Comments on: What Filters Do You Actually Need for Photography in 2026? (And What You Don’t) https://thecotswoldphotographer.com/what-filters-do-you-actually-need-for-photography-in-2026-and-what-you-dont/ Real-World Photography and Reviews Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:52:46 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 By: David Fleet https://thecotswoldphotographer.com/what-filters-do-you-actually-need-for-photography-in-2026-and-what-you-dont/#comment-663 Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:52:46 +0000 https://thecotswoldphotographer.com/?p=9638#comment-663 In reply to Leo Liang.

Hi Leo,

Thanks for your viewpoint. When I used to shoot by the coast a lot more, I was pretty religious about keeping filters on, purely as they were much easier to clean than the front lens element and of course, like you say, cheaper to replace.

All the best
David

]]> By: Leo Liang https://thecotswoldphotographer.com/what-filters-do-you-actually-need-for-photography-in-2026-and-what-you-dont/#comment-660 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:05:48 +0000 https://thecotswoldphotographer.com/?p=9638#comment-660 Fair take on CPL as the everyday workhorse. On UV/protection I land in a slightly different place. I keep an XT996S on my GH7 + OM SYSTEM 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II for seaside and evening walks around Hong Kong, and I haven’t seen a picture difference versus shooting without it. The lens rubs against my bag now and then, and some days I forget the cap altogether. With the filter on I don’t worry about the front element. Sand is a different story. That lens extends when it zooms, so the body and the barrel are what I actually watch at the beach, and a filter does nothing there. If someone never leaves a clean studio, skipping protection is fine. Outside, I’d still rather replace glass that costs less than the lens.

— Leo Liang, founder of XT Filters

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