I'm thinking about getting a CPL for landscape and some wildlife, like macro on frogs. There is quite a range in price, does anyone have experience with results from the high end vs. mid-range priced ones? Thanks
Circular Polarizer choices
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Guido Bee
Member
I was not satisfied with lot cost polarizers. When I wanted "better" the local stores were not carrying a mid-grade selection. I ended up paying for premium filters, and was very happy with the results, if not the prices. B+W and Heliopan were about it at that time. I think there are some Hoya's and some of the new brands that may be equal at a more competitive cost. My feeling was that cheap pol's did not meet my wants / needs. Pricier ones had better ring materials and were more free of color casts. The drop-in filters for specific lenses and made by the lens manufacturer have always been very good, as well; there were no cheap options for these.
Good luck in your search.
Good luck in your search.
Calson
Well-known member
For something like a CPL filter I decide which one from B+W to buy. It is a once in a lifetime purchase and the most often used type of filter. The filter coatings are much more important for this type of filter and the more expensive ones use better coatings as well as better glass.
abc123brian
Well-known member
There can be quite a large price difference between the low end to high end here so I’m not sure where you are considering the mid level or high end line. B+W makes a very nice polarizing filter and I have been very happy with them. There are other decent ones in that price range but B+W is pretty solid. I generally prefer my Singh-Ray polarizing filter and will use it over my B+W unless in harsher conditions. Singh-Ray is more costly but has versions that lose less light which can be important at times.
Roger Cicala of LensRentals (whose testing of camera gear I trust more than just about anyone) did some tests years ago and concluded that the cheap filters are just about as good as the expensive ones. (I still use expensive ones for peace of mind and for brass ring, but still...).
My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article
So, a while back I wrote a not quite complete article on UV filters. To do that, I had to buy new testing equipment and learn to test filters. This was not what I wanted to do when I grew up. But somebody has to do it, and I did get to buy new toys. More [...]
www.lensrentals.com
I tried a number of the budget CPLs and was always disappointed. I finally invested in good quality B&Ws, and have never regretted it. They make great filters, and though a bit pricey, are definitely worth it, in my opinion. Personally, I think they’re every bit as good as Singh.
Cameron T
Well-known member
Never cheap out on filters. This is a lesson everyone learns eventually, but some learn the easy way by listening to advice, some learn the hard way by being cheap.
I like kase stuff, their magnetic system is great. But it's mostly for if you want NDs/etc as well, otherwise a good screw in from b+w/etc will do just fine.
I like kase stuff, their magnetic system is great. But it's mostly for if you want NDs/etc as well, otherwise a good screw in from b+w/etc will do just fine.
fulltimewanderer
Well-known member
B & W first then Hoya.
Pasiani
Active member
I love the effect that a good CPL gives. I use mine nearly all the time, except when the light level drops too much or when I need very short exposure time values (for BIF, for example).
I have used the following ones:
Hama Profi-Line: on the cheaper side, decent build quality, very slim, no sharpness penalty, some color cast, bad flare resistance, very poor polarizing effect. I returned it and can't recommend it.
Hoya HD: intermediate price, good build quality, very slim, no sharpness penalty, some warm color cast, good flare resistance, good polarizing effect. I used it for six years and recommend if you are on a tight budget.
Zeiss T*: high price, exceptional build quality (never got stuck), slim but not as much as the other two, no sharpness penalty, no color cast, excellent flare resistance (no reflections at all), very strong polarizing effect. A bit darker than the other two. Highly recommend if you can afford it.
Some sample shots here:
Re: Polarizing filter for Canon R50: Canon EOS R Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
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Warren D
Well-known member
The best CPL's I've used are the ones from Breakthrough. I'd say they are mid-priced, maybe on the high end but worth it.
Yup, fully agree !
