I'm looking for a polarizing filter to cut down of relections when I'm taking pics of sealife from a boat. I need a 77mm to use in conjunction with a 70-200mm 2.8L and also 24-70mm 2.8L Canon lenses. Hoya rices range from £30 - £130 and there are circular and linear types. Can anyone tell me what would be the best to go for? Is there that much between the Hoyas that justifies the price difference?
Thanks in advance
Andy

if you have an autofocus camera you'll need a circular polariser, not a linear one. I've got a cheap Hama one from ebay (£ 25), but the more expensive ones will be optically better as well as probably having superior polarising abilities.

Hama ones at £17.99 here

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=5975

At the risk of sounding repetitive, hkdirect, who sell on eBay, are excellent and very cheap. With good quality lenses you should go for the best polariser you can afford - B+W and Hoya's top of the range filters should do the trick ;)

The Hoya Digital filter is a new range and is designed to reduce reflections that can affect digital camera sensors, while a lot of people reckon the B+W Kaesemann is the best you can get. The brass mounting rings on the B+Ws are supposedly less likely to jam on the lens than the aluminium Hoyas.

I have a Pro1 Super HMC, but any of those listed below should be good. They all cost a lot less than buying in the UK! :)

Hoya Pro1 Digital (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HOYA-77mm-PRO1-DIGITAL-Circular-Polarizer-Filter-DMC_W0QQitemZ7616789786QQcategoryZ15217QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

Hoya Pro1 Super HMC (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hoya-77mm-PRO1-Super-HMC-Circular-Polarizing-Filter-NEW_W0QQitemZ7617309525QQcategoryZ15217QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

B+W F-Pro (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-W-77mm-MRC-Circular-Polarizer-Glass-Filter-NEW-F-PRO_W0QQitemZ7616793165QQcategoryZ15217QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

B+W Kaesemann (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-W-77mm-Kaesemann-MRC-Circular-Polarizer-Filter-NEW_W0QQitemZ7617077782QQcategoryZ15217QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

Hi Daryl,

I have used HKDirect on your recommendation before and they were excellent. I will buy from them again. You can buy direct from them which is cheaper than through eBay.
I think I will go for the Pro1 Super HMC as I only need to buy one filter to cover my 3 main lenses.


Cheers

Andy

You can buy direct from them which is cheaper than through eBay.


Yeah, saw that. Might try doing it that way next time :)

I'm looking at polorisers too for the 77mm fitment, but in the UK they want to take the best part of £150 for a decent one!! :cuckoo:

Will be used for the Sigma 10-20mm and still be large enough to use with other lenses I decide to buy down the line.

Daryl,

You say you have the Pro1 Super HMC, is this regarded as better than the Pro1 Digital? Just asking as the price for the Digital is slightly more.

Cheers
James

The Digital version wasn't available when I bought mine, but no reason to think it's not slightly better. Personally, I'd be tempted by the Kaesemann, which I couldn't find for a decent price when I bought the Hoya :)

I got a Hama 77mm polariser for my Sigma 10-20 from Ebay. 7dayshop do them cheaply. A better quality one is on my wishlist but there are more pressing things to buy...

Cheers. Will probably look at ordering a couple of filters from that ebayer (from his online shop as it's a bit cheaper!) so will give some more thought to it before I do.

Also looking for a couple of protective UV filters, for my lenses, the Hoya UV HMC 77mm is nicely priced at under £10 compared with nearly £40 from Warehouse Express! Shame the P&P is a nearly £10 per filter from HK :(

I'd rather buy the best I can, I don't want to spend the money now then spend again for something better in the near future.

James

I have the MRC B+W polarisers, lovely they are too but damned expensive, especially the slimline version. All my UV filters are also b+w and TBH I can't really tell the difference with or without the filter on the lens if it's not a landscape shot with a bit (read slight) of a blue cast which the UV filter removes. Certainly no loss in image quality (negligible) but maybe just a tad on the expensive side as a "protector" for the lens.

the web address for hkdirect is www.maxsaver.net

i have a hoya super pro1 HMC for my 50mm f1.4 - fine filter indeed!

I have a few!!

Got a 67mm Hoya, a 77mm Jessops own and now 3 Koods (Never heard of them) The koods certainly have a more noticable colour cast to them, but from the quick test I did at home last night, nothing thats noticable, although I may replace them for Hoyas once I have more time (Needed to protect the lenses before Sunday!!)