Circular polarizer for 17-40 L

[imago57]

I just got my new 17-40 F4 L lens and I am, as many others, in a wonderful state of euphoria. Now I need a circular polarizer filter (for those high reflecting situations), and of course with a 77mm diameter size the price goes up. I found an alternative to Tiffen on Ebay for less than US$ 30.00, but I am reading on B&H of a "wide angle" circular polarizer filter as opposed to a regular circular polarizer filter. The difference being the absence of thread on the front of the filter. I think that the concern is the extra thread on the front of the filter could cause vignetting. But since I am using a D60 with the 1.4 factor, should I worry about vignetting?

[Canuck]

This is a news flash, the D60 has a 1.4 crop? I think not!
The D60 uses the same sensor as the 10D which is 1.6 crop. Now then, I have the Canon 16-35L, and have experienced euphoria too! I have a CPL for that one, and is 77mm and haven't had a vignetting problem yet.
Although, truth be told, there isn't much reflection going on over here in this part of the world. It is mostly farmland in this part of East Anglia and haven't used the CPL much. I have also a lens that has a 105mm CPL filter, and have not had a problem with that either, shooting on the water in Wales. I have one that I posted on this forum and used the CPL for that one. It is probably about pg 10 or so by now. It is titled, First Pics w/ Sigma 120-300 F2.8 EX/HSM/etc. It was started by me. I think it is topic # 17977, or something like that. I haven't seen vignetting yet, but that isn't to say that it won't happen.

Cheers from England,
Canuck

[defordphoto]

Hmmm...Well, a little advice here. Don't spend $1,000-plus on a lens and then stick a ten-cent piece of glass in front of it. Crank out the credit card one more time and get a decent polarizer that matches that wonderful piece of glass you have for a lens. That's one of Canon's best on the market. Don't spoil it with some junkie crap off eBay.

[imago57]

Thanks for the quick reply, and sorry for the mistype on the 1.4-1.6 crap...hoops, here I go again.

Any suggestion then on a good polarizer? Hoya? Tiffen? what's best?

Thanks.

Max

[defordphoto]

B&W is what most people would recommend. I am shopping for one myself so will be watching this thread with interest.

[ltud]

My biggest threaded lens is 72mm (28-135mm IS) and I use two stepping rings to get down to 52mm so I can use the close-up set I bought for my 50mm f/1.8. Everything looks fine, as long as I'm not at 28mm (the vignetting disappears before 35mm) and that's with all three filters stacked!! - makes the lens at least an inch longer.
This is obvously an extreme example but I reckon you could save some money by doing something similar. Buy a smaller filter and step-down to it. In your case you won't be able to step down quite as much, especially at 17mm so try it at your local camera store first.

[Vegas Poboy]

I use both the B&W size 67 *& Hoya size 77 and prefer the B&W over the Hoya but can't justify the extra $$$ for the B&W to purchase the 77. According to lastest POP magazine they state it is no major difference in filters but I don't totally agree. Do your own test and see what you prefer. Also I should mention the 70-200 F/4 ring #67 is my favorite lense over the 17-40 and thats only because I use it more for sports and portraits.

[BrettD]

Nobody seems to mention Canons own '77mm Circular PL-C II', is this because it is inferior? or just not as cost effective?

It was thrown in with my 17-40 (along with a Canon 77mm 'Protect' filter) and I have been happy with it.

Brett D

[imago57]

Scott, the more I think about it, the more I have to agree with you about using a better quality polarizer. I didn't suspect there would be such a big range of performance and quality in polarizers, it is after all a very specialized piece of equipment. I don't even keep a UV filter in front of my lens to reduce the possibility of aberrations. Even though the ad was specifically referring to the 25 bucks polirizer as "same manufacturing but different branding than Tiffen" I think I will bite the credit card out of the wallet once more and go for broke.

Thanks for the advice.

Max

[Belmondo]

I have a 'cheapie' Quantaray CP filter on my 17-40 and it works well except when the lens is at its widest setting, it will produce excessive darkening of the sky in one of the upper corners. It's not vignetting...it covers a large portion of the image.

I don't know if this is a problem unique to this particular filter, this filter/lens combination, or normal for 17 mm lenses with circular polarizers. Sometime in the future I hope to buy a better quality CP filter and see if it works differently.

This is an example:

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/353Polarizer_Effect-med.jpg

[slin100]

The effect you see is not unexpected on a wide-angle lens. If you read up on how polarizers work, you will find that polarized light is greatest 90 degrees away from the sun.

In the picture above, the sun appears to be situated off of the right-hand side of the frame. If you point your index finger at the sun, your thumb will point to the region that will be darkened the most by a polarizer.

[Belmondo]

Hey, thanks. And you're absolutely right about where the sun was (judging by the shadows in the picture ---- certainly not my much-flawed memory).

So maybe my 'cheapie' CP filter is doing exactly what it's supposed to.

Tom

[casper]

I had same headache. B+W or Hoya? Couldn’t decide which one. Read all forums threads about it and end up with Hoya Super HMC Pro 1mm for all my 77mm needs. It’s a wide-angle polarizer (slim) but future thread on front side so you can ad another filter or put lens cap on top. I purchased from Deltainternational on line.

[GPR1]

I agree with putting a good filter on a good lens. Mine 77mm polarizer is a Hoya multi-coated super slim ring (I shoot on a film camera too, and don't want to lose the corners). Buy a great filter and you won't be sorry.

Greg

[Canuck]

BrettD wrote:
Nobody seems to mention Canons own '77mm Circular PL-C II', is this because it is inferior? or just not as cost effective?

