Circular Polarizer: Hoya Blue vs. Tiffen

[Tony Printezis]

Hi all,


I generally buy B+W filters. However, I'm currently looking for a small circular polarizer for my newly-acquired Lensbaby Composer (filter size of 37mm). The only choices I have at that filter size is Hoya Blue or Tiffen (well, Sunpak too, but I'm ignoring those!). Would you vote for either? I used to have a Tiffen filter on my previous camera a few years ago. But, it literally fell apart after a couple of years of use, so I'm leaning towards the Hoya. Would anyone like to persuade my otherwise?


Thanks,


Tony

[Sean Setters]

Hi all,


I generally buy B+W filters. However, I'm currently looking for a small circular polarizer for my newly-acquired Lensbaby Composer (filter size of 37mm). The only choices I have at that filter size is Hoya Blue or Tiffen (well, Sunpak too, but I'm ignoring those!). Would you vote for either? I used to have a Tiffen filter on my previous camera a few years ago. But, it literally fell apart after a couple of years of use, so I'm leaning towards the Hoya. Would anyone like to persuade my otherwise?


Thanks,


Tony



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Neither. Buy a step-up ring and then take your pick of larger filters. Else buy the step-up ring (37mm-58mm) and use any 58mm filters you may already have. The only bad part is that there doesn't seem to be step-up rings for 37mm that go higher than 58mm. I currently own (2) lenses with 77mm threads and (1) lens (Canon 50mm f/1.4) with 58mm threads. I ended up buying a 58mm B&amp;W UV Haze filter to protect the 50 f/1.4, and a step-up ring that allows me to use my current 77mm B&amp;W ND &amp; Circular Polarizing filters with the lens.

[Tony Printezis]

Hi Sean,


Thanks for the reply.

Buy a step-up ring and then take your pick of larger filters. Else buy the step-up ring (37mm-58mm) and use any 58mm filters you may already have. The only bad part is that there doesn't seem to be step-up rings for 37mm that go higher than 58mm.

Right. So, my filters are 77mm (for use on my 10-22, 17-40, 24-105, as well as the 70-200 f4 IS with a 67mm -&gt; 77mm step up ring). I did look and I couldn't find a 37mm -&gt; 77mm step up ring (it'd look so daft!!!).


I currently only have two ND 58mm filters (left over from my previous camera), but no polarizer (it fell apart, as I said). I do appreciate the recommendation of getting good quality filters. As I said I only use B+W UV / polarizers on my lenses. And don't get me wrong: I love my 77mm B+W MRC polarizer. But here's the dilemma: the 37mm B+W polarizer is around $58 (for a $270 lens and I would not be able to use it on anything else...) and the 37mm Heliopan polarizer around $110 (!!!). The 58mm B+W MRC polarizer is around $95. I might be able to use the latter on other lenses (I'm seriously considering getting the 85mm 1.8, 100m 2.8 macro, and maybe the 50mm 1.4 which all take 58mm filters). But, right now, I just can't justify the price tag.


Tony

[Sean Setters]

I can certainly understand your dilemma. I can tell you this--I absolutely love all my B&amp;W filters like you do. I've only purchased one other filter that wasn't a B&amp;W filter--and that was a Tiffen ND filter. I was so disgusted with the quality of the pictures I took with that filter that I returned it after one shoot (after verifying that it was indeed the filter causing the poor results through some controlled tests). I will never buy another Tiffen filter. That said, there are plenty of people who have Tiffen filters and like them. I'm simply not one of those people.


I can't attest to the quality of the Hoya filters. I'm sure several of our common posters here use them, and they can give you their opinion. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably just bite the bullet and get the 37mm B&amp;W CPOL knowing it would be useless for anything else. However, I'm not sure your results with a CPOL would be greatly different. The point of a lensbaby is to have a unique selective focus, right? It seems to me that you might get some colors to pop with the CPOL, but I'm not all that sure it'd be worth the investment as much of the picture is out-of-focus with little detail.


What do you plan on shooting with the lensbaby?

[Tony Printezis]

Sean,


Hi again.

I absolutely love all my B&amp;W filters like you do.

+1!

I've only purchased one other filter that wasn't a B&amp;W filter--and that was a Tiffen ND filter.

Confession time! Even though my bread and butter filters are B+W, I have a Tiffen ND grad and a two Hoya NDs. The reason I didn't get more expensive / better ones is that I use them once in a blue moon (literally a handful of times per year) and I just couldn't justify spending more money on them. Their quality is clearly not as good as the B+Ws, but they allow me to take a shot that I would have otherwise not been able to. So, I've been reasonably happy with them (even though the Tiffen ND grad has started feeling loose; I can see it falling apart like the polarizer...).

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably just bite the bullet and get the 37mm B&amp;W CPOL

So, it turns out that I actually have to get a 37mm filter and step rings won't work. I took a closer look and the optic assembly of the Composer, where the filter screws on, moves in and out of the body during focusing... and if I put a step ring on it I don't think it would be able to move (and hence focus) correctly. So, the 58mm + step ring solution is out of the question.

However, I'm not sure your results with a CPOL would be greatly different. The point of a lensbaby is to have a unique selective focus, right? It seems to me that you might get some colors to pop with the CPOL, but I'm not all that sure it'd be worth the investment as much of the picture is out-of-focus with little detail.

Which is why I don't want to spend too much money on it! :-) Seriously, yes, I think a CPOL would make a difference in some cases. Especially on days with sparse clouds (polarizer weather!) and to get better saturation on foliage and flowers. I was out shooting with the Composer yesterday and I wished I had a CPOL on a couple of occasions (this is what prompted me to start looking for a CPOL).

What do you plan on shooting with the lensbaby?

No specific plans. I generally shoot a lot of landscapes and also sightseeing-type shots (I travel a fair amount). So I assume I'll use it in this context.


Thanks again for your thoughts,


Tony