Promaster Professional HGX polarizer

<p>From a local shop, today I bought a Promaster Professional Digital HGX polarizer filter, 49mm size, to use with my DA Limited lenses. http://www.promaster.com/products.asp?product=DHGXCPL It was $90, cheaper than what this website sells it for. (Cheaper than Amazon, non-existent at Adorama and B&H.) This is the higher grade Promaster polarizer, the standard grade was just under $40. This "Pro" level has a lower profile ring, and an allegedly better coating system (reflections and surface grime). For another $25+ I could have bought a B+W polarizer of the same size but I wanted to preserve some $$.</p>

<p>Anyone have experience with these Promaster Pro HGX polarizers?</p>

Steve,

The Polish magazine Lenstip tested Polarizers a few years back. Promaster is a house brand of sorts, so it would be

more enlightening finding out who the OEM is. Good article.

 

http://www.lenstip.com/115.1-article-Polarizing_filters_test.html

 

ME

A friend of mine bought

Promaster circular polarizer several years ago (back in the film days) and I was pretty shocked to see a scene with

purple sky! Very unscientific obviously, but it scared me away from the brand (that and a promaster lens my sister

had that fell apart in her hands after minimal use).

 

Michael's response is a more helpfu

L answer though.

<p>I have used a lot of their stuff because the price is right and the quality fine. Supposedly the HGX is a rebranded Hoya (I forget the hoya series). I would steer clear of the cheaper stuff but the HGX works well. I recently bought of one their teleconverters on a lark and I am 98% sure it is just a rebadged Kenko 300.</p>

<p>Thanks fellas. I think I'll email Promaster and see if they'll confess as to who makes their polarizers, and to which other make/model it compares. I've always assumed that Promaster is just a re-badge of someone else's gear.</p>

<p>Michael, I'll peruse that link you sent more. Checked a few of the Hoya filters... makes me want to research the rest of the competition. I do have a Hoya "Pro-1 Digital" CP in 77mm diameter for my Sigma zooms, but like some of the Hoya tests stated at that site, I have gotten some good doses of flare using it in very sunny conditions. Likely had a bit to do with the relationship of lens to sun as well, but still...</p>

<p>Douglas, after a few test shots mounted to my DA 15mm Limited, I am happy to report blue skies look very blue, no purple to be found.</p>

<p>Do any of you have another brand/model series you prefer and/or use?</p>

 

I think most of the highly regarded brands would serve you including Hoya & probably what you just got. I don't like the

burden of carrying around lots of different sizes of filter, so what I do is use a very large CPL and simply rotate it in

front of any lens. One size fits all. No silly holders, just my left hand. A large Cokin was included in a big box of 40

filters an old timer sold to me for $25 years ago. Most of them are obsolete, but this one & a few ND variations made it

worthwhile. Try Craigslist.

 

ME