It was thrown in with my 17-40 (along with a Canon 77mm 'Protect' filter) and I have been happy with it.

Brett D

Hmm...Idunno, I have a Canon 77mm PL-C II. I haven't had enough time to really experiment w/ that one and see what's up. I can't imagine it being inferior, as it is about not cheap. I recon it is around $100. I will have to get back to you on that one.

Cheers from England,
Canuck

[neil_r]

I use a Hoya Super HMC PRO which is very thin, has little metalwork, optically excellent and have had no problems and excellent results on both a 17 – 40 and the 100 – 400. (using a D60) All in all an excellent filter with one tiny drawback…. It cost £126.80 (ukp) from

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/

Pip pip

Neil

[imago57]

Thank you very much to all those who contributed to this thread. I decided to buy the Hoya Super HMC Pro 1mm for the wide angle due to its superior coating and super thin construction, and the regular Hoya Super HMC Pro for the 70-200. I choose not to share the filter using the step up ring because often I need to change from wide to tele and its already enough trouble doing it without having to switch the filter as well.

On a different note, and I suspect a much more controversial one: the very experienced and helpful staff at 2filter.com suggested that the new UV filters from Hoya are made with such good glass, and excellent coating, that he would not hesitate to place one in front of a L glass lens. I am under the impression that a whole lot of people on this forum will disagree with him, claiming the possibility of aberration when putting ANYTHING in front of an L glass lens. On the other hand there is a serious issue about protecting the glass from occasional scratching from dust and sand buildup (especially when shooting in places like deserts or underground caves).

Is there any study done about the influence of UV filters (and I am talking about top of the line products) on the quality of images when using L glass lenses?

Lets hear from the experts and the professionals, what do you do? How do you protect your $$$ lens investment?

Regards:

Max

[scottbergerphoto]

I get fingerprints and dust on all my stuff. I'd rather clean it off a UV Filter then my L glass. I put one on all my lenses unless I'm using another filter in its place.
Scott

[Vegas Poboy]

Ditto for what Scott said,
I purchase UV filters the same time I purchase my lens. In the past I've used Promaster, Hoya & B&W again I prefer the B&W. When you look @ cost $50.00 filter it is alot cheaper to replace than a L lenses. I also use the UV filter with the Cpl & Colored filters for Black & white Photos.
The only exception is studio lighting where I may remove all filters.

[imago57]

How about some of the purists who swear on never to put anything in front of an L lens...have any of you researched the new filter technology and its supposed advancements? In an ad from B+W they say that using their new filters in front of low dispersion glass will not influence the quality of the lens at all!

What do you have to say?

Max

[rbbblues]

using a P filter on an L lens makes all the sense in the world....i do....never a noticable problem.....BUT ...use a high quality filter......Hoya, B&W,.....

[damir]

seems an old discussion... but the best i found on the web, so i'm trying to ask my question anyway... maybe someone of you is watching this thread and is so kind to reply. :)

i was using polarisation filters till now only on my tele and 50mm prime lenses. now i'm thinking about buying one for my 135mm lens and as this is an L lens (and also my favourite one - very sharp!) i would like to have some good filter in front of it. it's a 72mm and i am thinking about either

Canon PL-C II (costs ~ 300CHF here in switzerland)
B+W Pol Käseman (~300CHF)
B+W Pol (~200CHF)

1US$=1.25CHF

now as the price of the käseman sealed B+W filter is the same as the canon one, i don't know what to do... as i'm a biologist and we tend to go to extreme places (+50°C or -50°C, snow, sun, water, ...) the Käseman sealing makes sense... but canon should be also very high quality, rigth? as the lens is weather resistant (i never had any problems with it), the filter should be too.

do anybody here has experience with pol filters regarding to durability, build quality, ... compared? of course i'm not going to throw things in the mud or something, but it may happen... and when it happens, it should not be that the foil of the filter comes off.

==> what wouuld you buy? canon or B+W käseman?

thanx in advance for any input + greetings

[princer7]

B+W käseman. I'm looking to buy one myself. Not that I NEED the durability of it but like the idea of it holding up better and lasting longer. I found a company online that sells on eBay and also just the internet that has the 77mm filter for @ USD $114 (or $124 for the slim version) + $10 shipping. I haven't ordered from them before but it is very tempting. www.maxsaver.net (http://www.maxsaver.net) Anyone have experience with these guys? Looks like they ship to your country too.

[drive_75]

B+W käseman. I'm looking to buy one myself. Not that I NEED the durability of it but like the idea of it holding up better and lasting longer. I found a company online that sells on eBay and also just the internet that has the 77mm filter for @ USD $114 (or $124 for the slim version) + $10 shipping. I haven't ordered from them before but it is very tempting. www.maxsaver.net (http://www.maxsaver.net) Anyone have experience with these guys? Looks like they ship to your country too.

maxsaver.net is from hong kong.

[DavidW]

If you want a slim polariser (which seems a good idea, especially if you own or may use a full-frame body in the future), I'd go for 77mm B+W Kasemann slim circular polariser MRC.

There's a picture of that filter on my EF 16-35mm f/2.8L in this post (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1641309).



David

[Faolan]

In this whole thread I have not seen mention of Singh Ray's filters?

http://www.singh-ray.com/

Any comments on these filters?

[Raymate]

I use Sigma CP on mine . very pleased :)

[bones]

I just got a Hoya Slim ring off ebay......got it for $65 Canadian. Henrys has it for well over $125. so I think it was a steal.

Lar