Want to purchase a 10 stop ND filter

TLDR: Multi coated vs single coated for 10 stop B+W filter ($50 difference)

I am wanting to purchase a 10 stop ND filter. I am looking to blur out water in oceans, waterfalls, rivers, and other bodies of water. I am also thinking it would be fun to take a picture of some busy city streets to try and make it so the people do not appear.

Originally I was going to go with the Tiffen 77mm variable ND filter for about $150, but read that a fixed ND filter would produce better quality and then I could get a 10 stop instead of being limited to 8 stops max.

I think I have settled on the idea of getting a B+W ND 3.0 110 filter since it is in the price range I am looking for. Do any of you have experience with this filter? Do you like it?

I would be using it on my 24-105 and 70-200 (both are 77mm). If I ever end up with a 24-70 I will have to purchase another due to the thread size... (oh well).

Now my big question.... I notice that the B+W has 2 versions. Single coated and multi coated. Which should I get for a 10 stop filter? It is about a 50 dollar difference. I read here on the forum that above 6 stops the multi coating is not needed.

I appreciate any help you can offer me!

Thanks!

I had the the single coated version and thought it worked very well.

pdrober2 wrote in post #16226771
I had the the single coated version and thought it worked very well.

Well it appears most people use the single coating and since you had good luck with it, I will be going with that.

Thank you!!!!

I acquired one of the variable density ND filters and the color cast if present is minimal. I'd rather have one filter as opposed to lugging 4 or 5 filters when one variable will do the job adequately. Doing a test in the B&M store will show you any issues with one.

I think with the higher stop ND filters (4 stop+) it matters less having multi-coating or not.

LensCraftWorkshop has a 9 stop ND Filter... Ive owned one for a few years and like it a lot! No color cast and about $100 if I remember correctly.

ben_r_ wrote in post #16230143
I think with the higher stop ND filters (4 stop+) it matters less having multi-coating or not.

Why do you say that?

I have been using the B+W #110 ND filter for a few years and has worked fine for what I do with it. If I were to do it over again I would buy the MRC version to help with the lens flair. I take a lot of sunset shots shooing directly into the sun.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

Saint728 wrote in post #16237301
I have been using the B+W #110 ND filter for a few years and has worked fine for what I do with it. If I were to do it over again I would buy the MRC version to help with the lens flair. I take a lot of sunset shots shooing directly into the sun.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

The MRC version is substantially more than the plain version. Are you sure the MRC version will minimize flare in the shooting situation that you had described?

I went with Hoya NDx400. Two reasons being price was nearly 50 percent better and many people complain about that B+Ws colour cast. I have the B+W KSM CPL and love it so this is not brand bashing, the 110 came second in basically every online comparison i read except.

oxygen45 wrote in post #16237829
I went with Hoya NDx400. Two reasons being price was nearly 50 percent better and many people complain about that B+Ws colour cast. I have the B+W KSM CPL and love it so this is not brand bashing, the 110 came second in basically every online comparison i read except.

And the Hoya doesn't have any colour cast? If so, it seems a bit hard to believe considering that both B+W and Lee's 10 Stop ND filter have a colour cast.

lsquare wrote in post #16237085
Why do you say that?

Think about it. One purpose of any lens or filter coating is to reduce internal reflections that cause flare and glare. But each time light passes through a 10-stop filter it's attenuated by 10 full stops. That means that non-imaging light is reduced by, first, the 10 stops from the initial pass through the filter and second, by the 10 additional stops from each reflection inside the filter. The second purpose of coating is to increase transmission through the glass; the exact opposite purpose of a ND filter.

Jon wrote in post #16239512
Think about it. One purpose of any lens or filter coating is to reduce internal reflections that cause flare and glare. But each time light passes through a 10-stop filter it's attenuated by 10 full stops. That means that non-imaging light is reduced by, first, the 10 stops from the initial pass through the filter and second, by the 10 additional stops from each reflection inside the filter. The second purpose of coating is to increase transmission through the glass; the exact opposite purpose of a ND filter.

So are you saying that it's not worth buying the MRC version of the 10 stop ND filter?

Yep. MRC for filters with a low filer factor; but as filter factor increases, the need for multicoating decreases. Possibly less if you are using a coloured filter (Wratten 12 yellow, Wratten 25 red or the like), which passes one wavelength relatively cleanly, but certainly with a ND, which blocks all wavelengths essentially equally.

Well I received my filter today.... but it has a strange defect in the coating on one side. Almost looks like a triangular scratch toward the outside. Amazon is sending a replacement though.