BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

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jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I've tried several cheap filters and I've found that they all cause some color cast. But even the expensive filters have a slight color cast as well. But the cheap ones seemed to have a green cast to them. My expensive Lee filter is slightly blue. I find the slight blue to be quite pleasing and it can be defeated with a slight adjustment of the white balance in post if I don't like it.

So I tried many of the screw on filters but when I tried the square filter system that Lee has I was sold. If I were you I'd try the cheap ones to see if you like it and if you find that it's something useful to keep in your bag but you want better results, then invest in a better filter.

I also like the Lee filter system because I can use the ND and CP filters together quite easily.

You can find them easy on B&H.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

I use one almost permanently on my Nikon 24-70. Its a big filter (77?) and after trying several different brands with varying results including the colour cast mentioned above and also uneven effects mainly on the edges Ive settled on a B-W F-PRO. Worked perfectly for a few years now. Also its a metal framed lens which seems to work better than the plasticy ones. Has never jammed or cross threaded.

dragonlady9947

I really like my GOBE filters. They are an Australian company and they produce excellent quality filters. They have 3 tier levels( Peak 1,2,3) entry level, advanced, and professional. They are light and stackable. They also plant trees for every filter purchased. Check out: genexploremore. for a review.

ollie Loc: Ogdensburg, NY

I just went through this a few months ago for my 24 - 70 Nikon. I kept getting vignetting at wide angles. The solution turned out not to be the thinnest filter but to step up to a larger filter size. I ended up with a Nikon Polarizer quite a bit larger in diameter than the lens. works great

CO

The ones that have been mentioned already - B+W, Hoya, Breakthrough are all excellent but did you know that Nikon makes polarizing filters that are excellent? Nikon polarizing filters are not well known but their quality are right up there with the best. I have a 67mm one.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First, I doubt you need a "slim" filter on a 24mm lens. I've never needed one on even wider lenses.

That said, there are a number of good brands of Circular Polarizers. For my money, B+W are really hard to beat. Excellent quality at a reasonable price.

You probably need an 82mm filter. And I'd recommend multi-coated for outdoor use under a wide variety of conditions.

B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann Nano MRC C-Pol is their top-of-the-line and an 82mm costs $117. That's a "High Transmissive" filter, which is lighter gray than standard C-Pol, so it "costs" less light lost to the filter. It's made with German Schott glass, uses fine Kaesemann polarizing foils and is sealed for moisture resistance. The Nano-MRC multi-coatings are 16-layer, with added resistance to scratches, water, finger oils and easier to clean. It's mounted in a brass frame to reduce chance of getting stuck. And it happens to be a "slim" filter.

B+W F-Pro Kaesemann MRC C-Pol is one step down and actually selling for more right now, at $121 for 82mm. It's identical to the XS-Pro in many respects, but doesn't use a "slim" frame (can be a little easier to install, remove and adjust than slim filters). It use more standard, but still good and effective 8-layer multi-coatings.

B+W MRC C-Pol is another step down, though it too is selling for more than the XS-Pro, at $120 for 82mm. This is a "standard" C-Pol, not "High Transmissive", so it will cost between approx. 1.5 and 2.25 stops of light, depending upon adjustment (HT filters cost between approx. .75 and 1.5 stops). It also doesn't use the Kaesemann foils or have the add'l sealing, but it uses the same glass, coatings and frame as the F-Pro.

B+W SC C-Pol is a single coated filter that I would recommend primarily just for indoor use, under controlled lighting conditions. Assuming you want a more general purpose filter, I didn't look up the price for it.

There are some other, very comparable filters from other manufacturers...

Heliopan HT, SH-PMC, HT Slim and SH-PMC Slim C-Pols are virtually identical to the top two B+W, but the Heliopan filters cost $241, $220, $207 and $180 respectively in 82mm size.

Hoya HD3 and EVO Anti-Static are similar in quality and sell for $220 and $170 in 82mm size.

Breakthrough Photography X4 C-Pol is almost identical in specifications to the XS-Pro and sells for $159 in 82mm size.

More standard style (darker gray) Zeiss T* and Nikon II C-Pol are also top notch, with 82mm diameter selling for $203 and $178.

See more at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2%7c1&sortType=default&setIPP=48&ci=115&fct=fct_polarizing-type_35%7ccircular%2bfct_circular-sizes_27%7c82mm%2bfct_design_2321%7cmulti-coated%2bfct_polarizer-combinations_2322%7cplain-polarizers&srtclk=itemspp&ipp=48&N=4026728357&

Sure, there are multi-coated C-Pols that cost less... but most don't come anywhere close to the specifications of the B+W filters. The filters that are comparable to B+W tend to cost more. In some cases a whole lot more! In my opinion, it's pretty hard to beat the value offered by B+W.



This is true of the Nikon "II" series filters. They're multi-coated. Earlier Nikon filters were not. FYI, Canon's filters still aren't multi-coated.

In general, camera manufacturers' name brand filters are not a particularly good value. They tend to be high priced for what they offer. Most are probably out-sourced anyway... Actually made by one of the major filter manufacturers and simply re-branded with the camera maker's name.

FWIW, B+W is a subsidiary of Schneider Kreuznach, a very high end lens maker for the last 100 years or so.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Great reply Alan.