B+W XS-Pro Digital filter easily scratched--MRC nano coating problem?

bwDraco · 06-11-2012, 07:47 PM

My 62mm B+W XS-Pro Digital filter with MRC nano coating (on my DA 18-135mm lens) seems to be much easier to scratch than my other B+W F-Pro filters. The filter is quickly accumulating fine scratches near the edge where the lens cap may contact the filter glass--but this isn't reproducible on lenses with B+W F-Pro filters, which have the regular MRC coating. The impact on image quality is probably zero in practice, but I'm worried about the integrity of the filter. Is the MRC nano coating softer than the regular MRC coating? It's getting scratched even by a microfiber cloth, which certainly isn't normal...

NB: The lens cap is being attached in a different manner than with my other lenses because the lens hood is attached while I cap the lens, and the lens cap may contact the filter glass as I attach the lens cap. However, MRC is supposed to be harder than glass and therefore should be nowhere near this easily scratched, so is there a problem with the MRC nano coating?

--DragonLord

Last edited by bwDraco; 06-11-2012 at 08:10 PM.

SuperK5 · 06-12-2012, 07:43 PM

I just bought two B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano Circular polarizers from B+H. Both filters looked like they had a different coating on it. The coating on the 49mm was jacked up right out of the box and was sent back for replacement. The coating on the 49mm looked like it had a purple hue when it was held up to the sunlight and the coating on the 52mm looked to be grayish when held up to the sunlight. I'm not sure what the cause of the difference in colors to be. I would have thought both filters should look the same so I'm wondering if they changed something in the manufacturing process. What color is your filter when you hold it up to the sunlight, purple? ...now I'm worried about scratching the filters.

The "purple" coating on the 49mm looked rubbed off by the mounting ring and had a tiny mark/scratch on the front side that could not be cleaned off. The "grey' 52mm on the other hand could have the haze wiped off the filter with no ill effects and seems to be O.K.... I'm trying to be extra careful with it...I even take off the lens hood when I turn the filter or put the lens cap on.

06-11-2012, 07:47 PM	#1
bwDraco Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,071	B+W XS-Pro Digital filter easily scratched--MRC nano coating problem? My 62mm B+W XS-Pro Digital filter with MRC nano coating (on my DA 18-135mm lens) seems to be much easier to scratch than my other B+W F-Pro filters. The filter is quickly accumulating fine scratches near the edge where the lens cap may contact the filter glass--but this isn't reproducible on lenses with B+W F-Pro filters, which have the regular MRC coating. The impact on image quality is probably zero in practice, but I'm worried about the integrity of the filter. Is the MRC nano coating softer than the regular MRC coating? It's getting scratched even by a microfiber cloth, which certainly isn't normal... NB: The lens cap is being attached in a different manner than with my other lenses because the lens hood is attached while I cap the lens, and the lens cap may contact the filter glass as I attach the lens cap. However, MRC is supposed to be harder than glass and therefore should be nowhere near this easily scratched, so is there a problem with the MRC nano coating? --DragonLord Last edited by bwDraco; 06-11-2012 at 08:10 PM.

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06-12-2012, 07:43 PM	#2
SuperK5 Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 92	I just bought two B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano Circular polarizers from B+H. Both filters looked like they had a different coating on it. The coating on the 49mm was jacked up right out of the box and was sent back for replacement. The coating on the 49mm looked like it had a purple hue when it was held up to the sunlight and the coating on the 52mm looked to be grayish when held up to the sunlight. I'm not sure what the cause of the difference in colors to be. I would have thought both filters should look the same so I'm wondering if they changed something in the manufacturing process. What color is your filter when you hold it up to the sunlight, purple? ...now I'm worried about scratching the filters. The "purple" coating on the 49mm looked rubbed off by the mounting ring and had a tiny mark/scratch on the front side that could not be cleaned off. The "grey' 52mm on the other hand could have the haze wiped off the filter with no ill effects and seems to be O.K.... I'm trying to be extra careful with it...I even take off the lens hood when I turn the filter or put the lens cap on.