Does anyone use the latest Nikon filters? My concern is that the mount is aluminium and how flat the glass is for tele lenses.
Unfortunately Heliopan is out of business and my 95m B+W has fallen apart, so options are limited.
I'm pretty sure they are Kenko ZX II filters effectively, and I've used both the Kenko and the Nikon filters. I've had no issues using them on my teles.
It does indeed appear they are the same filter, especially the part about using an elastomer to cushion the glass retention. Oddly enough the Kenko ZX II does not seem to be marketed in the States and even the Nikon is not common.
Apparently only B+W uses brass now. I see in buyer reviews many problems with the threaded glass retention ring (like I have) and other quality issues with B+W filters.
I’ve been wondering about the same thing. I’m especially curious about how well the aluminum mount holds up and whether the glass is actually flat enough for longer telephoto lenses. Haven’t tried the newer Nikon filters myself yet, though, so I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has.
FWIW, the Nikon Arcrest II filters are unobtanium in Canada. No reseller stocks them and Nikon Canada's website lists them as "out of stock", I've never seen them 'in stock'.
I use the Nikon NC filters without any issues of them deflecting or binding on the lens threads.
I have the 95m Nikkor Arcrest II now. It feels solidly made and is very well AR coated. According to the spec sheet in the box it has 0.1% reflectance from 420-680nm and flatness of λ/4 over 85% of the filter area. That seems pretty good if accurate. Most filters say nothing about flatness. Maybe B+W is as good, but not if the glass falls inward.
EB-1 wrote:
I have the 95m Nikkor Arcrest II now. It feels solidly made and is very well AR coated. According to the spec sheet in the box it has 0.1% reflectance from 420-680nm and flatness of λ/4 over 85% of the filter area. That seems pretty good if accurate. Most filters say nothing about flatness. Maybe B+W is as good, but not if the glass falls inward.
EBH
I find both the Kenko ZX II and the Nikon equivalents to be excellent, even though they are a bit of a PITA to find. I still have some of the original ZX versions of the Kenko and thought they were excellent.
JBPhotog wrote:
FWIW, the Nikon Arcrest II filters are unobtanium in Canada. No reseller stocks them and Nikon Canada's website lists them as "out of stock", I've never seen them 'in stock'.
I use the Nikon NC filters without any issues of them deflecting or binding on the lens threads.
The same goes for here in the EU, although, as far as I know, they've only been released in Japan so far—at least the Arcrest II Gold Edition.
But it also has the advantage of keeping you from getting any silly ideas and saving you money.
That’s why I’m actually quite glad that the Arcrest II Gold filters weren’t available here, aside from the expensive Japanese imports.
If they had been available at launch, I probably wouldn’t have been able to resist and would have blown several hundred on them.
Just imagine the Z 135/1.8 S, with its yellow-gold Plena lettering & Arcrest II Gold Edition filter—it immediately made my fingers itch to get my hands on the Arcrest Gold Edition, when they had announced it.
I also use Nikon NC filters when needed, which leave nothing to be desired (away from the golden ring ) and were rated accordingly in LensRental’s UV/NC filter test.
No, fortunately it's not gold colored. I don't prefer that since black is less reflective and the lens threads and cap are black. If you want the color to match the lens accent stripe the filter exterior looks too yellow anyway.
A 200-500, 180-600, 200-600, etc. is not exactly a secret lens, but the species don't care about the filter colors. In general I avoid filters but the high winds on the shore are often blowing sand and salt water spray.
JBPhotog wrote:
FWIW, the Nikon Arcrest II filters are unobtanium in Canada. No reseller stocks them and Nikon Canada's website lists them as "out of stock", I've never seen them 'in stock'.
I use the Nikon NC filters without any issues of them deflecting or binding on the lens threads.
FWIW, I order my Nikon filters directly from AMZN JP. I get it when I (or friends go over) but I used to have it directly shipped (by DHL courier) to Canada. The shipping used to be reasonably priced and, since duties are prepaid, arrived in a matter of days. I haven't shipped stuff to Canada for a while but last I checked, the shipping had gone up.
Breakthrough uses brass on their X4 line. For 95mm I have found them to be on par with older B+W, though I did have one 95mm filter from them which suffered pretty harshly at 600mm. Their customer service took my example images to their CEO, who wrote me personally to express his concern, and they then did the following:
1. Because they were out of stock on the X4 line, they shipped me an X2 to hold me over.
2. They shipped an X4 replacement within a week after that, including a label to return the X2.
3. They refunded what I'd paid for the X4, and asked me to update them on how the replacement filter was doing.
I've bought only Breakthrough X4s since, except for three gold Arcrest IIs. And I've found those to be entirely perfect, though I only have 82mm and 77mm.
I use protection filters infrequently, but I find both Breakthrough and Arcrest to be of sufficient quality.
I have a couple of the Breakthrough filters and they are of mediocre quality. The coating is strange and there is a slight color cast. I had problems with them sticking to other filters and not easily separating due to the diameter. It seems they are a small company with variable outsourced manufacturing. I just cannot deal with all that.
In general I avoid filters but the high winds on the shore are often blowing sand and salt water spray.