[stoge]

Do you need a filter with multicoating on a filter, if your lens already has one? If the filter has a multicoating, will it reduce flare?

[Andi Lo]

If anything any kind of filter with introduce more flare AFAIK. Only lens hood can reduce flare.

EDIT: after reading up a bit on it I think I might be wrong on this. Anyone care to explain? =)

[flyer]

Multi-coating improves light transmission by reducing scattering between the elements, so it does reduce flares a lot. A lens hood won't reduce flares when the sun (or any light source) is included in the picture, but a good coating will improve light transmission and reduce flares.

[kristoffon]

Yes, a multicoated filter will reduce flare. I have mostly hoya filters but also a few cheap ones that came free with a lens. The cheap filters don't even need to be mounted on a lens to see they create extra flare.

But if you use a hood and are careful you should be OK even then.

[Canada_Rockies]

I buy the best filters I can. Why use a $1,000 lens on a $1,000 camera body and save $50 on a filter? It's not worth the gamble to me.

[stoge]

I was looking to buy a good polarizer for my FA 31. Are there any issues between the filter and the built on hood on the lens? I'm assuming that a step up ring won't work with this lens either.-----jeff

[axl]

I was looking to buy a good polarizer for my FA 31. Are there any issues between the filter and the built on hood on the lens? I'm assuming that a step up ring won't work with this lens either.-----jeff

you're right on that one, unless you'll put three empty filter rings as spacers and then step up ring, but I wouldn't see point of that...

BR

[Ben_Edict]

I was looking to buy a good polarizer for my FA 31. Are there any issues between the filter and the built on hood on the lens? I'm assuming that a step up ring won't work with this lens either.-----jeff

I use a Kenko Pro1 Digital CPL with this lens in the original lens thread size. No problem with that, as the Kenkos have a structureed ring, which makes rotation easy, despite the very narrow lens hood of the 31mm. It is exactly the same filter as the Hoya Pro1 Digital as Kenko is Hoya's brand name for the home market (aka Japan).

Ben

[Ben_Edict]

Do you need a filter with multicoating on a filter, if your lens already has one? If the filter has a multicoating, will it reduce flare?

A good multi coating is especially important with circular polarizers, as these have two glasses (with the pol foil sandwhiched in between), which makes four glass-air surfaces. As you lose nearly 4% of light due to reflection on an uncoated glass-air surface, you would loose nearly 16% of light just though reflection with an uncoated CPL!

And these 16% are usually not just reflected back into the landscape but somewhere else and to a good part right into the lens and will cause ghosting and flaring and reduced contrast.

Ben

[axl]

I use a Kenko Pro1 Digital CPL with this lens in the original lens thread size. No problem with that, as the Kenkos have a structureed ring, which makes rotation easy, despite the very narrow lens hood of the 31mm. It is exactly the same filter as the Hoya Pro1 Digital as Kenko is Hoya's brand name for the home market (aka Japan).

Ben

Ben,

how do Kenko/Hoya filters compare with Marumi's?
I'm looking for good but not too expensive 58mm CPL that I could use for most of my lenses via step up rings, and my universal hood is 58mm diameter too

BR

[Ben_Edict]

Ben,

how do Kenko/Hoya filters compare with Marumi's?
I'm looking for good but not too expensive 58mm CPL that I could use for most of my lenses via step up rings, and my universal hood is 58mm diameter too

BR

I cannot say, as I only have one Marumi filter and that's an UV one. Hoya/Kenko has certainly the thinnest glass in their filters and only very recently other manufacturers were able to follow that way. Thin glass has advantages but obviously causes problems during manufacturing, so I would give that a plus.

Ben

[Jonson PL]

I use a Kenko Pro1 Digital CPL with this lens in the original lens thread size. No problem with that, as the Kenkos have a structureed ring, which makes rotation easy, despite the very narrow lens hood of the 31mm. It is exactly the same filter as the Hoya Pro1 Digital as Kenko is Hoya's brand name for the home market (aka Japan).

Ben

Thanks for the info