Quality of major filter brands

<p>I'd like to get a thread on general filter brand recommendations going!<br /> Filters get overlooked in the general world of photography, based on my findings, so I'd like to see them covered in-depth as far as quality from brand to brand.<br /> Feel free to post what filter brands you use or have used, and give us your feedback on how well they worked. For example, if the filter caused flare, softness, altered colors incorrectly, etc, or if it performed to your expectations. Please also list whether you're working with film or digital.</p>

<p>I'll go first. I put Tiffen glass on my lenses, but recently found my Tiffen 58mm UV filter causes some nasty flare with light sources in frame. I shoot mostly digital.<br><br mce_bogus="1"></p>

<p>All done a half a million times, just search on phnet, please.</p>

<p>Have already searched, and searched again at your mention.</p>

<p>I'll go second (in the way of actually answering the question). I use Nikon filters on my Nikon digital camera and they work perfectly. I tend to use filters from the same company as my camera. I used Minolta, Pentax, and Nikon film cameras previously and their filters as well and never had any problems. I did use Tiffen for a while when I got into digital photography and they were fine but a little hard to clean so I went back to Nikon. cb</p>

<p>I think the differences between single-coated and multi-coated glass far outweighs any brand-to-brand variables. Frankly I don't think (all else being equal) there's a great deal of difference among Hoya, Heliopan and B+W, just to name three.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /> <strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>I used to use Nikon filters, now I use B&W, always seem slightly better than the others I've bought both optically and mechanically. I haven't used Heliopan, but have used almost all other brands.</p>

<p>Optically there seems little difference between B+W, Heliopan, and the top of Hoya's ranges. Nevertheless I much prefer B+W because I've had problems with Heliopan build quality and with Hoya's coatings scratching and being hard to clean. Neither of those apply to B+W, especially the MRC - multi resistent coating- models.</p>

<p>After many years and filter brands, I now only use B+W MRC filters on my Leica and Nikkor lenses. They are the best, and also the most expensive. B+W have quietly taken to selling a subset of their filters in aluminum rings to Asia at reduced prices. These filters have found their way onto eBay and they have genuine B+W glass.</p>

<p>The word on the brass rings of a B+W filter is that they will never bind on a lens. That is true if the lens is brass but since most modern Leica lenses have aluminum barrels and rings there's no point in spending extra money for brass. I have several of the inexpensive B+W filters and they are excellent.</p>

<p>Agree with the points expressed by David and Peter. Also, one should never strongly tighten a filter on a lens thread, so the cheaper B&W are seemingly worthwhile. I have seen optical planeness measurements on filters and B&W are usually among the very best in that regard, I shoot mainly black and white film with the B&W MRC (multicoated) color filters, but use cheaper brands when shooting lower resolution film or IR film, or using a soft focus filter. Lee filter are reputedly very good, but very expensive. They apparently make some nice diodymium filters for slightly altered color effects (friends are happy with these). As I shoot mainly color with my digital cameras, I see little need for filters oter than polarizing or split neutral density.</p>

<p>I disagree with Peter on the value of brass on aluminum threads.<br>

Brass has a natural lubricity compared to other common metals, making it a useful bearing material, while aluminum has lousy lubricity resulting in a strong tendency to gall, especially to itself.<br>

A union of dissimilar metals is less likely to stick together, while a union of a single metal has a greater tendency to stick together. Aluminum's strong tendency to stick to itself can even cause it to cold-weld, so that disassembly causes tearing, evidenced by gouging and material transfer.<br>

Anodizing on the lens barrel and filter ring puts a hard layer on each surface, and greatly reduces the tendency to gall, but doesn't eliminate it. Brass on aluminum is still superior.<br>

The biggest drawback to brass is its weight. Its heft gives a sense of quality, though, as do its ease and smoothness of attaching and removal.</p>