Features:

• Most popular protection filter
• Provides basic reduction of ultraviolet light
• 58mm diameter
• Helps eliminate bluish cast in images

Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
Film, as well as video, often exhibits a greater sensitivity to what is to us invisible, ultraviolet light. This is most often outdoors, especially at high altitudes, where the UV-absorbing atmosphere is thinner; and over long distances, such as marine scenes. It can show up as a bluish color cast with color film, or it can cause a low-contrast haze that diminishes details, especially when viewing far-away objects, in either color or black-and-white. Ultraviolet filters absorb UV light generally without affecting light in the visible region. It is important to distinguish between UV-generated haze and that of air-borne particles, such as smog. The latter is made up of opaque matter that absorbs visible light as well as UV, and will not be appreciably removed by a UV filter.The UV Protector shields lens from dust, moisture, scratches, and breakage.

Amazon.com Product Description:
Protects lenses from dust, moisture, scratches, and other damage. This filter can be kept on the camera at all times.

Rating : - Great value for inexpensive lenses
At a range between $7 and $10, this is one of the best values and investments out there. What is it actually used for? A UV filter has two primary purposes: to filter out unwanted ultra-violet light and to protect the lens. For most general photography applications, you will not notice the difference in UV light. Only when you have intense sunlight at a specific angle will you start to notice the UV light. It will not alter your photos and their lighting negatively, so you can pretty much leave this filter on all the time. This filter doesn't do that great of a job in actually filtering out harsh light at the ultra-violet spectrum, but if you're an amateur photographer, you won't need that function. If you do encounter a lot of harsh UV light (you live out in the desert or in Alaska), then you should consider a different filter. As an advanced but non-professional photographer who averages 500 photos indoors and outdoors per week, I have not yet encountered any harsh UV light that this filter cannot block.

I use this on my Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, and I pretty much never take it off. This filter will protect your lens from scratches to the glass. When you get smudges (which you will) on this filter, you just wipe the filter or remove it and clean it. It's much easier to clean this filter than the glass on the lens. But the most important part is that this filter serves as insurance for your lens. If something comes flying at your lens, you have a choice of replacing a $7 filter or a $150 lens. It's a no-brainer!

Now, this filter is useful for either the amateur photographer or the advanced photographer who has a relatively cheap lens (a $150 lens is considered CHEAP compared to $950 for the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS). If you own a more expensive lens, you'd want to go with a better filter, such as one from Hoya or B+W. But if you own the Canon Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS or an L lens, you know that already.

All in all, I gave this filter 5 stars because of its great value. If it costs $20, I would have reduced it to 4 stars. Considering its use, you cannot beat this product.