 0.02% UV lite up to 321 nm. Every bit further evidence of exceptional quality, Urth uses two of the leading glass manufacturers in the earth, Japan Eyes and German SCHOTT B270 glass.

Another reward of using UV lens filters is that they offer neat protection for your camera lens, without adversely affecting colouration, dissimilarity or exposure settings. You can leave a filter on your camera at all times, so that if it becomes exposed to whatever clay, dust, grease or scratches, these won't brand any contact with your more valuable lens.

To gain the most benefits from using UV lens filters, ever choose a loftier quality make. Select a filter that suits the item environment y'all'll be using information technology in the most.