Leica UVa II filters..are they worth the cost?

[f.hayek]

Always use protective UV filters on my pricey lenses; either Breakthrough Photography 4x or multicoated Heliopan filters. Are the latest Leica filters really any better or is it just overpriced marketing hype?

 

[Robert Lai]

I have some Leica filters. Although very nicely made, I can't see any appreciable difference over a B+W MRC filter. Same for the super expensive Zeiss filters. The Heliopans are also very expensive for what often turns out to be single coated glass.

These filters are supposed to be protective: i.e. sacrificial items to protect the front element of the lens. No point getting a Hoya filter to protect your expensive Leica filter!

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The latest Leica branded filters are supposedly made by Marumi, or they were when I had an M8 and M9 10 years ago.
So no, the expense is not worth it.

Phil Forrest

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Waste of money, though they do say "Leica" for the folks who need that. Hoya HMC (known as Kenko sometimes) are as good as anyone's. Hoya is one of the largest and most respected manufacturers of optical glass in the world, and has been for decades.

 

[vladimir]

Hoya Glass

Hoya Glass

I have some Leica filters. Although very nicely made, I can't see any appreciable difference over a B+W MRC filter. Same for the super expensive Zeiss filters. The Heliopans are also very expensive for what often turns out to be single coated glass.

These filters are supposed to be protective: i.e. sacrificial items to protect the front element of the lens. No point getting a Hoya filter to protect your expensive Leica filter!

Did you know that Leica buys Hoya glass to make Leica lenses?

 

[retinax]

Did you know that Leica buys Hoya glass to make Leica lenses?

Here are only a few optical glass manufacturers, why would Leica not buy from all of them?

 

[f.hayek]

Hoya provided Leica with the unobtainium front element for the MATE.

Reason I ask is that Roger Cicala shot lasers at different wavelengths through different UV/haze filters, and turns out that the Leica had the highest visible light transmittance, followed closely by Heliopan UV SH-PMC Multicoated. Surprisingly, B+W trailed a distant 3rd.

 

[Rob-F]

I have some Leica filters. Although very nicely made, I can't see any appreciable difference over a B+W MRC filter. Same for the super expensive Zeiss filters. The Heliopans are also very expensive for what often turns out to be single coated glass.

I was going to write that the B+W MRC filters seem to be abut as good as anything, along with the top-of-the-line Hoyas, until I saw f.hayek's post, quoted below. The only shortcoming I was aware of was the unnecessarily thick mount. Why B+W has to use such a thick mounting ring, when others like Nikon and Heliopan have much nicer thin mounts that are needed for many wide angle lenses, is something I don't get.

Hoya HMC (known as Kenko sometimes) are as good as anyone's. Hoya is one of the largest and most respected manufacturers of optical glass in the world, and has been for decades.

One of the most incredibly sharp pictures I have ever taken was done using a Hoya filter.

Reason I ask is that Roger Cicala shot lasers at different wavelengths through different UV/haze filters, and turns out that the Leica had the highest visible light transmittance, followed closely by Heliopan UV SH-PMC Multicoated. Surprisingly, B+W trailed a distant 3rd.

I'm surprised. I wonder why this should be? How did the Hoya filters place in this contest? And where is the data published?

 

[f.hayek]

I'm surprised. I wonder why this should be? How did the Hoya filters place in this contest? And where is the data published?

Here's Roger's test results.

Differences are minor, except for a few outliers. Heliopan, Marumi and B+W MRC filters are the best after Leica, and results are identical. Believe the testing was performed before Breakthrough Photography came out with their 4x UV filters. Hoya MRC are less effective while clear and protective are clearly inferior.

 

[Rob-F]

Reason I ask is that Roger Cicala shot lasers at different wavelengths through different UV/haze filters, and turns out that the Leica had the highest visible light transmittance, followed closely by Heliopan UV SH-PMC Multicoated. Surprisingly, B+W trailed a distant 3rd.

I don't see B+W trailing a distant third. I see B+W MRC in 2nd place at 99.7%; Heliopan right alongside at 99.7%; and Hoya HMC not much different (but not quite as good) at 99.5%.

I might prefer the B+W MRC for its resistance to coating damage; or the Heliopan for its thin rings.

These ratings are only for protective filters. How would they hold up for UVa filters, skylight filters, or yellow K2 or K3 filters?

 

[f.hayek]

I don't see B+W trailing a distant third. I see B+W MRC in 2nd place at 99.7%; Heliopan right alongside at 99.7%; and Hoya HMC not much different (but not quite as good) at 99.5%.

I might prefer the B+W MRC for its resistance to coating damage; or the Heliopan for its thin rings.

These ratings are only for protective filters. How would they hold up for UVa filters, skylight filters, or yellow K2 or K3 filters?

B+W protective trailed far behind, as did Hoya MRC. I mentioned that all the UV-MRC filters were tied. Personally, been using Heliopan for my wide angle lenses to avoid vignetting. I usually buy them used at a fraction of the new prices.

 

[Dogman]

Just buy the B+W XS Pro with Nano MR coating. It has a thin ring and it's a great clear filter. Can't really go wrong with a B+W, Hoya, Heliopan or any of the other highly respected brands.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Hoods work really well too.
Phil Forrest

 

[Rob-F]

B+W protective trailed far behind, as did Hoya MRC. I mentioned that all the UV-MRC filters were tied.

I see that the B+W UV Haze transmitted only 97.8 in this test (reflects 2.2%), which is certainly poorer than most. But that's a UV filter. The B+W "Nano Clear" transmitted 99.4%, and the B+W "Clear Transparent" 99.7%. I should think that these two, with "clear" in their names, would be the protective filters, and not the UV.

The Hoya "HD Protector" transmitted 99.5% which doesn't seem to belong in your "far behind" category with the B+W UV Haze. I also don't understand why UV filters should be compared with clear filters for passband transmittance, since it is logical than a filter designed to reject wavelengths shorter than about 370 to 390 nanometers would exhibit at least slight measurable increased density in the passband.

Then again, I'm worried that I must not be looking at the right data, or else interpreting it wrong.

 

[Doug A]

Hoods work really well too.
Phil Forrest

That's what I use in place of clear filters. The hood eliminates the fingerprints. A camel hair brush takes care of the dust. I do use Hoya yellow filters at times.