Polarizing Filters

I have been following this forum for some time....I love the help you provide...experience means a lot!! You have successfully depleted my bank acct with my newest L ( 24-105) and I am psyched!!! Now If I could only decide between a 300/4 or a 400/5.6....this depends on my next body...full frame 5D ( 400) or 30D ( 300)!!!
Now back to my question. I need a polarizing filter, presume a circular. Are there any differences between B&W, Hoya, or Tiffen??? They cost approx the same for multi-coat. Can the group offer any suggestions in the above and any other filters I should acquire. Thanks, Jim

jcpoulin wrote:
I need a polarizing filter, presume a circular. Are there any differences between B&W, Hoya, or Tiffen??? They cost approx the same for multi-coat. Can the group offer any suggestions in the above and any other filters I should acquire. Thanks, Jim

I have one of the new thin Sigma 77mm CPL that I use on both my 10-20 and 17-40L lenses. It's multicoated and seems to do a great job. It's in the $130 range.

I just bought a B+W 77mm Kaesemann MRC SLIM Circular Polarizer Filter from this ebay seller: http://search.ebay.com …sellerZ1QQsofoc​usZunknown . I think I saved a bit going this route and the filter does appear genuine (had a fear of a possible counterfeit). It did take about 13 days to recieve it, Hong Kong to Massachusetts, versus what seems like overnight from B&H. The seller has other filters as well such as Hoya.

Also curious in filters, which brand is better, difference between them etc. I know NOTHING about polarizers...

You listed three top-end filter manufacturers, so any of them will be nice. CirPols are cheap to manufacture, so anything over $50-60 is a waste IMHO.

They're along the same lines as a UV filter. All that multi-coated super-duper jazz is mostly just marketing hype (or so I've been told). Mine was $15 and it works just fine, if that's any help to you .

This is what I need to know!! Any other thoughts out there?

My theory is to get the best you can afford. I use either B+W or Heliopan. They use german glass [Schott glass - the same used by Schneider, Zeiss, (and I think Leica)], which is supposed to be the best. I know what goes into the manufacture and its considerably flatter and more highly polished. Does this mean its noticably better than Hoya or others? - I have no idea, but I do know what I spend for my lenses and to put anything that might be an inferior filter over that expensive glass... nah!

B+W, Hoya, and Heliopan are top names, as long as you use multi-coated ones. Tiffen's generally considered a lesser-quality line.

How about a Kenko pro-1 wide-band? From what I've read, it's the same as Hoya pro-1 only kenko price is 50% less.

I used Hoya, Tiffen, and B+W. They are all good brand. But i cant justify spending $150 for some multi coated thin type filter

jcpoulin wrote:
I have been following this forum for some time....I love the help you provide...experience means a lot!! You have successfully depleted my bank acct with my newest L ( 24-105) and I am psyched!!! Now If I could only decide between a 300/4 or a 400/5.6....this depends on my next body...full frame 5D ( 400) or 30D ( 300)!!!
Now back to my question. I need a polarizing filter, presume a circular. Are there any differences between B&W, Hoya, or Tiffen??? They cost approx the same for multi-coat. Can the group offer any suggestions in the above and any other filters I should acquire. Thanks, Jim

i've been impressed with kenko products and i've heard that hoya makes this CP for kenko.

http://cgi.ebay.com …ame=STRK%3AMEWA​%3AIT&rd=1

i was also reading an interesting discussion on CPs the other day and one fellow made the point that the very best filters are usually not needed for excellent results because of the way CPs are used.

but you probably already know that some folks equate spending the most money you can with achieving the best results.

anyhow, this inexpensive kenko filter is multi-coated.

you might do a search on DP review.

ed rader

I've got one three days ago. I bought it after reading a post in the dpreview saying:

“I have just called Kenko in Japan to ask about the difference in filters. I was informed that the Kenko Pro 1 Digital Circular Polarizer is actually BETTER than the Hoya version. This is because the Kenko one is “wide band”, a filter technology abandoned by the Hoya division of the Kenko company as it is difficult to implement. Apart from this, they are the same glass, same coatings, same factory, just different packaging.”

I can't really compare it with any other brand filter as this is my first polarizer. Might be somebody with more experience can do it. It seems fine only the packaging is written in japanese language

Multi-coating means you're much less likely to get a picture ruined by flare. Thin only applies if you're using a wide angle lens. You won't need a thin filter on a 16-35 L on the 350D, for instance, but you would on the 10-22, or if you used the 16-35 on a FF body. Cheap glass, be it lens or filter, degrades your image quality.

Somewhat off-topic, but Tokina, Hoya, Kenko and Slik are all made by the same company -- THK Photo Products, Inc.

I have 2 Hoyas nd a Tiffen. The Hoyas are fine, while the Tiffen is poorly made. It rattles and does not turn smoothly. It does turn freely, too freely. AFAIK, it is perfectly functional, no noticable distortions or loss of sharpness, but it feels very low quality and is annoying to use.