Which brand for filters? [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

View Full Version : Which brand for filters?

Alexia

15th of January 2005 (Sat), 21:59

jimlp

15th of January 2005 (Sat), 22:05

I'm looking mostly for a protective UV filter for my investment. I'll probably get a polarizer in the future as well. Forum says B+W makes good filters. Most of what I'm finding is 'Crystal Optics' and 'Digital Concepts' filters. I want to protect my invest, but not kill my pictures too. :p There are a lot of options for B+W at Adorama, still looking over them!

Crystal Optics (http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/Product.asp?ProdTypeList=&Sku=CROFK58)
Digital Concepts (http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/Product.asp?ProdTypeList=&Sku=CROUV58)

Ido not know anything about the other 2 filter companies you mentioned but I can say that B&W have excellent products, but they are expensive. The filter size will figure into the cost but a polarizer from B&W will run the better part of $100.00 minimum, a UV will probably be in the $40.00 range. You are correct in not wanting to put an inferior filter on a good lens, like anything else the limiting factor will be your budget.

dr.bear

15th of January 2005 (Sat), 22:15

I'm happy with my Hoya filters.

kawter2

15th of January 2005 (Sat), 22:17

i only use UV filters and the rest in PS... but I am more than happy with my HOYA multi coated filters

pcasciola

15th of January 2005 (Sat), 22:23

Hoyas are fine if you are mainly looking for lens protection (as I am). I did some tests with my Tamron wide open with the Hoya UV on and off, and I could not see any difference at all.

Olegis

16th of January 2005 (Sun), 00:48

Another vote for the Hoya Multi-coated or Super Multi-coated filters. I have two of them protecting my Tamron 28-75 and my Canon 100mm Macro and also have one B&W MRC 010 filter on my 70-200 f/2.8L (boy, that one was expensive at 77mm !).

CyberDyneSystems

16th of January 2005 (Sun), 00:50

Hellashot

16th of January 2005 (Sun), 07:47

I have 2 Tiffen and 1 Canon UV filter, plus a Tiffen 812warming filter and a circular polarizer.

EoSD30fReAk

16th of January 2005 (Sun), 08:44

i use one B&W skylight filter and i also use 2 Hama UV filters and i'm very happy with all of them:cool:

DionM

17th of January 2005 (Mon), 00:51

Hoya super multicoat on my 17-40 F4L, just garden variety Hoyas on my other lenses as they are not 'L's. Though I should get better one for my 50 F1.8 I suppose.

Spatch

17th of January 2005 (Mon), 04:51

Hoya skylight 1B's. Both my 17-40 F4L and 70-200 F2.8L have them. Would never go anywhere without filters fitted - just in case.

DionM

17th of January 2005 (Mon), 05:20

This brings up the topic - Skylight vs UV?

I've never been happy with skylights, instead preferring UV.

planesh00ter

18th of January 2005 (Tue), 01:26

Had my finger on the buy for the 135 f2 last nite and a filter kit including a Hoya polarizing and "warming" filter for portraits. Any comments on these warming filters?
... and the finger slid off and whewwwwwww.......saved those $$$ it for another day.

pierrot

18th of January 2005 (Tue), 02:18

I don't see any justification for using warming filters in digital photography, as far as any retouching software will do the same in a way you can tweak at your exact preferrence.
They were undoubtly useful in film photography, of course.
Besides of that, I use UV filters on all my lenses ; not beacause of UV, just to protect my cherished and expensive "eyes". ;-)

woth

27th of June 2005 (Mon), 15:00

Hi,
My friend and I got duped by a company called Camera Empire & Gallery in San Francisco in October 2004. We bought Wide angle lenses and Tele lenses. Wide angle lense work, but there's a huge black ring around the image that it's just no good using the converter. The Tele lense a Vision Optics Titanium 2.0x Digital doesn't do anything....Still, I'm quite sure that the lenses that we tried on in the store worked!?
The asian man that sold us all the products was mixing back and forth between the stuff, so he might have swapped the products before putting them in boxes and in the bag...

My advise is to avoid buying Crystal Optics and Vision Optics, atleast from stores in San Francisco!

Avoid this company:
Camera Empire & Galeria de Pars
789 Beach Street
San Francisco
CA 94109 by Ghiradelli Square

I'm currently stuck with one Vision Optics Titanium 2.0x Digital and one Crystal Optics Japan 0.45x AF High Definition Digital Lense With Macro.
We paid 542.50USD for two of each and two 52mm ring adapters for Fuji S7000 and two UV-filters from Bower.

Now I'm stuck here in Sweden with this crap. :-(

Now I use Hoya for my Minolta A2 and I'm very pleased with that.

Woth

chakras

27th of June 2005 (Mon), 15:13

I always use Tiffen or Hoya. One store in NY tried to give me Digital Concepts, but not being sure, never bought it. And I use Sky 1A for protecting my lens. Just that bit of extra warm color doesn't harm anyone.

blue_max

28th of June 2005 (Tue), 00:08

If you buy b&w, be sure to buy their MRC (multi-resistant coating) ones. They are more expensive, but better at resisting flare and are easier to clean.

Keep with the major brands and go for the best you can afford – or use the lens hood and don't use one at all.

Cheap ones are not good value.

Graham

Carzee

28th of June 2005 (Tue), 00:22

I tried the B & W polarizer in the shop.. nice.... schott glass. near double the Hoya HMC price.
Got the Hoya - it was for my 50mm 1.8 mk2 after all. Go for the best glass you can.

Screamer

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 00:15

B+W all around. 58mm, 67mm, and 77mm. UV "010" , Multicoated Polarizers, and ND Grads.

nat869

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 10:21

Don't get those "crytal optics"

I agree that Hooya and B&W are better... but you may also want to check out B&H's price on "Canon" branded filters.. for UV they are very competitively priced and I have been perfectly satisfied..

I like my Canon filters, usually I buy it at the same time as my lenses, but Tiffen and Hoya make good affordable filters too.

wilflee

29th of June 2005 (Wed), 16:04

If you're looking for protection from dropping for the front element, have you considered a hard lens hood? It is cheaper and actually serves a purpose other than protection. Plus, you're guaranteed to have less flare problems than the best multi-coated filter. The disadvantage is that it's harder to carry.