# Difference in Polarizer filters



## HoboSyke (Sep 24, 2008)

Hi all, just wondering what is the difference in these polarizer filters?

*Hoya Standard Circular Polarising Filter - 77mm*   which is AU$88 and the *Hoya Pro1D Circular Polarising Filter - 77mm* which is AU$239 ????

Thanks..


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## Alex_B (Sep 24, 2008)

I do not know much about Hoya, but maybe the coatings?

Also there are different ways to construct a polariser.


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## Big Mike (Sep 24, 2008)

A Mercedes 4 door sedan is $50,000 and a Kia 4 door sedan is $20,000.  :er:


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## Alex_B (Sep 24, 2008)

Cars are so incredibly cheap over there ...


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## tpimages (Sep 24, 2008)

the glass and the coating. The objective is to have minimal glass between you and your subject, so why add crappy glass? Mind you if you aren't using pro series lenses you probably won't notice the difference.


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## ksmattfish (Sep 24, 2008)

It amazes me how many pros and serious amateurs will pay an extra $150 to $200 for fancy multicoatings, but can't be bothered to use their lens hood, which probably increases image quality more.


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## Alex_B (Sep 24, 2008)

ksmattfish said:


> It amazes me how many pros and serious amateurs will pay an extra $150 to $200 for fancy multicoatings, but can't be bothered to use their lens hood, which probably increases image quality more.



I am sorry, but a polariser does things completely different from a lens hood. hence the two cannot be compared.

IF I use a polariser, I do want to minimise stray reflections, in particular those coming from lights sources in the scene/frame, and I want a tough easy to clean filter surface, and both require good coatings, not a lens hood.


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## HoboSyke (Sep 24, 2008)

Thanks guys, well im shooting with L lenses on the canon system. And I already use hoya pro1 UV filters. So i'll just get the more expensive one I guess..


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

I wonder if what K.S. Matt Fish meant was that the differences are probably only to do with flare, scatter, and internal reflections - most of which a lens-hood will also very often prevent?

And that does happen to be true. Besides the actual flare elements however, almost all flare and scatter can be removed in post very simply and without any observable degradation to the image quality. In fact almost all of it is removed just by the typical Levels and Brightness/Contrast adjustments that most of us do to almost every image anyway. 

There may be some differences - indeed I believe there are but I would never pay over $100 for a polarizer and I would be questioning my own sanity at anything much or $50.00 even if I were this ultra-pro who got $5,000 a shot just for being the one to press the shutter and had all the highest grade lenses available at any price.


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

Also Hoya (whos glass I've been told on many many occasions is identical to and made by Kenko) is always like 2 and 3 times the price of Kenko brand filters. 

Hoya AC #4 CloseUp Filter $190
Kenko AC #4 CloseUp Filter $24
Reselts == IDENTICAL, 
Construction == IDENTICAL,
Even the printing is identical except for the letters "HOYA" instead of "Kenko".


Hoya Pro 1D Circular Polarizer $240
Kenko Pro 1D Circular Polarizer $60
Construction == Identical
Results == Identical (assumed)
Even the printing is identical except for the letters "HOYA" instead of "Kenko".


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.992~r.74128698


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## Helen B (Sep 24, 2008)

Bifurcator said:


> Also Hoya (whos glass I've been told on many many occasions is identical to and made by Kenko)...



Isn't it more likely that Hoya make the glass for Kenko?

Best,
Helen


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

Yeah, that could be. I don't honestly know which one makes it nor where. But every time I ask for Hoya the salesman or distributor is some cases, tells me that they are the same company sharing the same parts and that Kenko is the Japanese/Asia end of it and the HOYA is the Euro/American end of it. I think maybe some stuff in made in US under HOYA and some in Japan under the name Kenko.  Doesn't Kenko make cameras, light meters and such too?

http://www.adorama.com/KNKCM3100.html
http://www.adorama.com/KNKFM1100.html


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## Helen B (Sep 24, 2008)

I believe that the Hoya Corporation has its headquarters in Japan. Tokina, Kenko, Hoya and Slik have the same corporate representation in the USA (THK Photo Products) and Tokina, Hoya and Kenko clearly have very close ties.

Best,
Helen


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

That sounds right. Hoya brand is "supposed" to not be distributed or sold in Japan/Asia though (even though it is anyway) and I think it's supposed to be the same for Kenko in the Euro/US.


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## Garbz (Sep 24, 2008)

HoboSyke said:


> Thanks guys, well im shooting with L lenses on the canon system. And I already use hoya pro1 UV filters. So i'll just get the more expensive one I guess..



Before you runout and spend a quick rundown on Hoya's Product line:

Hoya Standard - Crap. Piece of glass which does something, no coatings, no QC. Expect it to flare out the wazoo. Affects sharpness of lenses I've tried them on. All around nasty. Gives all filters a bad rep. Their polariser also tends to bleed red colours.
Hoya HMC - Nice coating, well made, I wouldn't recommend anything less to anyone.
Hoya SHMC - Even nicer coating, nicely built, and an all around excellent filter. Most of my current and future filters will be of this series.
Hoya Pro1 - Worse coating than the SHMC. Yeah. Great marketing. Lots of fluff. The word digital somehow is supposed to justify the ludicrous price for what is essentially a similar (or slightly worse) performing filter (in my opinion) than the SHMC series. People own this filter when they haven't compared them against all other, or if they have and also have more dollars than sense. (again in my opinion, but I have yet to see a picture that justifies paying $50 more for a Pro1 over a SHMC, even when pixel peeping.)


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## Bifurcator (Sep 24, 2008)

Hoya Typically:

Standard ................... 1 coat
HMC ......................... 3 coats
Super HMC (SHMC) ..... 12 coats
Pro 1 ........................ 12 coats
Pro 1 D ..................... 3 coats (but the coating material is supposed to be different somehow)​
Their SHMC/Pro1 ultra thin Circular Polarizer is 7 coats tho.


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## Alex_B (Sep 25, 2008)

Being German, all my filters are B+W   ... and since recently Lee for the gradients


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## Helen B (Sep 25, 2008)

Bifurcator said:


> Standard ................... 1 coat
> HMC ......................... 3 coats
> Super HMC (SHMC) ..... 12 coats
> Pro 1 ........................ 12 coats
> Pro 1 D ..................... 3 coats​



and how many pairs of pants?

_"Isn't it true you tried to sell Freedonia's secret war codes and plans?"

"Sure, I sold a code and two pair of plans."_


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## tirediron (Sep 25, 2008)

Helen B said:


> and how many pairs of pants?
> 
> _"Isn't it true you tried to sell Freedonia's secret war codes and plans?"_
> 
> _"Sure, I sold a code and two pair of plans."_


 ROFLMAO!!!! :lmao::lmao::lmao:


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## tirediron (Sep 25, 2008)

Alex_B said:


> Being German, all my filters are B+W  ... and since recently Lee for the gradients


 
Another vote for B+W!


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