And there is something else to it:
In DSLR days the 24-70 f2.8 E forced me to go for a 82mm CPOL. I got the top notch one from B&W in ultra slim (sorry, not cheap
) plus a set of well manufactured and really slim metal step down rings that allowed me to use the 82mm CPOL on almost all other lenses. This solution has three advantages:- It's simply cheaper than buying multiple good quality CPOLs in various diameters
- It's more compact (1 CPOL boxed plus step-doen ring set compared to multiple boxed CPOLS)
- When using the filter plus step-down ring on lenes at the wide angle end with filter thread smaller than 82mm, you ease the situation with vignetting.
Earlier:
AF-S 16-35 f4 G VR --> 77mm step-down *
AF-S 24-70 f2.8 E VR --> native
AF-S 24-120 f4 G --> 77mm step-down *
AF-S Micro 105 f2.8 --> 62mm step-down
AF-S 70-200 f4 G VR --> 67mm step-down
AF-S 300 f4 G PF --> 77mm step-down
Today (still same filter):
Z 14-30 f4 S --> native
Z 24-120 f4 S --> 77mm step-down *
Z 100-400 f4.5-5.6 S --> 77mm step-down
Z MC 105 f2.8 S --> 62mm step-down
On the lenses marked with * I could/can take advantage of reduced vignetting at the short end.
The only potential downside of this method is that using the lens hood is only possible on lenses that don't require a step down ring.
B&H has 73 different 77mm CPL listed - and about 65 or so are in stock. In looking at the descriptions it's almost impossible to truly assess or compare on any reasonable basis. There is a complete list including filter kits with over 150 items listed for 77mm filters alone.
At B&H, the bargain filters are the Used B+W MRC Kaesemann versions. They currently list 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, and 95mm filters in stock.
- Prices range from $14.95 to over $400 with Singh Ray being the most expensive.
- Glass thickness ranges from 1mm to 5 mm
- Transmission ranges from 1.0-5 stops - some are designed for weak polarization and maximum transmission while others are designed for ND effect as well as polarization
- Construction includes aluminum, brass, and one note of titanium rings to hold the glass in place
- Some are waterproof, some are sealed, and some don't make any comment
- Coatings are widely varied and without clarity; some are little more than polarizing film while others range from 15-25 layers of coatings - why I don't know
- Filters are marked as thin or regular thickness
- Filter threads are sometimes included on the outer side of the filter - and sometimes not included on thin filters
- There are many acronyms for different product levels - all hard to distinguish.
- There are no new Kaesemann versions listed - but are some listed in the Used store at very good prices
At B&H, the bargain filters are the Used B+W MRC Kaesemann versions. They currently list 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, and 95mm filters in stock.
Get a quality brand with a brass ring/threads -- B&W!
Also don't be afraid to buy used from B&H etc., if the condition is like 9 or greater than it's quite likely a return with super clean glass.
Also don't be afraid to buy used from B&H etc., if the condition is like 9 or greater than it's quite likely a return with super clean glass.
Good point, thanks. I was wondering about that, since I'm looking at 3 different sizesYup, fully agree !
And there is something else to it:
In DSLR days the 24-70 f2.8 E forced me to go for a 82mm CPOL. I got the top notch one from B&W in ultra slim (sorry, not cheap
I was able to use this CPOL on almost any of my lenses:
- It's simply cheaper than buying multiple good quality CPOLs in various diameters
- It's more compact (1 CPOL boxed plus step-doen ring set compared to multiple boxed CPOLS)
- When using the filter plus step-down ring on lenes at the wide angle end with filter thread smaller than 82mm, you ease the situation with vignetting.
Earlier:
AF-S 16-35 f4 G VR --> 77mm step-down *
AF-S 24-70 f2.8 E VR --> native
AF-S 24-120 f4 G --> 77mm step-down *
AF-S Micro 105 f2.8 --> 62mm step-down
AF-S 70-200 f4 G VR --> 67mm step-down
AF-S 300 f4 G PF --> 77mm step-down
Today (still same filter):
Z 14-30 f4 S --> native
Z 24-120 f4 S --> 77mm step-down *
Z 100-400 f4.5-5.6 S --> 77mm step-down
Z MC 105 f2.8 S --> 62mm step-down
On the lenses marked with * I could/can take advantage of reduced vignetting at the short end.
