what size of uv filter

[Manuel Albarracin]

Hi Guys;
What is the a good uv filter for the hvr-a1u? I do not know what size to use. Is there a one made by sony. Can I use it even with the lens hood. What should I use? A UV one or a daylight one?

Thanks for your suggestions

[Jeremiah Hall]

The screw-in filter size on the A1U is 37mm. You can't use a screw-in filter with the supplied lens hood because of the bayonet mount on the sunshade. That's one of the few things I don't like about this camera.

I decided to dump the sunshade that came with it. I bought a Promaster 37mm uv filter, just to protect the glass. It ran me about $12.00 at the local camera shop. I did some camera tests with it, and found no color differences between having the filter on or off. I'd rather have a $12.00 piece of glass on the front of the lense then risk something really bad happening to the lens and having to ship it off or replace it.

I plan on getting a matte box for the camera to replace the sunshade, probably the Cavision 3x3. Either that or a Cokin P system, then bite the bullet and buy glass filters for it.

You can also get a relatively inexpensive french flag and attach it to the shoe mount for a sunshade. Flarebuster.com has one for about $30.00. I plan on ordering that after I get back from vacation in a couple of weeks. I looked at studiodepot. They had one for around $100.00.

Hope this helps.

Jeremiah

[Manuel Albarracin]

Does the UV filter bring the exposure a notch down?

I might end up removing the hood and shoot just with the filter. This makes the camera shorter and would fit into the fanny pack that I use.

Of course I might end up with flares and the like. Just have to be careful I guess.

thanks for the info

[Jeremiah Hall]

No, the UV filter didn't change the exposure. At least, not on my tests.

Enjoy the camera.

Jeremiah