Filter and fi8lter threads

[RalphLambrecht]

I just had an unfortunate experience which may change some people's opinions about the filters and filter threads. I just dropped a Nikkor lens on the hardwood floor it must've landed on the edge of the filter. The glass of the filter broke but the lens is fine. The filter thread of the lens is made plastic, I assume polycarbonate(PC); no dent or loss of function in any way. Some people believe that filters do not protect lenses and the truth of friends and I should be made of metal to be any good. By today's experience, I was convinced otherwise.

 

[mpirie]

Likewise Ralph, I dropped a Nikon lens too, onto rocks on the shore and the metal filter ring of the Hoya UV took the brunt of the impact.....now all my lenses are similarly protected.

No damage otherwise.

Mike

 

[AgX]

I have experienced the opposite. I once ordered from Ebay (I long ago stopped buying from Ebay) a Canon newFD lens. It was described as mint and photos showed too. It arrived loose in a plastic container, packed with padding in a cardboard box. Inside the plastic container were the lens and apart of it a snap-on front cap with protruding locking knobs. The filter-ring was badly cracked. Seemingly whilst sliding around in the container one knob was actuated and the cap went off, at a further bump at the cap the ring fractured.


Concerning materials: I think both plastic and metal have their advantages and disadvantages, We can see that at discussions on plastic versus metal top covers. At some point metal gets indented. Whereas plastic may be elastic enough to go back to the original state. In the worst case it may crack, but likely go back to original state. Of course one can argue what is worse. A indented cover may hamper a mechanical function.

So far I have come across many indented metal top covers, but not one fractured plastic one. Concerning fliter threads, a fractured plastic one still may function, whereas the slightest dent makes a metal one non-usable.

 

[cowanw]

I just had an unfortunate experience which may change some people's opinions about the filters and filter threads. I just dropped a Nikkor lens on the hardwood floor it must've landed on the edge of the filter. The glass of the filter broke but the lens is fine. The filter thread of the lens is made plastic, I assume polycarbonate(PC); no dent or loss of function in any way. Some people believe that filters do not protect lenses and the truth of friends and I should be made of metal to be any good. By today's experience, I was convinced otherwise.

I had exactly this on a trip to china in 2000. The filter cracked on the cobble stone but the lens and camera were fine.