CPL filter question - which ones are good?

I just got a new to me used lens (Sigma 17-50 OS) and I know I'm going to want a CPL to use with it. I'm looking at several used ones, but have no clue which ones are good and which ones to avoid. Also, manufacturers like Hoya have several different offerings, and I don't know which ones are better. Advice from the experts will be much appreciated.

Some of the ones I'm looking at are Hoya CIR-PL, Hoya Alpha, Hoya Ultra, Hoya EVO, and Marumi DHG.


Thanks.

Try Hoya "HD", it is worth the money. No loss of light (others often take 1 stop of light)

Titi

titi_67207 wrote in post #16607548
Try Hoya "HD", it is worth the money. No loss of light (others often take 1 stop of light)

Titi

That one looks like it's out of my price range, unless I can find a killer deal on a used one.

How the heck can a polarizing filter not reduce light, by definition they're blocking a portion of the light?

I used the opportunity of having a small front element lens (55mm) to buy a bunch of different ones. You can have the small ones cheap.

I gotta tell you that there are few difference in the outcome of the looks of the picture. As mentioned the t-stop (how much light they kill) is different but when I use a CPL it's usually when I have too much light anyway. There seem to be very few actual glass manufacturers for this.

For a large diameter filter I needed I went with the Marumi. Can't find anything wrong with it.

B+W multi coated is great. Very deep saturation unlike other so-called multi-coated filters.

I didn't have good luck with the 77mm Marumi CPL's. The level of glare reduction on glass/water surface was sub-par at best. It was similar to Tiffen's cheap CPL filters.

Marumi, B+W and Hoya are all good; just be sure you're getting one of the multicoated ones. They help control flare and other aberration caused by the extra glass much better than bare glass and will be a bit easier to clean.

Snydremark wrote in post #16607603
Marumi, B+W and Hoya are all good; just be sure you're getting one of the multicoated ones. They help control flare and other aberration caused by the extra glass much better than bare glass and will be a bit easier to clean.

Agreed, I have a few Marumi multicoated CPL filters which is working pretty well imo. Price is moderate compared to the expensive B+W options.

titi_67207 wrote in post #16607548
Try Hoya "HD", it is worth the money. No loss of light (others often take 1 stop of light)

Titi

It is not possible for a polarizing filter (either a "linear" or "circular" type) to allow all the light that hits it to go through it. Depending on the filter's rotational position, all polarizing filters will block between 1 and 2 stops worth of light.

Snydremark wrote in post #16607603
Marumi, B+W and Hoya are all good; just be sure you're getting one of the multicoated ones. They help control flare and other aberration caused by the extra glass much better than bare glass and will be a bit easier to clean.

That's what I had with the Marumi's. Thinking it's Japanese and all that it may be good for $80. Nope. Color saturation weren't all that great either. B+W is expensive including Heliopan but I really think you do get what you pay for with these. Maybe I got a bad batch :\

How about Lee or Cokin? Can be used for all your lenses.

I am no expert but I have the B+W Slim-Line Multi-Coated Kaesemann CPL for my 17-50 and am very happy with the combo so far.

EDIT: I should say I ordered the Slim version but now that I look at it they actually shipped me the regular version...

titi_67207 wrote in post #16607548
Try Hoya "HD", it is worth the money. No loss of light (others often take 1 stop of light)

Titi

SkipD wrote in post #16607671
It is not possible for a polarizing filter (either a "linear" or "circular" type) to allow all the light that hits it to go through it. Depending on the filter's rotational position, all polarizing filters will block between 1 and 2 stops worth of light.

Amen! Otherwise we would have had a modern day miracle in our hands!

Question: Assuming that you use the camera light meter, it should take care of the exposure. The colors should appear more saturated.

Is there any hue change? From blue towards green?

felixshmak wrote in post #16607699
How about Lee or Cokin? Can be used for all your lenses.

If a Hoya HD is out of his budget, then why even suggest this?

Tenchiro wrote in post #16607758
I am no expert but I have the B+W Slim-Line Multi-Coated Kaesemann CPL for my 17-50 and am very happy with the combo so far.

EDIT: I should say I ordered the Slim version but now that I look at it they actually shipped me the regular version...

Beat me to it. I only use B+W Kässeman CPLs, 'cept for an old Kenko I got many years ago. Make sure you get the multicoated, or the nano version which is easier to clean.

In your case, you'll need the slim version. Do note though, that at very short focal lengths (i.e. <20mm) you'll not get an even polarisation effect on the sky; sometimes it's best not to slap the CPL on and use a soft ND instead.

Alveric wrote in post #16608182
Do note though, that at very short focal lengths (i.e. <20mm) you'll not get an even polarisation effect on the sky;

How does this appear in the photo?