Hoya Filters

[lisa_bree]

<p>A bit of a strange question - I bought one Hoya filter, a month later a second one. Both from sellers via Amazon.<br>

While the first is wrapped in blue , the second wrapping looks completely different - cheap, brownish, different things written on it. They should be the same - multi coated UV, in different sizes.<br>

I haven't opened it.<br>

I don't care of course about the package - but wonder if there's such a thing as a fake filter?</p>

[robatkinson]

<p>Hoya has three grades of filters, standard, Pro1 and HD. Was your first filter possibly a Pro1 filter and the second one a standard grade filter? That may account for the differences in packaging. Apart from that the second one may have just got a bit battered in the post making the packaging look a little more shabby..</p>

<p>However fake filters do exist, so you could post some close up pictures of them both on here and see if other users have hoya filters that look exactly the same or if yours still have some differences. (Obviously if it has an heavy impact on image quality it is probably not 'real')</p>

[lisa_bree]

<p>This is how it came, with the note attached. </p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[sarah_fox]

<p>Assuming they're the real thing, which I suspect they are, they're both multicoated UV filters. They aren't the same, though. The Pro-1 is more expensive and more desireable. It supposedly has thinner glass, and a better coating. In practice, though, the Hoya HMC and Pro-1 perform about the same in objective third-party testing. Both are extremely high quality filters.</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"They should be the same - multi coated UV..."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>The <strong>are</strong> both multi-coated. But as Sarah noted they are two <strong>different "grades"</strong>. HMC and Pro1. The HMC line (<strong>H</strong>oya <strong>M</strong>ulti <strong>C</strong>oated) has been around for a long time. The Pro1 line is a fairly recent addition to the Hoya filter catalog.</p>

<p>No doubt there are fakes out there, but the packaging (including the colors for the paper insert) for both of the filters in your photo appear to be genuine OEM.</p>

[lisa_bree]

<p>Huh. Oddly enough, the Pro appears to be a few dollars cheaper on Amazon...<br>

Strange how the packages are so different. <br>

Thanks for all the info... I thought I had looked carefully at the options but obviously not enough. Was in a bit of a rush to get *something*.</p>

[stp]

<p>The Pro-1 package says it is "designed exclusively for digital cameras." I might assume from this kind of language that the Pro-1 filter might not be the best for my film camera. More to the point, how does one design a filter <strong><em>exclusively</em></strong> for digital cameras?</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<p>Like "digital tripods", the cynical disbeliever in me strongly suspects that the "digital" aspect of the Hoya Pro1 line is 99% marketing BS and 1% "design" (coating) improvements. :-)</p>

[jeff_livacich]

<p>I have actually seen "digital" camera straps. It took me a while to figure out that they had a little compartment for flash cards.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>The HMC filter on the right just looks like older packaging. I bought a similarly packaged new/old stock green filter at a camera show. It's still green.</p>

[andrew_aungthwin1]

<p>Apparently, the Pro1 CPL has at least one extra coating on the backside of the filter to further reduce reflections, which supposedly has an effect on digital sensors.</p>

<p>Perhaps the same goes for the UV filters.</p>

[peter_langfelder]

<p>As Lex said, the older package on the right appears exactly as the ones that housed my Hoya HMC filters from 2001-2002. The "digital" filter should work just as well on your film camera, perhaps even better than the older HMC.</p>

[sarah_fox]

<blockquote>

<p>The Pro-1 package says it is "designed exclusively for digital cameras." I might assume from this kind of language that the Pro-1 filter might not be the best for my film camera. More to the point, how does one design a filter <strong><em>exclusively</em></strong> for digital cameras?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Stephen, remember the "digital" speakers that were sold to replace our old "analog" speakers when digital audio systems were first marketed? I think these things are 99% sales gimmickery.</p>

[dbcooper]

<p>I used to use Hoya Pro1 filters until I got fed up trying to keep them clean. Their HD series is much better that way. The Pro1 filters I used had thinner rings (with front threads) than most other filters, presumable to help prevent vignetting with shorter focal lengths common to APS-C digital cameras' kit lenses.</p>

<p>As other manufacturers move toward using thinner rings (with front threads), it's become less of a differentiator between brands than it was a few years ago.</p>

[dbcooper]

<p>I used to use Hoya Pro1 filters until I got fed up trying to keep them clean (problem solved by using Hoya HD and B+W MRC filters instead). The Pro1 filters I used had thinner rings (with front threads) than most other filters, presumable to help prevent vignetting with shorter focal lengths common to APS-C digital cameras' kit lenses.</p>

<p>As other manufacturers move toward using thinner rings with front threads (like B+W), it's become less of a differentiator between brands than it was a few years ago.</p>