Best Deal for Filters?

[500mL]

Hi everyone, I'm looking to get 62mm and 72mm filters for my Sigma 30mm lens and upcoming Sigma 18-200mm lens. Right now the only one I'm checking them out from is ww.2filter.com. Does anyone have a preferred store you would buy them from, or anywhere with good deals? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks! :D

-500mL-

[Rooz]

i use 2filter or hvstar

[erichlund]

I don't have a particular store to recommend, as I get mine when I get a new size of lens and need one. However, instead of think of a good deal, you should be first thinking about what the filter is doing. You are putting a piece of flat glass on the front of a bunch of curved lens elements. The reason lenses don't have flat elements is it can cause all sorts of internal light bouncing issues (ghosting, flare, yada, yada, yada).

So, that doesn't mean don't get filters. It means don't get cheap filters that will tend to increase these issues. Get good quality. There are several good brands. I like B+W, a German brand (avoid the Chinese knockoffs). Some of the Hoya filters are also good, but I'm less familiar with them. Singh Ray are probably among the best, but very few people are ready to spend as much as the lens for the filter.

I'm not really making a brand recommendation. I'm just saying, don't skimp, or it will come back to bite you.

[XaiLo]

2filter.com you have to click on the price to view their discounted priceing their pretty competitive. and shipping is reasonable they'll ship priority mail insured it delivers in a couple of days.

[Visual Reality]

How would you guys rate Tiffen, Tamron, Hoya, B+W, Sakar, Canon, Sunpak, etc on filters...I have a Hoya 52mm for my S3 and its one of the HMC coated versions, and its nearly impossible to clean. I dread every time I have to clean something off of it - the coating simply makes your life miserable. It actually feels rough, not like glass at all. Even if it is clean, you can create smears on it just touching a clean cloth to it.

I need a 72mm Polarizer but would like a quality one, with none of this smearing coating bs.

[XaiLo]

How would you guys rate Tiffen, Tamron, Hoya, B+W, Sakar, Canon, Sunpak, etc on filters...I have a Hoya 52mm for my S3 and its one of the HMC coated versions, and its nearly impossible to clean. I dread every time I have to clean something off of it - the coating simply makes your life miserable. It actually feels rough, not like glass at all. Even if it is clean, you can create smears on it just touching a clean cloth to it.

I need a 72mm Polarizer but would like a quality one, with none of this smearing coating bs.

I have Hoya also and you are right about the cleaning... try a lens pen it works perfectly they're like $7 @ 2filter.com /besides cleaning they are good economic filters.

[e_dawg]

Genuine B+W MRC coated filters are probably the best overall. Brass rings tend to maintain their alignment better and are less prone to binding with the lens threads than aluminum. The multi-coating is top notch and is not only effective, but relatively easy to clean. Only problem is that there are a ton of fake B+W's out there and lower spec models made for the Asian markets. Beware of Asian merchants like hvstar and eBay stores. Adorama and 2filter are probably safe bets. B&H is not an authorized seller for B+W, but they probably get them from Adorama (which apprarently is their sister company and is an authorized B+W seller).

Hoya S-HMC filters are good performers, but as noted earlier, the coating is delicate and a pain to clean. Pro Digital filters are a poor value as they charge more yet give you a medium grade coating (not as good as the S-HMC). Plain Hoya filters are probably decent but not that great. They are usually single coated (UV filters), which is better than Tiffen. Don't know how reliable the coating is, though.

Tiffen are generally uncoated, and therefore durable and easy to clean. Unfortunately, the lack of coating makes them prone to ghosting and flare. I wouldn't recommend using them unless you're purposely trying to lower contrast and improve shadow detail by strategically using mild flare. Their Digital HT line is multicoated and is supposedly a good performer and was designed with a durable, easy to clean coating as well. Unfortunately, last time I checked, the Digital HT filters were very expensive.

Sunpak seems cheap and uncoated to me.

Heliopan hasn't been mentioned yet. They are a top name in filters, but I've never used nor seen one so can't comment.

[500mL]

Thanks guys for all your recommendations. I'm leaning towards the Hoya S-HMC filters. I've never used the B+W filters but I'll check them out also. I started shopping at Adorama lately because their camera stuff are usually cheaper than B&H (maybe about $50 difference). Thanks again for all you input. I appreciate it big time :-)

[XaiLo]

500mL, seriously 2filter has some of the best pricing to be found - both my UV and polarizor are S-HMC Hoyas... no problems with them and as previously stated the lens pen makes light work of cleaning. What sizes are you looking at?

[Visual Reality]

I wonder how good the Nikon filters are. These two are virtually the same in description and price:

Nikon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/300500-REG/Nikon_2257_72mm_Circular_Polarizer_Glass.html

B+W:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/133010-REG/B_W_65016929_72_mm_Circular_Polarizer.html

[500mL]

500mL, seriously 2filter has some of the best pricing to be found - both my UV and polarizor are S-HMC Hoyas... no problems with them and as previously stated the lens pen makes light work of cleaning. What sizes are you looking at?

Yeah that's probably where I'll get the filters from since I got my previous filters from them when I first got my D40. I'm thinking of getting the 72mm because I just purchased my Sigma 18-200mm today. That way I can just get a step down ring to fit the 62mm and share the filters for both lenses.

-500mL

[Rooz]

B+W are the pick of the lot, if you're prepared to pay the price.

[jamesjaws]

I find that using the same cloth I use for cleaning my glasses works perfectly on Hoya filters. I get my cleaning cloths from my optometrist.