Re: Filters used.

["Emily L. Ferguson" <elf@xxxxxxxx>]

I don't use any filters on my lenses except polarizer and graduated 
neutral density.  In 11 years of shooting, including for newspapers 
and on the water on all sized of boats in all kinds of weather I've 
never had the front element of my lenses dinged.  I have, however, 
had a piece chipped off the filter ring of my long Canon 75-300 f4.5 
zoom.

Suggest you look into Singh-Ray filters also.
--
Emily L. Ferguson
mailto:elf@xxxxxxxx
508-563-6822
New England landscapes, wooden boats and races, press photography 
http://www.vsu.cape.com/~elf/