The only potential downside of this method is that using the lens hood is only possible on lenses that don't require a step down ring.
goot to know, thanks!Get a quality brand with a brass ring/threads -- B&W!
Also don't be afraid to buy used from B&H etc., if the condition is like 9 or greater than it's quite likely a return with super clean glass.
Just keep in mind if you add a step down ring you probably won't be able to use the lens hood.
I really like my X4 Dark CPL 3-stop from Breakthrough; combines ND with polarization. It’s a 67mm so I have a couple of step up rings, also from Breakthrough. As Warren notes, pricey but worth it to me.
I also have a 95mm Marumi CPL which I bought for my Zeiss 15/2.8 ZF.2 Distagon. (It’s a very low-profile (thin) ring, so no vignetting though I have to be careful not to tighten it down too much.) Once I understood how it works with the sky re: the angle of the sun, I‘ve had some fun with it. A learning curve, definitely…
Mal Paso
Well-known member
With Amazon Basic CPLs you can afford one of each size, 82mm is $16.43. If you read the reviews, some say they can be used for soft focus too. I had no such luck. Photographing 3 foot art canvases you could see every thread. In post I found no distortion, we made 17x22 prints. My impression is they are not quite as strong as B&W but I seldom use full polarization. I think Quality Control is the issue and 5-10% of purchases are going to be junk, which can be returned without undue stress.
Coolbob
Member
I bought a B+W filter for every lens I'm likely to use with a polarizer (14-30mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 50mm macro and 105mm macro) from Aliexpress. They took a few weeks to arrive and all were genuine B+W filters, but much cheaper than any other source I could find. Best of all, I'll never have to swap a filter back and forth when I change lenses, I don't need any step up or step down rings and they all have the same color profile.
tegel
Photography enthusiast from Ann Arbor, MI
I like to combine a polarizer with NDs. Since stacking filters can cause vignetting with wide angle lenses, I went with the NiSi V7 holder. The polarizer is integrated into the holder and I can stack two 100mm square NDs on my Nikon 14-30 without vignetting. It fits directly to an 82mm lens and comes with a few adapters for smaller lenses. The carrying case can attach to a tripod leg for easy access and the rubber cover keeps the filter protected when not in use. I bought this kit with 3 square NDs after a trip to the Oregon coast where I tried to stack round filters, but they kept getting stuck due to sand getting in the threads. It was very frustrating even with the filter removal tool. Never again!
Platalea ajaja
Well-known member
I agree. I've used quite a few over the years including B&W (which are excellent and you won't go wrong with them) but I am really liking my Breakthrough CPL and ND filters.
spamalot1950
New member
Second the notion of Marumi and Breakthrough Photography.
I agree with Carlson. The B&W filters are really great and excellent quality. They last forever. I bought one time a package of Nisi graduated filter that comes with 82 mm CLP filter and I don’t like them and I don’t use them. I only use the B&W ND and CLP filters on all my lenses and I am very happy with my choice. All our good quality lenses cost a lot and it is important to invest in good filter to keep the quality of the image
Lina
Lina
I've been very pleased with Breakthrough Photography filters and their lifetime guarantee. The coating of one of my CPL filters started looking strange. I had a replacement in just a couple of days. I was concerned that the Zeiss lens wipes I used on it might be the cause. Breakthrough is currently testing the returned filter to determine what happened. A shameless plug for the 67mm and 82mm CPL, UV, and ND Breakthrough filters I currently have listed on the Buy, Sell, WTB For Photography Gear forum. Used with my F mount lenses, not needed for my Z mount lenses.