filter questions

[msbarnes]

Is multi-coated worth the extra cost?

I'm looking into buying some filters. I plan on using a hood and not shooting directly into the sun. Given my requirements, would I be "OK" with quality single-coated ND and black and white contrast filters.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Yes.

Others will say the exact opposite, based on the same degree of experience (45 years).

Unfortunately, therefore, the only answer is to try it, or to make a judgement based on your opinion of the person giving the advice.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Gumby]

Yes, in virtually all situations.

Oh... I was answering "yes" to both quesitons you ask: muli-coated is worth it, but you may be just fine with single-coated filters given your use of a hood and watching where the sun is.

 

[msbarnes]

Thanks.

What are some good brands? I hope this isn't analogous to Nikon vs Leica or Rollei vs Hasselblad.

It seems that B+W is the gold standard whereas Hoya the just-as-good Japanese counterpart. I've heard that Tiffens aren't that great so I'd probably stick with Hoya, but how does Hoya HMC stand against B+W?

 

[Gumby]

Yes, it might turn out to be like that (a brand preference war). 🙂

The Hoya HMC filters are great. So are B+W. I can't tell a difference. Some people feel that the B+W rings are less prone to getting stuck on the lens than all other brands. I've never had a seriously stuck filter so I can't relate to that concern. The other brand that is good are those marketed under the Calumet name by Calumet. They look and act like Hoya... and come in the same coating options.

 

[msbarnes]

I bought a lot of non-HMC Hoya filters for $10, I figured that they're single-coated at best but my plan is to test them out for myself to see which colors I want to invest in. Then I'll get some higher-quality Hoya HMC or B+W MRC ones.

I understand that filters will undoubtedly change the tonal relationship, but...

-From what I understand, one of the fundamental reasons for using contrast filters is to "correct" the film because the spectral sensitivity is different from our eyes. If the sole purpose is to correct, then do we still need contrast filters with modern emulsions?

-I'd imagine that not all films have the same spectral sensitivity, but is their a noticeable different across different "normal" films (e.g. no infrared) such as tri-x, acros, tmax, etc. I figure that they are more or less subtle.

I have the filters, so I'm going to give it a try anyways to see if I like them or not but I'm curious to know the answer to these questions.