Polarizer Recommendations?

[rmh159]

Hey All... I just got a new Tamron and it's filter thread is 67 mm (which means I need some new filters). I got a POS polarizer for my kit lens and really regretted it so I want to make sure I get a decent one for the new Tamron.

Does anyone have recommendations for brands / types of filters? I was tossing around the idea of a warming filter but I'm not sure it's really necessary as I can easily warm the pics during the RAW conversion. I was also leaning towards the typical Hoya multi-coated filter.

Any advice?

 

[table1349]

There are a couple of ways of looking at it. You could buy a polarizing for every lens of a different thread size and have a bag full of filters or, and this is my choice, buy one really good polarizer in the largest filter size you need, or anticipate needing in the future and step down rings for the other lenses. My Canon L glass uses 77mm so I shelled out the money for Hoya's best Super Multi Coated lens and a few step down rings. When you consider it fits every lens I own that $180.00 filter came out at a pretty cheap price at about $22 per lens.

This is the one I choose. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/129976-REG/Hoya_016812_77mm_Circular_Polarizer_S_HMC_.html

For me I knew that 77mm was the largest I would need as the super telephoto I am saving for uses drop in filters.

 

[rmh159]

There are a couple of ways of looking at it. You could buy a polarizing for every lens of a different thread size and have a bag full of filters or, and this is my choice, buy one really good polarizer in the largest filter size you need, or anticipate needing in the future and step down rings for the other lenses. My Canon L glass uses 77mm so I shelled out the money for Hoya's best Super Multi Coated lens and a few step down rings. When you consider it fits every lens I own that $180.00 filter came out at a pretty cheap price at about $22 per lens.

For me I knew that 77mm was the largest I would need as the super telephoto I am saving for uses drop in filters.

Yeah I realize this now but part of me doesn't care too much because I'm not sure how often I'll use the kit lens anymore. I get your point though if I'd get a telephoto eventually but really the polarizer is the only filter that I feel I NEED so at this point I don't plan on replacing the other filters.

Anywho, the question still remains, which one to get? Do you notice a significant difference between the $180 filter and the ~$70 filter? Is it thinner? Aside from thickness and coating I'm not sure how many options you can put onto a slab of glass.

 

[table1349]

I think there is an optical difference between a high dollar and medium/low dollar filter, but that is going to be a matter of opinion with a lot of people. Two of my three lenses that use 77mm filters are $1300 + lenses. I wasn't putting a $6 filter on a lens of that quality. To me that is like buying a Ferrari and putting on $20 Walmart tires on it.

The big reason I chose the Hoya S-HMC filter was because I shoot a lot of landscapes and I have not had a vignetting problem with in on my ultra wide angle. If it was not for the fact that the S-HMC is thin glass and has no outer thread area, I would have probably chosen the Hoya Digital Pro-1.

When it comes to things like lenses and filters, I do believe that you get what you pay for.