
Originally Posted by
George Slusher
They can sell it more cheaply for two reasons:
1. They have lower overhead costs (especially labor).
2. You may be looking at the "alloy" ring filter, instead of the brass ring. (The alloy ring filter is $34.67, the brass ring is $40.37--both "special" prices.)
I have dealt with this company several times when they were using "hvstar.net" for the site. They also sell on eBay under "besteastern," but you'll pay a little bit more on eBay: they raise their prices to accommodate the eBay fees. I've had very good results with them. I got just what I ordered and reasonably quickly, given the vagaries of international mail.
(Just as a matter of interest, where are you that it will cost so much to ship from B&H?)
You might also consider the Hoya HMC or Super HMC or the Kenko Digital Pro1 filters. (Kenko filters are made by the same company that makes Hoya Filters --THK, for Tokina Hoya Kenko. They have the advantage of being thinner (rings) than B+W filters and, in some reviews I've read, they perform better than B+W. Whether the "thinness" means anything will depend upon what lens you're mounting this on. If it is a super-wide-angle lens, it MIGHT benefit from the thinner filter ring (less vignetting, for example).