Polarizer

[hrishi]

Hello,

I have been offered a Hoya Circular Polarizer (52mm) for $30. I wish to know from you guys whether the cost is appropriate. There is other unknown brand whose polarizer is for $20. DOes quality of a polarizer matters a lot?

Thanks,
Hrishi

[monochrome]

Search the thread history for Hoya +(polarizer, polarizing, CPL).

There have been discussions of various manufacturers, plain-label versions of identical name-brand filters, problems with Hoya QC, various grades of Hoya filters ($30 might be expensive or a steal depending on the coatings and trimming), etc.

[Ben_Edict]

The quality of polarizers is especially important, as they have two glass plates and 4 air-to-glass surfaces + the polarizing foil sandwhiched in between. So multi-coating is even more important than with normal filters, which are made of a single glass. Also, the surface roughness of the glass (good or bad polishing) will be even more important, than with ordinary filters.

Hoya has several lines of filters from uncoated, single coated, HMC multicoated right to the Pro1 digitally coated series and there is even a new one (which's name I can't recall).

I would at least go for the HMC versions, because there are even more aspects to the quality of a filter. As polarizers need to be rotated inside their mount, the mechanical quality is more important, than wit other filters, too.

Whether you got a fiar deal, I don't know. The uncoated or single coated versions (blue and green boxes) are not very expensive.

regards
Ben

[hrishi]

I thought over it and decided to let the deal pass by as I'm not sure about the quality of the filter. Also, I have decided to buy a polarizer with a larger thread so as to be usable on most of my lenses.

Thanks to both of you, the information was of real use.

regards,
Hrishi