Olympus 45mm filter flare ghosting

[Toddster]

I just received my O45 1.8, this is truly a beautiful lens. The question that I have for the many of you that use this lens has to do with attaching a UV filter. I prefer to keep a decent (Hoya HMC) filter on my lenses. I know that any filter ads to the risk of ghosting but, in general, I don't have much of a problem with my other lenses. On this lens however the filter pics up the reflection of strong light sources bouncing off of the sensor as though it was an uncoated cheepy filter.

Is this behavior a symptom of a fast lens? (I don't have anything else this fast). Or maybe a symptom of this specific lens? Would a better filter help or is this lens best left without a filter?

Any advice from owners of this lens will be much appreciated.

Todd

 

[Timmy]

I have a similar issue with my 45mm & hoya UV filter - sometimes bright lights indoors seem to ghost across the image. I'd be interested to know if this is normal.

 

[wjiang]

When I bought my PL25 and O45 used they both had Hoya Slim HMC UV(c)s in them. I found they both caused internal reflections with strong light sources so I stopped using the filters.

 

[Sammyboy]

I use only B+W MRC filters and have no internal reflections.

 

[verbatimium]

Don't bother putting a cheap protective filter on a sub $300 lens like this. The lens is incredibly sharp but you are just are degrading the sharpness and introducing flare with a filter. Just buy a cheap JJC lens hood and that is all the protection you will ever need. I would say if you have a $600+ lens then it is worth protecting, but only with a really good filter.

 

[wei]

I found flare problem on most of my M4/3 lenses with UV filter on. Panasonic PZ 14-42mm pancake zoom with nano coating being the worst. Even with B+W MRC. The only lens doesn't have this problem is the old 14-45mm and the 20mm first version, strange.

 

[Lawrence A.]

I use only B+W MRC filters and have no internal reflections.

Same here.

 

[DoofClenas]

Only notice it when shooting christmas lights close up...I removed it and bought the JJC hood.

 

[fortwodriver]

Those Hoya HMC filters are a pain to keep clean. They have a very obvious "tooth" to their coating.
I dare you to put your finger print on it and try dearly to remove it.

I find that the B+W UV0 MRC filters don't ghost - they're also much easier to keep clean.
Also, the Nikon L37C series filters don't seem to have ghosting issues on most lenses.

That said, if you are going to use a filter, it's often a good idea to still use the hood. The filter, since it creates an air-glass space can cause the lens to flare more easily without the hood.

I use both filter and hood mainly because I'm a bit of a butter fingers, or sometimes my nephew grabs the lens and likes to put his fingers all over it. I even have a mildly chewed up Canon lens hood I use as a "decoy" because he finds its shape so fascinating!

 

[OzRay]

I recommend the B&W MRC filters as well, I have one on every lens.

 

[rstrader]

I have a multi coated Heliopan on mine and have never seen any flare or ghosting. Of course the filter is probably worth as much as the lens!

 

[Lawrence A.]

Those Hoya HMC filters are a pain to keep clean. They have a very obvious "tooth" to their coating.
I dare you to put your finger print on it and try dearly to remove it.

I find that the B+W UV0 MRC filters don't ghost - they're also much easier to keep clean.
Also, the Nikon L37C series filters don't seem to have ghosting issues on most lenses.

That said, if you are going to use a filter, it's often a good idea to still use the hood. The filter, since it creates an air-glass space can cause the lens to flare more easily without the hood.

I use both filter and hood mainly because I'm a bit of a butter fingers, or sometimes my nephew grabs the lens and likes to put his fingers all over it. I even have a mildly chewed up Canon lens hood I use as a "decoy" because he finds its shape so fascinating!

Good advice. My 45mm has a screw on hood that almost never comes off.

 

[pdk42]

I just can't understand this thing about putting UV filters on to protect lenses. Anything you put in front of your lens will degrade the IQ to some extent - even an expensive B+W filter. If it was adding real protection, then it might be worth it; but unless you're shooting in dusty or corrosive spray environments (seaside), then a filter will probably make things worse.

If you bash the lens into something hard, then chances are that you won't scratch the front element - it's actually pretty hard. Do the same with a filter and because the filter glass is fairly thin, there's a much higher chance that you'll break it. The result will be shards of broken glass being showered onto your lens - which stand a good chance of scratching it during removal. Then there's always the chance that the filter ring will deform during impact meaning it'll be jammed onto the lens causing further issues.

A lens hood will likely offer more protection against bumps and what's more, it can only improve your IQ!

 

[OzRay]

I did tests with my B&W MRC filters with all of my lenses and not one suffered in any visible way because of the filter. I have to regularly clean the filters and would rather do that than clean the front element of the lens, regardless of how hard the coating may be and the MRC filters are optical glass and similarly coated anyway. I actually did break one filter when I dropped my Nikon 300mm and the front lens element was completely unharmed. It might not have been so without the filter, as the filter ring took most of the force and deformed before the lens front did. Also, I have been in situations where the filter has been spattered with sap and the like and to clean it you have needed copious quantities of water. With the B&W MRC filter, it's simply been a matter of repeated soaking and gentle wiping, and the MRC coating being hydrophobic, makes cleaning and drying a breeze. I would not go anywhere without the filters on my lenses.

 

[fortwodriver]

If you bash the lens into something hard, then chances are that you won't scratch the front element - it's actually pretty hard. Do the same with a filter and because the filter glass is fairly thin, there's a much higher chance that you'll break it.

I've actually had this happen, and it wasn't the case. I know of many lenses that have extremely soft glass on their outward-facing elements.

The whole point of the B+W MRC line is to augment the coating with a very very hard anti-scratch coating. I'm sure it's a compromise somehow, but however it may be, it's not something I can see.
Hoya filters, on the other hand have been nothing but frustration because of the type of coatings they use. Their interference coating is very deep - once you get dirt of a finger print on them it's virtually impossible to clean them.

I have a Zeiss lens that was bought for parts and to tinker with (it was a complete write-off) and the outer facing lens is so soft, you can scratch your initials into the front element with a chewed fingernail!