UV filters are a must-have accessory for any camera. They serve two very useful purposes: they help reduce haze in distant outdoor subjects, resulting in a cleaner, more pleasing picture, and they help protect your precious optics from impact damage. Any photographer will tell you it's much better (not to mention cheaper!) to lose a little UV filter than to lose a whole lens, especially if you're using high-end equipment. They also keep dust and other particles off your lens, making cleanup easier and thus extending its life as well."