Choosing a Circular Polarizer
Mar 26, 2017 13:02:57 #
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
Mar 26, 2017 13:04:57 #
IMHO, and I have said it here before, Breakthrough Photography's filters are the best I have ever used. The only other filters I carry are some specialized Lee ND graduated squares.
Mar 26, 2017 13:13:03 #
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
I would love to see a comparison of a single image taken with your 3 choices. I believe you would not see a difference. For the what's it worth department, my company had a project that Hoya was working on for us. I could not believe what I observed and asked about. At that time Hoya was making all the filters for Nikon and Cannon and Vivitar. I was told the difference was in the specification for the mount ring. At that time Nikon specified a Brass ring.
I would go with the Hoya Pro1
Mar 26, 2017 13:22:19 #
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
What camera and lens are you using ?? ......Depending on that, you may NOT to be able to SEE any differences .....Longer lenses exacerbate poor filter quality IMO.
Mar 26, 2017 13:32:24 #
Jerry Coupe
Loc: Kent, WA
One thing to think about is if you are going to use the CP on a lens 24mm or wider, be sure the CP has a very thin mounting ring or it will vignette the corners of you image.
Mar 26, 2017 14:05:00 #
Mar 26, 2017 20:10:46 #
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
Check the lenstip review.
Mar 26, 2017 20:25:52 #
Jim Bob wrote:
Check the lenstip review.
They did not test Breakthrough Photography, but their favorite was a new Hoya Fusion.
Mar 27, 2017 06:16:29 #
There is no way you or anyone photographer can tell which is the best. Many claims are strictly advertising.
Mar 27, 2017 06:29:16 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
My $29.00 Tiffin and my $100.00+ B+W give almost the same result. On many shots I cannot tell the difference. It's all in how you use the filter. I got my B+W from B&H when they had it on sale on one of there daily specials and saved almost 50%. Great deal, other wise I would not have bought it at retail.
Mar 27, 2017 06:57:13 #
Mar 27, 2017 07:20:27 #
B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC-Nano without a doubt.
--Bob
--Bob
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
Mar 27, 2017 07:45:44 #
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
I use Hoya, which was top rated in a previous test. I use filters with Xume magnetic holders, so the filters are on and off in less than a second. Links to newer test below.
http://www.lenstip.com/index.php?art=139
http://www.lenstip.com/139.25-article-Polarizing_filters_test_2015_Results_and_summary.html
225 PLN = about $57
Mar 27, 2017 07:47:59 #
DRG777 wrote:
The lens is a 16-35 mm zoom on a Canon 6D.
I can't use a CPL on my 16-35 between 16-24mm without a risk of uneven coloration in the sky. I will use the CPL on the 24-70. I have committed using a Lee GND with the 16-35mm instead and found it useful. FTR- My CPL is a 82mm B+W Nano and is extremely thin which in theory greatly reduces uneven coloration. The exception with the 16-35 with a CPL would be waterfalls. I don't have an issue in that circumstances as long as I remove the sky while framing the shot.
Mar 27, 2017 08:21:26 #
DRG777 wrote:
I need to get a new circular polarizer. The candidates are Breakthrough Photography X4 CPL that they claim is the best available @ $149. The next contender would be B+W XS-Pro HTC at $95.50, or Hoya Pro1 at $61. Which one is the right choice? I am willing to pay more for a better resulting image.
I have been very happy with my Hoya NXT CPL. I use it on the Canon 100-400mm MII and don't see any degradation in the image. So I would save the money and use the Hoya unless you just like spending extra money to brag you spend extra money.
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