I voted no because as a rule I don't use the UV filters, for reasons already stated here. However, I do own a couple of them to use additional protection if/when I end up in an environment which might be damaging... for example if I am likely to get splashed with sea water or something like that. UV filters often seem to be sold as 'protect' filters for this reason I guess. That said, the use they actually get is minimal, especially as I tend to use DA* lenses when I can, which are weather sealed and pretty robust already.

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That is a lovely shot. Manchester town hall was designed by Alfred Waterhouse I think. This shot gives me a pang of nostalgia because he also designed my old school (few years since I was there now..:shock. Great stuff

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Thanks Tim and Stuart!

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Gosh there are some beauties there Peter, and nice to see a bit of sunshine (). I especially like the third one, the backlighting gives a good effect to the shot to my mind. Good DOF too. Great stuff!

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Thanks for the kind comments everyone!

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Hello all. I was out for an early morning ramble again this morning in Richmond Park and the Deer rut is well and truly in full flow now. I was looking forward to the bright day forecast but it has yet to materialise... In fact the light was terrible but I managed to snap a few more shots of the deer and thought I would post them for interest. It was early and I really struggled with the light. In the end I used the DA* 200 (again) in the hope I could get a shutter speed around 1/200th second, which I managed but only by using f2.8 and ISO 1600 ... So the shots are not the most technically brilliant but the subject matter were/are fascinating and pretty awesome:

First up, a stag grunting and moaning his way around the park:




A rival comes onto the scene and a tussle ensues:




with antlers locked the two stags try to push one another into submission:




The stag on the left looks to get the upper hand:




but the other puts up some fierce resistance:




The decisive moment. The right stag submits:




leaving the victor to crow about it:




I hope you like them. As I said, not the best photography conditions. That said, by the time I was having to head home, the park was filling up with photographers, tripods, and very large number of the biggest lenses I have ever seen! there must have been tens of thousands of pounds worth of gear in the place by mid-morning!

If anyone is in the area I recommend a trip into Richmond Park while the rut is on. It's quite a spectacle, the noises are primeval and the smell of the place is quite indescribable!

Cheers

I found this...

link

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The smoker...




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Looks perfectly acceptable to me. I would be happy with an image like that of a small flighty thing like a sparrow Nice shot

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I agree - it's surreal, and very striking. I like it very much. Well spotted!

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