Do rental lenses usually come with protective UV filters, and should you leave them on?
Asked 3/23/2012
1 views
2 answers
0
I rented a premium telephoto lens and it arrived with a basic UV/protection filter already attached. Since part of renting is evaluating the lens’s image quality, I’m concerned a cheap filter could affect results. Is it standard for rental companies to send lenses with protective filters installed? If so, are they typically low-cost or higher-quality filters? And when renting, do photographers usually leave the filter on or remove it and rely on the hood and careful handling instead?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
4
Not sure of how much usually this sample represents but I can tell you that the store where I teach photography rents all lenses with a UV filter and the firs thing I do is take it off.
As part of the same Lending Library experiment, I rented a Canon lens and it did not come with a UV filter. I suppose that means Lens Rentals Canada probably does not send filters with every lens.
This puts my sample of two places as 50% cheap filters and 50% no filters.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Practices vary by rental company. From the examples given, some rentals arrive with a UV filter attached, while others arrive with no filter at all. One major rental company explicitly avoids including filters unless requested, because even good filters can slightly reduce image quality; in that case, they also don’t hold renters responsible for minor front-element hairline scratches.
So there isn’t a universal standard. Some companies prioritize protection and leave a filter on; others prioritize optical performance and leave the choice to the renter.
What many photographers do is remove the supplied filter if they want the lens’s best optical performance, especially for testing or critical shooting, and use the lens hood plus careful handling for protection. If a company expects the filter to remain installed, that should be covered in their rental policy. If you’re unsure, ask before removing it.
In short: yes, rental lenses sometimes come with protective filters, but not always, and many experienced renters remove them unless they specifically want the extra physical protection.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Do cheap UV filters reduce image quality when used only for lens protection?
Do I need a UV or protective filter on an expensive lens, and is a premium one worth it?
Do cheap UV filters noticeably reduce image quality, even on inexpensive lenses?
Do Canon L lenses need a UV filter, or is UV already handled by the lens/camera?
Do I need a UV/protective filter if I already use a lens hood?