Advice sought for a trip to Oz
Who has told you not to use a filter with A DSLR?
The most sensible thing is to always have a filter on your lens, I use Hoya HMC UV filters on all my lenses.
Remember it's easy and cheap to replace a filter, but it's very expensive if you scratch a lens.







PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography
Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released

Never use filters.
Not even polarizing to reduce unwanted reflections?
Not even ND to allow a longer exposure?
Not even a yellow filter with panchromatic film to enhance the sky?
Filters can have their uses.
Some Pentax lenses actually have filters built into them, you can't not use them with those! That includes a Pentax lens first released within the last seven years (DA 25mm f/4)
John K
Personally I find a lens hoods help keep out flare, offer knock protection and often improve contrast. Lens caps offer the best protection when lens not in use. A good camera bag is excellent protection too. Rocket blower before severe dust cleaning good too.
Personally I've found flat UV filters on the front attract reflections, reduce efficiency of auto-focus at times and I understand the camera filters UV anyway. My experience is you don't need one.
I carry a polariser and a square hard graduated filter for awkward lighting but find I rarely use them.
The latest Pentax lenses HD coating seems to be tougher than the old SMC coating too.
The exception is where any filtration has to be in front of the lens, such as polarisers (when needed, not all the time as I see some photographers using them) or maybe ND. Most other filter effects can be done in Photoshop.
Best regards, John
David
PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout
If you plan on using a filter with the 16-45, it has to be a polariser, especially somewhere like Australia where the light is bright. Colours and skies will ping with the good polariser, my recommendation would be a Hoya Pro1, they are excellent.
Regards
David
Flickr
Nicola's Apartments, Kassiopi, Corfu
Some cameras, some lenses, some bits 'n' bobs
In any case using filters or not has nothing to do with Australia, the Australian sun happens to be the same sun that shines over the UK.
If you're heading to the coast a skylight filter might be useful to stop sea spray getting on your lens front element.
For what it's worth, I live in a tropical region of Australia, I don't use filters.
You're right about sea-spray, that's a good use for a filter.
Best regards, John
It may be the same sun Steve, but I think you have the advantage on us in hogging its use!
Don't worry John, we only use it while you're sleeping at night

You need Circular polarisers for Digital Cameras.
Filterwise I'd pack just the standard circular polariser and ND filters personally, and go and enjoy Australia 🇦🇺
All I can say is if you're buying new get a circular as it will generally be more compatible for use with other brands, but if you've inherited a linear don't dismiss trying it before binning it unnecessarily.
All I can say is I've not experienced any issues with the old linears myself. Have you Richard experienced an issue first hand or are you repeating something read off A N other brand web site?
I wonder if this isn't just a myth by manufacturers to sell more filters!
John K
Best regards, John
It's in the Pentax instructions. I would believe Pentax, even if much of the time we might "get away with it" the information will be accurate. Pentax don't sell any filters, so nothing to make money out of by saying it.
HowardJ
Member
Cheshire
In 4 weeks time my good lady and I are going "down under" on a "trip of a lifetime", visiting our son in Northern NSW (near Lismore), before going to Sydney and then to a cousin's in Melbourne. I am taking a K3 with my 55-300 and 16-45. We will also be stopping in Singapore with our nephew out wards and homewards.
My question is - Should I put a UV or skylight filter on? (I know the accepted wisdom is not to use filters with DSLRs, however....).
Any other suggestions or advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks from a very occasional poster.
Howard
Cymru Am Byth