polarizer filter or UV filter?

[Justintoxicated]

I just bought the e520 with the reg kit lense and I want to get some filters for it. I was thinking to get the polarizer to help with glare when photographing fish tanks. Should I still get a UV filter as well? If so what type/brand is recommended?

Also any case recommendations for this camera?

Need to get stuff ordered and shiped before I leave on vacation.

Should I just get something like this or will these cheap filters ruin the pictures?
http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-EVOLT-...5459029&sr=8-1

or would I be better off buying jsut teh Polarizer filter like this one?
http://www.amazon.com/review/product...owViewpoints=1

I don't know how much quality I would want/need or if there is even much of a difference in filters?

I'm leaning towards this one unless teh Cheaper Hoya filters are not good?
http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Digital-C...outThisProduct

[Greg McCary]

A UV filter is really more for protection. It is really up to you. I was religous in using one until mine recently broke. You might pm Almo here at this site with some tips on photographing fish tanks, he is very good at it but I would think you would not need a polarizer. It is used to cut glare the same as sun glasses. I use it mainly when shooting over water scenes. The ones you linked to are good filters. You should have no problems with them.

[Atomic2]

i use a lower end hoya polarizer for my kit lenses. it wont give you the stellar performance that you can get with a 70 dollar polarizer but it will do the job.

i also bought hoya UV filters, theyre cheap and they dont get in the way, thats all you really need with a UV, its just for protection.

[Justintoxicated]

ok, I dunno what comes in the $20 kit with 3 filters. I beleive the correct sive of filter for the 14-42 is 58mm right?

Another thought I have been having is to ditch the kit lense after my vacation and picking up the 14-54, which needs larger filters. Would this be a good move on my part? in this case id just buy a cheap UV filter, and get some hoya filters for that?

[Greg McCary]

Yes the 14-54mm would be a good move. It is a great upgrade from the kit lens. Faster focus and more durable.

[Justintoxicated]

Yes the 14-54mm would be a good move. It is a great upgrade from the kit lens. Faster focus and more durable.

Right, problem is I'm pressed for cash right now (too many other projects going on). Would it still be worth spending the $30 on those cheap hoya filters for the kit lense in the meantime?

I have narrowed it down to these 2 kits
http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Circular-...5468800&sr=1-8

or

http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Digital-C...outThisProduct

or maybe even this one if it is worth the difference in price
http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Multi-Coa...5468915&sr=1-9

Is this cleaning kit any good that comes with these filter combos? Or should I just buy the filters seperately from the cleaning kit and save $8?

[mjs1973]

My thoughts are to go with a good polarizer, and forget the other filters. The fluorescent filter is a waste because you can take care of the color cast by setting your white balance properly. I see no use for a UV filter either. As Greg said, most people use them for "protection" but that's really about it. I fall into the camp of not using them at all. The only time I would consider using one is if I was shooting in a location with blowing sand, or salt water. I see no point in putting a cheap piece of glass in front of my lens if I can help it. Also, they may cause flair, and other types of reflections, especially when shooting at night.

One tip for shooting aquariums, get as close to the glass as possible. If you have a lens hood (preferably rubber) press it right up to the glass. I'm heading to an aquarium this weekend, and plan on using this technique.

[Justintoxicated]

Well I decided to order 2 filters last night, Hoya HMC Polarizer and HMC UV. I will be shooting in some desert environments (wishing the kit lenses were weatehr sealed ), as well as ocean settings so the UV sounds like a good idea.

The HMC UV was $17 and the polarizer was like 36, from adromada through amazon. Was about $58 shipped.

I'll look into buying a lense hood, any recommendations?

[dumpy]

I'll look into buying a lense hood, any recommendations?

Didn't your kit lenses come with them?

[Justintoxicated]

Didn't your kit lenses come with them?

I wont know until friday or early next week :P

[xwingkiller]

oh ya your lens should come with the hood and the cool center pinch lens cap. =)

[Justintoxicated]

Well I ended up purchasing a $35 52mm UV filter for my 50mm lense. It was a Sigma DG filter.

I want to know the truth about filter quality. Is B+W really the best? I found at least one review on the net favoring sigma filters over B+W and Hoya. However I don't really know enough right now to know if I got ripped off or what is best. The glass on the Sigma seems more transparent than the Super HMC Hoya. The the ring itself seems that it may be a little cheaper?

Now I am searching for a filter for my 14-54 and I'm not sure what to get?

From Amazon57mm UV filters:
The sigma is the cheapest at $40,
B & W 67mm UV (Ultra Violet) Haze Multi Coated (2C) Glass Filter #010 $43
Hoya DMC Pro1 + cleaning kit for $64

Most helpful would be a response from someone who owns various brands or can link me to more info comparing these 3 types of lenses. I'm leaning towards the B+W since I have not used one yet, but the hoya deal does not sound bad either since I dont have any real cleaning tools. I did find my hoya UV super HMC UV filter was a bit hard to clean compared to the sigma. I'm happy with the results from the HMC polarizer on the kit lense though.

Thanks for the help in advance.

