If you had to choose a $25-$30 CPL

If you had to choose a $25-$30 CPL which would you choose? I have found quite a few in that range and reviews very from amazing to junk (on each one). I just want to try one out, its going on a kit lens (not the best glass to start with).

Forgot to say it needs to be a 58mm filter.

(looks like i may need to be bumping the budget a bit, I can stretch to $50 but not more)

So knowing that which would you pick?

Side note - telling me they are all crap and to save up for a $100 filter will do me no good (I cant and wont spend that much at the moment, the wife to be would kill me and take away my credit cards lol)

you don't mention what size filter you need, which also impacts cost.

it is true you *should* save up and get a good filter, but if you are wanting something cheaper, it looks like the Tiffen filter reviews aren't all that terrible.

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1332430​580&sr=1-1

it's a 77mm filter, so if your current lenses are not 77mm, you can either get a smaller sized filter, or get some step up rings.

http://www.amazon.com …d=1332430729&sr​=1-1-spell

the cost is close to $70...but there is a used one in like-new condition for sale for $42 if you can swing a few more bucks.

If that's the only option, I'd wait and wouldn't bother wasting my money. Mainly because when you do get around to buying the $100 filter, it'll cost you $100 plus the cost of the aforementioned not-so-good filter. Skip a few trips to Starbucks and save for the better filter up front.

argyle wrote in post #14132270
If that's the only option, I'd wait and wouldn't bother wasting my money. Mainly because when you do get around to buying the $100 filter, it'll cost you $100 plus the cost of the aforementioned not-so-good filter. Skip a few trips to Starbucks and save for the better filter up front.

Thank you however I do not go to Starbucks (or any coffee shop for that matter ) I am headed to Hawaii in 3 weeks so I would like to have something to play around with while there. I pinch every penny I can as it is, and getting a $100 filter to put in front of a kit lens does not make much sence to me. I currently dont have any plans to upgrade to a better lens either (still working on my other skills and the lens is not yet holding me back)

kit lens as in 18-55mm IS kit lens?

that uses a 58mm filter.

here.... Hoya circular polarizer, has over 4 star average review.

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1332431​365&sr=1-6

enjoy your vacation.

There's a Tiffen on Amazon for $29. Sold by Adorama. Probably as good as any for that price. Stay with a name brand in your price range. Tiffen, Hoya, or Kenko.

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #14132313
I am headed to Hawaii in 3 weeks so I would like to have something to play around with while there. I pinch every penny I can as it is, and getting a $100 filter to put in front of a kit lens does not make much sence to me. I currently dont have any plans to upgrade to a better lens either (still working on my other skills and the lens is not yet holding me back)

OK, pick up a jar of peanut butter and some bread when you land in Hawaii, don't eat out while you're there and you'll have saved the funds to buy a good CPL.

Here is a link to a little test done with filters, you might want to look at it.

http://www.kenandchris​tine.com/gallery/10543​87_ucZqa/1

Here is one for CPL's

http://www.lenstip.com …arizing_filters​_test.html

Hoya's did pretty well in this test, but they do sometimes fall apart.

Take the advice and stretch your budget and get a mid-range CPL, I think the best deal is either the Marumi DHG or Kenko Pro 1D, both on Ebay for around $50. Anything less that that will be an uncoated filter which could end up making your photo worse with flares. All depends on how discriminating you are, if you just want 4x6 prints to share then maybe a lower-end Hoya or Tiffen will be fine for you.

I would not risk it. Wait, save and get a quality CPL later.

Go here http://www.amazon.com …r-Polarizer/dp/B0000AI1H​H and pick up the Hoya "moose" filter. In conjunction with CPL it has a slight warming effect which I have found to be beneficial in all landscape work. The downside is it is $46 which is more than you wanted to spend.

John from PA wrote in post #14132867
Go here http://www.amazon.com …r-Polarizer/dp/B0000AI1H​H and pick up the Hoya "moose" filter. In conjunction with CPL it has a slight warming effect which I have found to be beneficial in all landscape work. The downside is it is $46 which is more than you wanted to spend.

That looks very interesting. I could maybe bump up to the $50 mark but thats it, does that help people give a recomendation.

As for cutting back on the trip ... that would be easy if it was just me going, but my soon to be wife and daughter, and my parents are going (family trip, photography is just a side part for me).

argyle wrote in post #14132270
If that's the only option, I'd wait and wouldn't bother wasting my money. Mainly because when you do get around to buying the $100 filter, it'll cost you $100 plus the cost of the aforementioned not-so-good filter. Skip a few trips to Starbucks and save for the better filter up front.

This.

Littlejon Dsgn wrote in post #14132313
I pinch every penny I can as it is, and getting a $100 filter to put in front of a kit lens does not make much sence to me. I currently dont have any plans to upgrade to a better lens either (still working on my other skills and the lens is not yet holding me back)

Let us assume a great lens transmits 97% of the light contrast in a quality image, and that a kit lens transmits 95% of the contrast. Now let us put a good filter (99.7%) in front of the good lens, and a poor filter (93%) in front of the kit lens... (0.97*0.997)= 0.967 for the good combo, vs. (0.95*0.93) = 0.8835 for the cheap combo. The good combo preserves 96.7% of the scene's contrast while the cheap com preserves 88.35% of the scene's contrast. If we put the good filter on the kit lens, it keeps 94.7% of the scene's contrast as detail (0.95*0.997) = 0.947.
It makes far more sense to use a good filter on a kit lens, to preserve its lesser performance rather than considerably degrade its lesser performance!

Rick already posted a link to an article about what cheap filters do to image quality...
http://www.kenandchris​tine.com/gallery/10543​87_ucZqa/1

Better to use NO filter, than to buy and use a cheap filter.

If I were you, I would go without a CPL filter. Its better to not use a CPL filter then to buy a junk one. I hardly ever use a CPL and I take pictures of a lot of waves, surfing, etc. It hasn't bothered me a bit.

I am most interested in its ability to knock down the glare from windows, I want to take a few pictures from inside the plane. Also my last trip to Hawaii the GF and I did a helicopter tour of the Napoli coast (amazing coastline) I took close to 500 pictures on my P.S. I think maybe 5 came out usable due to the reflection of the windows.