What's the best brand of CPL filter?

[user111]

if they rename as stingray filter then will sound more funky

 

[LittleWolf]

Judging quality by brand names is IMHO pretty pointless. Someone compared a certain filter brand to a Rolls Royce car - which to many is an expensive status symbol with very questionable (and historically unspecified) performance as a motor vehicle.

In contrast, much maligned Hoya reportedly delivers optical glass for many of the big name brands that do not have the expertise or capability to produce their own (I believe this includes both the N and C brand, although I could be wrong). It is quite likely that filters from the "big players" are merely rebadged items from another supplier. Hoya also publishes (or at least used to publish) technical data on many of their filters. If the filters are to be used for optical rather than prestige purposes, comparisons should be made based on their optical characteristics.

I did a quick search on the web and am surprised how difficult it is to find technical specifications for photographic polarisation filters. The only source I could find in a pinch is Schneider's industrial filter catalog http://www.schneideroptics.com/oem/...ters/pdf/Industrial Optics Filter Catalog.pdf, which provides at least partial specifications. If someone finds specifications for other manufacturers, please post them!

A lack of specifications does not necessarily imply that the quality is poor. However, "invisible" qualities remind me a bit too much of the emperor's new clothes. If the optical quality would be measurably better than than that of competing products, the marketing department would certainly point it out by showing the data. I wouldn't be surprised if some no-name and some "luxury" filters were indistinguishable in blind tests.

 

[student]

if they rename as stingray filter then will sound more funky

Yup! gives an extra jab for that extra oomph!

 

[Virgo]

Not to my knowledge.

Have to get from Singh Ray directly. Very pleasant people to do business with! For those using color films/transparencies, they have an amazing range of very interesting filters!

I see...thanx. So you got yours all from the US?

 

[slato]

I found the comparison of Singh-Ray with a Rolls Royce very well taken. It is not about promoting a brand, yet it gives the idea of something extremely expensive and of extremely "high quality". But quality doesn't mean the same to the guy with a Roll Royce and the mechanic who repairs its engine. If you know the pleasure of luxury you don't care for the engine. You should sit in the back enjoying life, let the chauffeur and the mechanic care for the engine. For the filter, if you know the pleasure of image quality you should enjoy the pictorial outcome, let engineers and wannabe photographers care for scientific comparisons and brands.

About the comparison of optical performance, I don't find it to be very meaningful, if you aknowledge that things like MFT testing (even if they have scientific foundation) cannot predict the pictorial outcome of any optics.

 

[student]

Judging quality by brand names is IMHO pretty pointless. Someone compared a certain filter brand to a Rolls Royce car - which to many is an expensive status symbol with very questionable (and historically unspecified) performance as a motor vehicle.

I wouldn't be surprised if some no-name and some "luxury" filters were indistinguishable in blind tests.

This kind of arguments about branding has a certain aura of "wisdom" which on inspection shows, well...............I hesitate to put into words my thoughts!

Is a Skoda more reliable than a Toyota? Do we need to argue on this? The idea of using "Rolls Royce" status is to confer an understanding that the product has a level of sophistication and reputation gained not yesterday, but through years of exposure to use and scrutiny.

If you think that judging quality by brands is pointless, address your comments to the thread starter and tell that it is nonsense. But that was not his concern, as far as the way the question is put forth.

Nowhere did I say that Nikon, Canon, etc cannot do the job. The question is, and remains, please read carefully, "what is the best brand....". If you have not read the question carefully, please put on your reading glasses, check the dictionary on the meaning of words, and have a GOOD look. The thread starter had asked for a "best brand". You can disagree with me and feels that "Brand H" is the best brand". It is your perception of what is the best brand. If you do not have an opinion of what is the best brand, then I think whatever you wrote did not address the question. Have you even begun to address the thread-starter's question in the most simple and direct manner? I personally use Hoya, Cokin, B& W, Tiffen, Lee, and also Singh Ray. And they all work! But there is little doubt that there are differences in quality. Just look at the rings holding the filters, and immediately one will see the difference! Singh Ray is a brand that is extremely well regarded. The reason why it is not as well known is the cost.

Likewise, any modern lenses are equivalent in sharpness. The image quality, particularly colors may differ among brands, and is a matter of taste. But some brands are just better constructed than others. Whether one consider this worth the extra money is a totally manner.

Even for computers! Most modern computers gets the parts from a few suppliers. Put them together, and a brand is made! But, and this comes from a friend (fairly senior) of mine who works in the computer manufacturing industry, the quality differs because some company (translating to different brands) have higher rejection rates from the primary vendors, prefering to give less trouble to the buyers, than offering free services to deal with problems resulting from a less than stringent quality control. And of course for this better quality, one has to pay a higher premium.

So please, do not say that branding has no relevance to quality. Whether you think it is worth the extra is your perogative. But a Rolls Royce remains a Rolls Royce. A Lexus is still not a Rolls Royce.

 

[perror]

I read up a post a while ago in photo.net where one of the members mentioned a review of PL filters. According to the person, the review ranked the Nikon filter at the due to it's performance and it's neutrality. B+W came in a close 2nd with the diffrence being very minor. Hoya if I remember correctly came in 3rd or 4th and it's placing was attributed to the color cast produced by the filter.

I'm trying to find the site that I read this from...but so far no luck.

I'll post it here once I can find it. One thing i'm certain is that...Nikon was ranked first and B+W was ranked second with only minor diffrences. Personally if I were to choose the 2, I'd go for B+W, particularly the CPL that comes with MRC. MRC is a dream when it comes to cleaning. Nikon although the coating is better, cleaning it can be a nightmare..my L37C is a living testimony to that.. :cry:

 

[LittleWolf]

The idea of using "Rolls Royce" status is to confer an understanding that the product has a level of sophistication and reputation gained not yesterday, but through years of exposure to use and scrutiny.

Sure, sure... sorry for not being that sophisticated. I was under the mistaken impression that the original poster actually wanted to get a filter for taking photos.

My crude line of uneducated thinking was that the film might not care about any sensual luxury experiences of the filter's owner, but merely record the image projected by the optics in front of it.

 

[student]

My crude line of uneducated thinking was that the film might not care about any sensual luxury experiences of the filter's owner, but merely record the image projected by the optics in front of it.

With this I concur 100%! :thumbsup:

For practical purposes there is no need for the "best". Any B&W filters is more than good enough. But I think be a little more careful about Hoya filters. Some have color cast.

 

[student]

I see...thanx. So you got yours all from the US?

Yup! I have a few. They do have some very interesting products especially useful for color photography.

 

[generik]

Those Singh Ray filters look interesting though, especially the one with color intensifier! :think:

Are they made in India?

 

[generik]

Actually by "best" i should have meant "one you can't go wrong with"

 

[student]

Actually by "best" i should have meant "one you can't go wrong with"

In that case, B&W, Lee, Tiffen cannot be wrong. I am not sure if Nikon and Canon produce a whole range. No need to go for Singh Ray, unless you want some of those rather special filters.

If I am not mistaken, Hoya have different grades of CP. Get the "better" one.

 

[sane]

Oh yeah.. another question is.. can I stick a Nikon filter onto my Canon lens?

I dunno if there are other differences, like for example one brand the thread might run clock wise and for another brand it runs the other way.

I bought the Nikon one (77mm) last Nov for $185 from John 3:16 coz I couldn't find the B+W one. It fits nicely with my Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 (Canon mount) lens. Being a total newbie at filters, & since so far I've only taken pics under very overcast conditions, I can't quite comment on what the filter does to my pics!