Tiffen 25A Red Filter Issues

[j.eff]

I purchased a new Tiffen 25A Red filter (62mm) from KEH, and at a quick glance when I received it, it looked like it had fingerprints around the edges of the glass. I set it aside, but when I came back to it several days later and tried to clean it, I realized there was crazing within the glass around the edges. I contacted KEH, and of course, they sent me another.

I received the second one yesterday, and it has the same issues, though not as bad. I've done my best to take a few photos, but it's not easily done. When you move the filter around, the defect is pretty easy to see with the eyeballs, but it's tough to capture with the phone camera. I'm sure I could set up a very nice setup to light and capture it with my DSLR, but I didn't think it was worth the effort. The defect seems to be within the glass, and hasn't migrated to the glass surface.

Anyone ever see anything like this? Does anyone know the cause? I'm inclined to use it for 52 and 55mm filter mounts, but I think image quality for anything from 58mm to the filter size of 62mm might be impacted. Does that seem like sound logic, or would it be likely the image would be completely unaffected, regardless of barrel size?

 

[mike c]

Those aren't finger prints but delamation of the 2 layers of glass that sandwich the filter material. Nothing can be done with it so send it back if you can.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Those aren't finger prints but delamation of the 2 layers of glass that sandwich the filter material...

That is correct.

...Nothing can be done with it so send it back if you can.

Agreed. Then, order a quality B+W or Heliopan multicoated filter with brass ring. Not only will it have nothing to delaminate, it won't get stuck on lenses' aluminum filter threads (galling) or suffer from unwanted surface reflections.

 

[paul ron]

send your pictures in an email and let them know they are delaminating.

 

[MattKing]

I think you should take the shots you posted, blow them up to about two feet by three feet, call them something artistic ("Creeping Delamination"?) and see if you can find a gallery who will put up your show!

 

[j.eff]

I think you should take the shots you posted, blow them up to about two feet by three feet, call them something artistic ("Creeping Delamination"?) and see if you can find a gallery who will put up your show!

That would totally make it worth the time to set up the full lighting rig and get some great macro shots.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I purchased a new Tiffen 25A Red filter (62mm) from KEH, and at a quick glance when I received it, it looked like it had fingerprints around the edges of the glass. I set it aside, but when I came back to it several days later and tried to clean it, I realized there was crazing within the glass around the edges. I contacted KEH, and of course, they sent me another.

I received the second one yesterday, and it has the same issues, though not as bad. I've done my best to take a few photos, but it's not easily done. When you move the filter around, the defect is pretty easy to see with the eyeballs, but it's tough to capture with the phone camera. I'm sure I could set up a very nice setup to light and capture it with my DSLR, but I didn't think it was worth the effort. The defect seems to be within the glass, and hasn't migrated to the glass surface.

Anyone ever see anything like this? Does anyone know the cause? I'm inclined to use it for 52 and 55mm filter mounts, but I think image quality for anything from 58mm to the filter size of 62mm might be impacted. Does that seem like sound logic, or would it be likely the image would be completely unaffected, regardless of barrel size?

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junk;send them both back but what is a phone camera?My camera cannot be used to make a phone call and Ipaid a lot of money for it.Did I miss something?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

How did KEH grade these filters? It's not a good sign that they sent you a replacement with the same problem - all they needed to do was look at it before sending it to you.

 

[Sirius Glass]

They will eventually send him a filter without separation. The easiest way for them to do that is to send him a higher grade filter so that they stop loosing money on shipping.

 

[cowanw]

Any such delamination I have seen has been much more of a sheeting effect with a plane of separation with broad curved edges. This looks a lot more biologic to me. Tiffen laminates the filter (?Gelatin) between two sheets of glass. Are we sure this is not fungal? Did KEH pick up a NOS supply stored in poor conditions?