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View Full Version : Which top of the line Hoya UV filter to get?


ALT1MATE
7th of January 2009 (Wed), 09:17
I'm going to B&H later today and I'm confused as to which UV filter to get. On hvstar.net I would have gotten the Pro1 S-HMC but B&H does not have that particular one (discontinued I think).

Here's what B&H has:

Hoya 77mm Ultraviolet UV(0) Super Multi-Coated (S-HMC) Glass Haze Filter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/94134-REG/Hoya_778031_77mm_Ultraviolet_UV_0_Super.html)
Hoya 77 mm Ultraviolet (UV) Pro 1 Digital Multi-Coated Glass Filter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/391177-REG/Hoya_040206_77_mm_Ultraviolet_UV_.html)
Hoya 77mm Ultraviolet UV Haze HD (High Definition) Digital Glass Filter (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/574276-REG/Hoya_6051073_77mm_Ultraviolet_UV_Haze.html)I think I can pretty much the HD version because I've read from users here on the forum that its marketing crap and it actually has less light transmission than the S-HMC.

So, should I get the S-HMC or the Pro 1 DMC? The S-HMC is almost half the price of the Pro 1.

ALT1MATE
7th of January 2009 (Wed), 09:19
I found this on the FAQ:
a) Hoya, B+W and Heliopan standard grade filters are all single coat designs.
b) Hoya HMC are three layer multicoat, Kenko MC Pro 1 Digital and Hoya MC Pro 1 Digital are 3 layer multicoat
c) Hoya SHMC, Hoya SMC Pro 1 (discontinued), B+W MRC and Heliopan SH-PMC are all High End multicoated filters.

If the Hoya S-HMC is the high end filter why is it cheaper than the 3-layer Pro 1?

Jon
7th of January 2009 (Wed), 10:14
The DMC has some other "features" "designed" for digital photography, like blackened edges to the filter glass. Probably not worth the expense; get the S-HMC.

Wilt
7th of January 2009 (Wed), 10:48
'Digital' label from Hoya is a lotta bologna! The highest transmission of light is the super multicoated SHMC at 99.7%. The newest HD has 99.35%, the Digital Pro has only 97%, the same as the multicoated HMC line. While Hoya provides those specs, they say nothing at all about any measured benefit from the 'digital' features.

ALT1MATE
7th of January 2009 (Wed), 10:54
I figured as much. I just wanted to be sure as they don't have the Pro1 S-HMC that hvstar has. S-HMC it is!