CPL Testing - B+W Käsemann vs Hoya HRT vs Fujiyama
So yes, I'm still unemployed and still bored, so I thought I'd do a comparison i've been meaning to do for a while.
When I first got my kit of 15-85 and 70-300nonL, I went through Hong Kong soon after and got myself 2 CPLs to match. I didn't do much research, just picked something nice and cheap (ok, not $5 off ebay, but cheaper than in other countries). I ended up with 58mm and 72mm Fujiyama-brand CPLs to match the lenses.
Time goes on, I ditched the 70-300nonL and bought the 70-300L with a 67mm filter-thread, then the Samyang 35/1.4 with 77mm thread.
I was happy using step up/down rings for a while, but they're not the best solution for everything, to use the 72mm CPL and the Hood on the 70-300L required mounting the hood, then reaching down the hood to screw in the 67-72mm step up ring and 72mm CPL.
Specifically because of the 70-300L, I was looking to buy a 67mm-threaded CPL, and I had also recently heard of Hoya High Transmission CPLs, ie, they block less light in the filter to keep shutter-speeds higher (again, specifically for the 70-300L for birding). Digging around, I also read that B+W's Käsemann filter were also referred to as 'higher transparency', as well as a few other brands.
As it turns out, I was surfing ebay as I do, and I found a 67mm B+W Käsemann going cheap, as well as a 77mm Hoya HRT from elsewhere, both just arrived recently so I though I'd test them out.
So, the setup was simple, 7D, iso100, RC-6 remote, with EF 85/1.8 mounted. a) it's nice and sharp. b) narrower field of view makes for less unevenness in the polarising. c) it has a 58mm filter size, so all the other filters mounted via step-up rings.
On a tripod in the shade of my carport, facing pretty much due North, at midday, sun almost directly above (I might repeat this test at about 5-6pm one day, but clouds have come over for today).
3-photos each filter, plus no filter at beginning and end (to make sure nothing changed), at f/2.2, f/4.5, f/9.0 (f/2.2 resulted in the max 1/8000s for iso 100 with no filter, or I would have used f/2, f/4, f/8).
CPL set to max-effect in viewfinder, then Live-View MFed at 10x, Live-View metering in Av.
DPP-processed from RAW with Daylight White Balance, Landscape Profile, Sharpness 4, Noise Reduction 1/1.
Results were a bit interesting, so here's a shutter-speed comparison:
|
f/2.2 |
f/4.5 |
f/9.0 |
| No CPL |
8000 |
2500 |
640 |
| Fujiyama 58mm |
2000 |
500 |
125 |
| Käsemann 67mm |
2000 |
500 |
125 |
| Fujiyama 72mm |
2000 |
500 |
125 |
| HRT 77mm |
2500 |
640 |
200 |
| No CPL |
8000 |
2500 |
640 |
So the Hoya HRT is indeed 'faster' than the other CPLs, by 1/3 stop (or by 2/3 stop at f/9.0, maybe it was 'just' over the threashold to bump the speed up).
The Käsemann worked as fast as the Fujiyamas, I don't know where I read that they have a higher transmission than normal CPLs, but, well, it doesn't.
But have a look at the quality of the shots. Click the photos to go to the whole gallery and browse at 100% at your leisure:
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-rPjZrQF-M.jpg
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-vWSqDmG-M.jpg
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-DBdkDP7-M.jpg
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-hzM5KGM-M.jpg
For my money, the Hoya HRT doesn't look nearly as good, even using the same WB setting as the others. The B+W and the Fujiyamas both gave that nice CPLed look to the sky and leaves, but the Fujiyamas made the greens go brighter. The Hoya kept the greens similar to the Fujiyamas, but the sky just goes a bit washed-out browny-haze looking. It was also harder to set to max-effect, I think it has a narrower angle of usefulness or something. All looked better than no-CPL though, of course.
Also, I've always suspected that the 58mm Fujiyama was a dud that made everything a bit soft, and you can just see a bit more softness than others, but it's not completely bad. Compare the following 100% crops.
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-Q5vXZRN-M.jpg
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-LNqJTFC-M.jpg
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-bcQ3b9z-M.jpg
And for the coatings, check out this one:
http://croubie.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-dgV8p2n-M.jpg
The 67mm Käsemann (BL) is obviously coated, has the same MRC as their best filters. The 58mm (TL) and 72mm (BR) Fujiyamas aren't coated, and the 77mm Hoya (TR) again has an interesting result, it looks 'lighter' than the rest, although it isn't coated (which makes it a lot cheaper than their PRO1D line).
So what's the winner here? Not sure, what's the competition? The Hoya HRT stands up to its 'High Transmission' claim, but I'm not sure I like the colours. With a bit of manual white-balance, it could look just the same as the others though. The B+W Käsemann is obviously the only coated one, I might do a flare test at some point down the track (but I barely point my lens near a light anyway). The 2 Fujiyamas both looked good colour-wise, their lack of coating has added flare in other pictures I've taken (I've noticed more because I've owned them longer). I can't give a value-for-money rating because I didn't pay retail for any of them.
Stay tuned, I'll be adding to this at some point.
