Tiffen OK OR ?

[dancqu]

I should have a dark yellow filter. With a light
yellow I've too much sky density. Tiffen is least
expensive. Hoya and Heliopan are not much more.

They all make dark yellows by one number or
another. I probably should have a coated filter
although I've read they scratch easier and
are tougher to clean. Opinions? Dan

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Heliopan and B+W have better rings that are less likely to cause problems with cross threading, and the new coatings are also scratch resistant. They are also dyed in the mass, rather than glass-gel sandwiches, which can separate over time (a long time usually--like 30+ years) and are more prone to fading. I think they're worth it.

 

[roteague]

I agree with David, it never hurts to use the best quality that you can afford, especially if it is something you will use frequently. Heliopan and B+W are much better quality.

 

[dalahorse]

I use Tiffen filters which are not coated. If you point the camera directly into the Sun, they will flare up. If multicoating is important to you, Tiffen is not what you want. Otherwise, I do find them to be high quality glass filters with strong metal rings. I hope that helps!

 

[sanderx1]

If you do lots of black and white and have just one filter size, then get B+W MRC. You really won't regret having done so. They also don't make their filter rings from aluminium like almost everybody else.

However, beyond the basics, Tiffen has a very extensive set of filters (also as graduates) which are also available in P-series, Lee and other sizes.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I plan to eventually buy some B+W filters (only the ones I use the most of), but I've bought some Tiffen Series 6 filters to get me through until I can afford the others. Why? Because I wanted to try some filters on certain shots and the full set of B+W filters would cost me upwards of $150.

 

[Nick Zentena]

If Heliopan is not much more I'd buy Heliopan. OTOH did I miss this? When is Heliopan only a little more then Tiffen? On the other other hand. Tiffen makes a few things nobody else does anymore. Also for seldom used stuff the Tiffens are fine. If the prices are close I'd spring for the Heliopan.

 

[Curt]

"If you do lots of black and white and have just one filter size, then get B+W MRC. You really won't regret having done so. They also don't make their filter rings from aluminium like almost everybody else."

Can you tell me what the filter rings are made of? I was looking for some brass rings but I don't think they are made anymore. I recently had some eyeglasses made by a Hoya system. They are really bad because they smudge and are very very hard to clean. I am going back to Verilux. I have some Hoya filters from 30 years ago that I bought new and they are in great shape. Bad eyeglasses good filters!

Where is the best place to buy filters today?

Curt

 

[df cardwell]

Filters all have an immense profit margin ( to make up for insanely small profit a shop can make on hardware... ) and it is up to the dealer how much they choose to sell their filters for. B&H is a good place to buy good filters.

Over the years, some makers have cheapened their product, some have improved it. Tiffen has become quite overpriced for their value, if you think about what you pay for B&W & Heliopan ( at B&H ) or Tiffen ( locally ). Tiffens tend to come in need of a good cleaning as well.

Nikon continues to make fine filters, and they can be picked up cheaply on Ibuy.

And Leica filters are wonderful, especially if you get them used.

 

[Lee L]

B+W and Heliopan filters have brass rings, so don't stick like aluminum and plastic.

B&H has good prices on B+W and Heliopan. If you buy officially imported B+W in the US, they used to come with a lifetime guarantee, and may still. Heliopan has a lifetime guarantee. I had a B+W circular polarizer replaced for free when it developed edge separation after 12 years.

The B+W catalog is available at: http://www.schneideroptics.com/filters/filters_for_still_photography/handbook/
and has lots of good technical info.

Lee

 

[Lee Shively]

Multicoating on filters is fine but it adds to the cost and I haven't really found it to do much good if you're shooting into a bright light source. The older multicoatings were fragile and scratched easily. B+W's multicoating seems more sturdy so, if you gotta have a multicoated filter, go with B+W. But get ready to pay a premium. On the other hand, I doubt you'll be using a dark yellow filter when you're shooting brightly backlit subjects so you'll likely be okay without multicoating.

Tiffen makes excellent quality standard filters. I've used them for over 20 years and they stack up as good as the more expensive brands when it comes to doing what filters do--which is be flat, the right color and consistent. I remember when Tiffen would custom build filters to your order--I had a couple of CC filters made for me when I used large format cameras and didn't want to fool with gels.

Tiffen's current mounting rings are aluminum and might not always thread as smoothly as the more expensive filters with brass rings. Brass rings are nice. My most recently purchased filters are all non-multicoated B+W's simply because they only cost a little more than Tiffen and they had brass rings. If the Tiffen filters had cost significantly less, I would have bought them.

 

[firecracker]

How about Hakuba? Is it available outside of Japan? It's like Tiffen, kind of amateurish and cheap but good. Its MC UV filter is about 8 USD.

I was using B+W filters when I was living in the U.S. But now in Japan, I've never seen it in any stores. So, every time I buy a new used lens for my cameras, I choose a Hakuba UV filter to go with it, which can be found everywhere and very convenient.

The quality is, I've shot many pictures with it but never noticed any extra flare, etc. For black and white images, I don't see any problems with it.

 

[firecracker]

I forgot to add, Hakuba UV filter ring is brass, I think. It's lighter than a B+W UV filter, but the material used for the ring looks and feels the same. I doubt if it's aluminium.

 

[Dave Parker]

We used to carry Hakuba at the store I worked in here in Montana, I shot them and never felt they were bad..

Dave

 

[roteague]

How about Hakuba? Is it available outside of Japan? It's like Tiffen, kind of amateurish and cheap but good.

I've got one. I bought in Australia when I broke my good 82mm B+W slim polarizer - ouch!!

 

[Bruce Osgood]

When I built my 35mm system it was built around Zeiss optics. When it came time to buy filters I did not want to compromise the optics by putting inferior glass in front of it. My research then (10 years ago) led me to B+W because they were not film sandwitched between glass but the filters are 100% filter. By this I mean the filter is extruded as a glass lava and sliced like bread into size for grinding and polishing to final size. The mounts are brass and they will seize up occasionally but cuddling with a warm hand will allow them to relax and separate.

 

[dancqu]

When is Heliopan only a little more then Tiffen?

Rounding off B&H prices, Tiffen, Hoya, B+W, and Heliopan
are 38, 45, 52, and 62 dollars. All are the least expensive
versions. So, Hoya a little and B+W some what more.

I've several B+Ws in 62mm for my Bronica and a few
Hoyas and misc. in 77mm for my Mamiya RB 67. The
Hoyas handle as well as the B+Ws in my opinion.

I can take a little more reflection off a front surface
but wish internal flare be at a minimum. Internal flare
reduces contrast. I'm seldom shooting into the light
and think internal flare is likely little or no problem.

So, the winner, a first one in many years, the Tiffen
77mm #15 Dark Yellow; $31 from the West Coast
supplier Freestyle. Dan

 

[bobfowler]

... B&H, an APUG sponsor, has ...

Not to pick nits, but...

B&H is a great photo candy store, but I don't see them listed as a sponsor.

 

[Lee L]

Not to pick nits, but...

B&H is a great photo candy store, but I don't see them listed as a sponsor.

Whoops! Sorry. Were they in the past? Maybe it's just that they get mentioned so often in postings...

I'll edit to correct.

Lee

 

[Ara Ghajanian]

Okay, I hope no one smashes me in the head for this one but...

What about the Ritz brand filters? I thought they were made by Hoya. I only have a polarizer at work and it seems okay. For my tastes, I prefer to use B+W, but I only own 2 and one I got for free.
Ara