OK, so I am in the market for a Hoya UV filter for the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS that I am going to buy, but they make like 5 different kinds! I haven't even bothered even looking at B+W yet, since there are already too many choices.

Anyways, I have the selection below:

$20 - Regular UV
$30 - Multi-Coated UV
$40 - Super Multi-Coated UV
$65 - Pro1 Multi-Coated UV
$75 - High-Definition UV

I'd like to protect my $1100 investment (I shoot on location portraits), but why the different types?! Anyone have a side by side comparison of the $20 vs $75 filter? I have already fried my brain trying to decide between the f/2.8 or the f/4, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Save your money and use the hood. Unless blowing sand, salt spray, flying gravel is part
of your shoot it'll only jack with your AF and add to possible flare. Over 100K in glass over
the years and I've never violated any lens surface. If you HAVE to use one get the best
Multicoat you can find...B+W or Pro Hoya come to mind.
BTW everyone will have their own opinion on these things BUT bear in mind this is the #1
markup rape of the brick and mortars. They make lots of money pushing filters, often more
than what they make on a discounted body or lens. Duh!!

If you have to use a filter, doesn't sem so if you're just shooting portraits. But if you have to have one go with the best you can.

Tiffen has just put out some nice filters, their Digital HT series, I got one, that is an Ultra Clear, not UV. It's very nice, but I don't use it unless I have to. Just my 2cents, don't use a filter unless you have to.

I use B + W MRC's and they work fine. I have spent hours looking into it, and the lower end filters will really hurt IQ. The better ones only very slightly so, so definitely go with either the B+W MRC or the Hoya Pro1 MC.

Hmm... I have heard that from a lot of pros too... They say the more you put in between your lens and the model will just degrade the image, makes sense to me.

I do plan on using the hood, most likely 100% of the time. I have been checking my lenses after each shoot, and they are all look untouched, so I don't think I am in any real danger. On the other hand, (not that I plan on selling it) people who sell the lens sometimes say, "this lens has the filter on it the second it comes out of the box", and it makes me feel it would worth more...

Thanks for the responses!

I have Hoya Pro1 Digital Clear Protector filters on all of my lenses. I like these because they will still hold the front cap. I do not notice any degradation in the picture, nor do I notice increased flare. Yes, I use the hoods as well. As Mr. Monkey said above, everyone has an opinion about filters, and everyone has to make their own choice. Mine was opting for that little bit of extra protection. If you choose filters, don't go cheap!

Use the hood and lens cap and not a UV filter. Or, if you _must_ use a filter for "protection" make it a very high quality clear glass filter. Hoya makes them.

UV filtering provides no significant benefit on your DSLR.

I use the hood for protection and also keep a UV filter in my bag for the "just-in-case" situations (ie blowing dust and greasy fingers)

Otherwise I just shoot naked.

Tak

I have a Pro1 Multi-Coated UV on my 70-200 and AF works perfectly. I've taken it off a couple times while shooting sunsets hoping the flare would go away and no cigar: the lens flares anyway. It ain't filter related unless you use a poor grade filter. However I do much of my shooting on or near beaches and have to rinse off the salt spray after most shoot. The hood is useless in this regard. It's a lot easier to run water on my filter than the 70-200...

Hmm... Looks like the consensus is not to use it, unless necessary. But, I should buy to keep in my bag just in case. IQ is my main concern, protection second.

How come no one uses the HD one? Only the Pro1? Not worth the price?

IIRC, the Hoya HD Filters just came out. The Pro1's had been their best until now.

Use Pro1 here

buy it on ebay - you'll save 50% of the cost.

4honor wrote:
$20 - Regular UV
$30 - Multi-Coated UV
$40 - Super Multi-Coated UV
$65 - Pro1 Multi-Coated UV
$75 - High-Definition UV


Green label - uncoated
Blue label - double-coated
Grey label - HMC (97%)
HMC SUPER - 99.7% (best from HOYA)
DMC - % unknown but tested slightly better than HMC

Pro1 - can be either HMC SUPER or DMC because it refers to the rim only
High-Definition - no idea

My personal favour is HMC SUPER (non-Pro1).

Any ideas about the difference between Hoya and Canon filters in terms of quality?

Thanks in advance for sharing.

elader wrote:
buy it on ebay - you'll save 50% of the cost.

I would pick hvstar over ebay, but I think hvstar has an ebay store as well.

http://hvstar.net/

cecilng wrote:
Any ideas about the difference between Hoya and Canon filters in terms of quality?

Thanks in advance for sharing.

Hoya as numerous level of quality of their filters as mentioned above. Canon's I think are Tiffen worst. IIRC, I see them on amazon.com for like $20.

Wow, thanks for the example wlachan! I think I will hold off on the protector for now, but if I do get one, I will need to get the Pro1 filters...

Check on ebay - i got my Pro1's at half the retail price that way. Dan Mitchell has written an excellent discussion of the topic which is worth a read - http://www.gdanmitchell.com/2007/12/27/uv-filter-or-not.

I only use the filters in harsher environments as i have noticed some flare problems with light coming in obliquely (rather than straight on as shown above) and on a couple of shots i've seen some odd texturing in bokeh (using a 70-200 F2.8) which i suspect might have been the filter.


jools

monochrome wrote:
elader wrote:
buy it on ebay - you'll save 50% of the cost.

I would pick hvstar over ebay, but I think hvstar has an ebay store as well.

http://hvstar.net/

+1 on HVStar

Me too....i only use UV/Protective filters if shooting in a Typhoon . . . lenses aren't that delicate..... the UV is just an Extra piece of glass you'll have to shoot through.....just keep it in the bag where it belongs!

Thank 15Bit, that was a good read. Yeah, I am convinced to just shoot without a UV filter for now. Maybe when I actually get burned for not having a filter, I will start buying them.

if you can, buy kenko filters instead of hoya. i believe they come from the same factory and are rebadged. they're much, much cheaper and the pro1 equivalent is available.