Discussion
I used a filter for the first time this weekend, a polarising filter.
In a word, Wow!!
It made a huge difference to outdoor shots, particularly the sky, which was transformed in appearance from "average" into "stunning!"
I now want one
Given that it isnt exactly a £1000 accessory, Id like to buy the best money can buy. What are the different types, best makes/brands, benefits of the different kinds of filters(?) are there. I usually like to travel light, and prefer not to carry dozens of different accessories with me - I think someone said there were varying degrees of the intensities or how 'powerful' polarising filters were - if Im looking for just one "middle of the range" filter which ones should I consider? Or is having a few filters a good thing?
Hope that makes sense.
Another question - who has a polarising filter, what do you have, and if you could swap it for free for another one which would you choose?
And does anyone have any shots to post, demonstrating what they do? The only shots I saw were on LCD displays, which even in low res format were impressive.
In a word, Wow!!
It made a huge difference to outdoor shots, particularly the sky, which was transformed in appearance from "average" into "stunning!" I now want one
Given that it isnt exactly a £1000 accessory, Id like to buy the best money can buy. What are the different types, best makes/brands, benefits of the different kinds of filters(?) are there. I usually like to travel light, and prefer not to carry dozens of different accessories with me - I think someone said there were varying degrees of the intensities or how 'powerful' polarising filters were - if Im looking for just one "middle of the range" filter which ones should I consider? Or is having a few filters a good thing? Hope that makes sense.
Another question - who has a polarising filter, what do you have, and if you could swap it for free for another one which would you choose?
And does anyone have any shots to post, demonstrating what they do? The only shots I saw were on LCD displays, which even in low res format were impressive.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=109&t=348464
Best................... Lee
Most expensive......... Lee
Best................... Lee
Most expensive......... Lee
Edited by V6GTO on Tuesday 6th March 13:33
cheers guys
Apologies for the terribly basic questions, which are as follows:
Id rather have a small round filter, and none of the plates of glass which slide into a holder. Might one of these cause vingetting? Does lee do round polarising filters?
Can you add other filters onto the end of round filters? And what about the lens cap?
Why does lee (or anyone) make filters which accept slides of glass, when they could be round? Id really rather not have anything larger than a simple round filter on the end of my lens.
Another question - when would one want to take a filter off? Are they only useful when shooting outside?
Apologies for the terribly basic questions, which are as follows:
Id rather have a small round filter, and none of the plates of glass which slide into a holder. Might one of these cause vingetting? Does lee do round polarising filters?
Can you add other filters onto the end of round filters? And what about the lens cap?
Why does lee (or anyone) make filters which accept slides of glass, when they could be round? Id really rather not have anything larger than a simple round filter on the end of my lens.
Another question - when would one want to take a filter off? Are they only useful when shooting outside?
Edited by UKBob on Tuesday 6th March 13:37
bramley said:
B+W are very good, generally better built than the Hoya's, if you want to treat yourself without having to sell a kidney for Lee filters.
Cheers. Warehouse express sell this one S03 MRC Circular Polarizer DH 77mm for £132 which I believe is what I need. Can anyone else second or third them as being a best buy, if Im after just a round filter without the square housing? Does anyone know if you can attach a lee system on top of this round filter, so I can upgrade and start using grads at a later date? Or would I need to buy a lee square housing type setup and polariser to begin with?
Then im already happy with that filter, having used it once already 
Can't say that I've used the B&W filters; however, asking a similar question on filters elsewhere, I was informed that the latest Hoya Pro-1 digital filters are up there with the best - for a few £'s less.
I used the fellow from here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hoya-PRO1-Digit
77mm CPL for around £97 - contact him direct to save a bit extra on his site prices.
Friendly service and arrived in less than 24hrs
Edited to get link to work
I used the fellow from here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hoya-PRO1-Digit
77mm CPL for around £97 - contact him direct to save a bit extra on his site prices.
Friendly service and arrived in less than 24hrs
Edited to get link to work
Edited by jac-in-a-box on Tuesday 6th March 21:25
UKBob,
I just bought my second circ. polarizer and did quite a bit of research. Here's what I remember.
Multi-coated at a minimum to avoid flare. The standard Hoya(green box)is uncoated, the rest are coated but to varying degrees. HMC is multi-coated, SHMC is more coatings. I then get confused as you get to teh Pro ones and the Pro Digital. I did find a site (I'll try to dig it up) where the guy showed back to back pics between Hoya's top-end pro version and the Pro 1 Digital. There was a marked difference between the images - not better and worse, just different in colour. I don't know how scientific this was. The Digital's coatings are meant to assist more natural colour repro on dig cameras, but I have no idea if this is true.
The more expensive filters are also thinner so that there is less chance of vignetting, but apparently this is only an issue on pretty wide lenses or if you (perish the though) stack the filter with another.
Many of the thin filters do away with front threads to make them thinner. So no hanging a Cokin adapator off them for example and you need a different lens cap which is normally supplied with the filter. I think this includes the B+W which many seem to rate as the creme de la because of the Schneider glass.
The top-end Hoya filters do now have front filter threads however whilst remaining thin. I have a 72-77 step-up ring and a 77 Pro 1 Digital and I think apart from hopefully saving money in the future, this arrangement also lessens the possibility of vignetting. I don't see any at 18mm on my D70.
I posted a link in response to TonyHetherington's question about spending money to an ebayer where I bought my Hoya Pro 1 Dig for £44. This seems to be an exceptionally good price.
Oh - B+W use brass rather than aluminium which is meant to reduce possibility of filter becoming stuck on the lens.
Stuart
I just bought my second circ. polarizer and did quite a bit of research. Here's what I remember.
Multi-coated at a minimum to avoid flare. The standard Hoya(green box)is uncoated, the rest are coated but to varying degrees. HMC is multi-coated, SHMC is more coatings. I then get confused as you get to teh Pro ones and the Pro Digital. I did find a site (I'll try to dig it up) where the guy showed back to back pics between Hoya's top-end pro version and the Pro 1 Digital. There was a marked difference between the images - not better and worse, just different in colour. I don't know how scientific this was. The Digital's coatings are meant to assist more natural colour repro on dig cameras, but I have no idea if this is true.
The more expensive filters are also thinner so that there is less chance of vignetting, but apparently this is only an issue on pretty wide lenses or if you (perish the though) stack the filter with another.
Many of the thin filters do away with front threads to make them thinner. So no hanging a Cokin adapator off them for example and you need a different lens cap which is normally supplied with the filter. I think this includes the B+W which many seem to rate as the creme de la because of the Schneider glass.
The top-end Hoya filters do now have front filter threads however whilst remaining thin. I have a 72-77 step-up ring and a 77 Pro 1 Digital and I think apart from hopefully saving money in the future, this arrangement also lessens the possibility of vignetting. I don't see any at 18mm on my D70.
I posted a link in response to TonyHetherington's question about spending money to an ebayer where I bought my Hoya Pro 1 Dig for £44. This seems to be an exceptionally good price.
Oh - B+W use brass rather than aluminium which is meant to reduce possibility of filter becoming stuck on the lens.
Stuart
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