lens Protection

A member recently had a lens splashed form a leaking ceiling and the surface of the lens has spots that aren't coming out. The lens is an excellent 85 year piece.

The question is, and it's an old saw; should you put a skylight or UV filter on the front of your lenses to protect them from damage.

I wasn't thinking about this until I heard of the unfortunate accident. Anyone up for a small donation to help pay for the lens cleaning or resurfacing? Less than a dollar from a few would probably do it. Just an idea; imagine if it were you. I don't know the person and haven't seen the lens but its an idea that came to mind. With 13,647 how much would it take to have a lens cleaned, one or two hundred at a one dollar Paypal?

Curt

Perhaps the moneys can be used to design lens condoms for protection.

Unfortunately, many LF lenses do not have an option of using a standard screw-in filter.
Reasons are many:
Classic lenses often dont have standard threads, or dont have threads at all.
Rear elements of many optics often dont have threads either.
Wide-angle lenses may viginette with any filter.
Damaged threads. I have a couple lenses with dented rims myself (thankfully I did not cause this damage).

You did bring up a very good topic though.. How does one protect their lenses?

I've never seen a lf lens supplied with a leather hard case. Though this might be a good thing. (I just saved an Omega 58mm lens that was covered in goop from the old foam of its case. Turned out abesolutely gorgeous.) Cases would be hard to fit properly though cause of differing lensboard sizes.

I keep the lenses I use in felt lens wraps. Bit that is no protection against impacts or liquids. Ive tried to protect most surfaces with caps modified to fit. Still not 100% protectino though.

The lenses I am not using i store in ziplock bags in a big box of styrafoam peanuts. The Styrafoam is pretty stable, but the plastic bags are not what I would consider 'archival'. I'm worried that in time they might deteriorate and stick to the lenses.

I only use a protective filter when there is an obvious hazard, like sea spray or sand or crowds. Lens hoods also provide some protection.

I carry my LF lenses in a padded case or in lens wraps usually, and I have lens caps for most of them. The big portrait lenses that don't go into the field much stay in a cabinet when I'm not using them.

I've seen leather cases for some Linhof lenses mounted on the lensboard. They look to be from the 1950s. Kodak lenses used to come with hinged wooden boxes like this one--

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I normally use some of the best (B&W or Heliopan) UV filters on my large format, medium format, and 35mm lenses for a bit of extra protection. I know that these are very fine filters, but I will forgo the possible slight loss of sharpness, and possibility of flare (which I monitor) for a bit of added peace of mind.

Rich

I keep all of my LF lenses in tupperware containers that fit the lens while mounted on a lensboard, the most common size I use is the size for sandwiches, heck they even float, I found this out a couple of years ago, when I took a spill and my bag spilled in a creek, found two of my lenses about a mile down stream, no damage at all, good as new, you often times can find these types of containers at dollar stores for something like 4 for a buck, damn cheap protection that holds up quite well.

R.

Caps. Awhile back I got a 35mm camera that came with a "broken" lens. The UV filter on the front had been smashed in some how. It didn't damage the lens glass but made removing the filter a challenge. The blow must have bent something.

I was at the base of Half Dome last year on some slippery steps when I turned to look at a squirrel who was begging out for some food / attention or something, slipped and my camera whipped around and hit a huge rock wall. The UV filter was dented and the glass was cracked. The camera was fine, the lens was fine, I was pissssed. Oh, the squirrel was laughing its ass off!