[Photo-John]

Don't buy the $20 filter kit. It will be junk.

The general rule is, don't put cheap glass in front of your good lenses. Then you're just sabotaging the quality of your lenses. I have B+W polarizers and protective (UV) filters for my Canon stuff. And for test cameras, like the Olympus E-520, I've got a $35 Hoya circular polarizer. It's not a $100 B+W. But it's not a cheapy, either. I definitely prefer the B+W filters for build quality. And I am more conifdent in them. But I've never done any kind of bacn-to-back test. So I can't tell you that they're optically better. The do look better and feel better, though.

Since you're using the kit lens, I'd forego the protective filter. Basically, it's just another piece of glass getting in the way of your pictures. Some people use them and some people don't. Increasingly, I don't. And since you're probably not rich, save a few bucks and get yourself a $35 Hoya. I don't think you'll wish you'd spent more. If you've been looking at my E-520 photos, most of them have been taken with the Hoya. The exceptions are the images taken with the Olympus 12-60mm lens. It takes a 72mm filter and I had a B+W that I just pulled off my Canon EF 20mm f/2.8. But I've never taken any pictures with the Hoya filter and thought, "Damn! I sure wish I'd had a B+W filter."

[Kajuah]

Cokin is a good make..not much else to add to that, but perhaps try them?

[Justintoxicated]

Don't buy the $20 filter kit. It will be junk.

The general rule is, don't put cheap glass in front of your good lenses. Then you're just sabotaging the quality of your lenses. I have B+W polarizers and protective (UV) filters for my Canon stuff. And for test cameras, like the Olympus E-520, I've got a $35 Hoya circular polarizer. It's not a $100 B+W. But it's not a cheapy, either. I definitely prefer the B+W filters for build quality. And I am more conifdent in them. But I've never done any kind of bacn-to-back test. So I can't tell you that they're optically better. The do look better and feel better, though.

Since you're using the kit lens, I'd forego the protective filter. Basically, it's just another piece of glass getting in the way of your pictures. Some people use them and some people don't. Increasingly, I don't. And since you're probably not rich, save a few bucks and get yourself a $35 Hoya. I don't think you'll wish you'd spent more. If you've been looking at my E-520 photos, most of them have been taken with the Hoya. The exceptions are the images taken with the Olympus 12-60mm lens. It takes a 72mm filter and I had a B+W that I just pulled off my Canon EF 20mm f/2.8. But I've never taken any pictures with the Hoya filter and thought, "Damn! I sure wish I'd had a B+W filter."

Hoya has several lines of filters for my kit lense I was using the Super HMC, but I was thinking about picking up the pro1 Hoya for the 14-54? I did notice the hoyas seem harder to clean than my sigma. Is Sigma a cheap filter? They range from $6 to $60 depending on the size of the filter. my 52mm was about $40 shipped while the 55mm is only $6 on amazon. The 67mm however is also about 43mm. I guess I'll try a B+W for the 14-54? I think I will be selling my kit lense soon, but I might pick up that 70-300 where I can re-use the filters I purchase.

edit; I found I can get the Hoya pro1 UV and pro1 Circular Polarizer for about $115 shipped. However I keep reading complaints that the filters are very hard to clean while B+@'s are not. I can get the B+W filter for about $45 shipped for only the UV while the polarizer itself seems to go for over $90.

So I'm still nto sure what to do? The price difference is pretty significant. I'm tempted to buy a B&W UV off amazon and Hoya polarizing filter off ebay to compromise at about $75 to split the difference? Or should I go for the Hoya filters that are harder to clean?

[Justintoxicated]

I got my filters. I now own.

52mm Sigma DG UV (50mm lense)
58mm Hoya Super HMC (14-52mm lense)
58mm Hoya HMC Polarizer (14-52mm lense)
67mm B+W F-pro 010 UV Haze 1x (14-54mm lense)
67mm Hoya MHC Polarizer (14-54mm lense)

Honestly Judging them buy how reflective they are (which ones I can tell are glass vs transparent) The sigma smokes them all. Following the sigma I think the Hoya Super HMC is more transparent, and finaly the B+W seems very reflective.

Bouncing the Flourescent light in my living room off the filters, the sigma turns the bulbs slightly greenish or bluish, while the super HMC is kinda pinkish, the B+W looks like regular flourescent bulb color. Is this thing really even UV coated?

The B+W seems easiest to clean, then the sigma then the hoya. The sigma and B+W might be interchangable here but the hoy (esp the polarizer) are PITA to clean with microfiber cloth.

The B+W has the nices ring (brass), followed by the Hoya shiny smooth annodizing, then followed by the Sigma (I think it is alum but it looks more like the B+W, but weight wise I would guess it is aluminum then again it's also a 52mm lense so don't take my word on that.






...Well there my very unprofessional review for the UV filters. If I had to buy them again I would buy all Sigma UV filters. Its hard to explain but you can hardly even tell they are on the lense. Of course it has a reflection advantage due to it's smaller size, but I still feel the glass is just plain better. If anyone would like to comment or argue for one of the other brands please feel free to do so as this is a new hobby for me.