Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica or B+W Filters
From: Shel Belinkoff <belinkoff@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 08:43:16 -0700
References: <01BFF625.4034D3D0@user-2ive1f6.dialup.mindspring.com>

I can't address the "why" of your question, but no matter how much I
tried to get a Hoya SMC filter clean, the fluid would just bead up and
streak.  I've heard some  people say that cleaning could ruin a Hoya
MC filter, but I don't know in what way it would be ruined or, if in
fact, the  filter was really ruined.

My feeling is this: B+W delivers the goods and I have never heard
anything bad about them, other than that they're expensive.  Many
people like Hoya filters,  but I sense that they're manufactured to be
sold at lower price point, and that their QC is not as high as B+W or
Heliopan.  I base this on the number of poorly finished and fitted
filters I received out of a batch of a dozen or so that I bought a few
months ago.  I tried to save some $$$ and was disappointed in the
product.  

Add that to the number of people who've complained about cleaning
problems, my experiences in that area, Hoya's aluminum rings which
sometimes stick and are difficult to remove from lenses, and I'll opt
for what I perceive as the better, albeit more expensive, B+W filter
any time (It should be noted that B+W does produce some filters with
aluminum rings, so, if you're buying B+W, be sure to get the filters
with the brass rings).  

I own quite a few B+W filters and have been quite satisfied with each
and every one of them.  Even their cases are more substantial, IMO. 
In fact, there's an on-line filter supplier who sells  Hoya, and
other, filters, as well as B+W filters, and seems to feel that the B+W
cases are good enough to be sold separately - and gets about $9.00
apiece for them.

Well, there you have it, a typical Belinkoff ramble .... Cheers!
- -- 
Shel Belinkoff
mailto:belinkoff@earthlink.net

Austin Franklin wrote:
> 
> > They also claim that their filters are
> > easier to clean compared to Brand X.  My own experience confirms that
> > it is easier to clean a B+W MrC filter than it is a multi-coated Hoya.
> 
> Now that's interesting!  An aspect I never thought of.  Any idea why that is?  Did the Hoya just take more to get the streaks off of?

In reply to: Message from Austin Franklin <austin@darkroom.com> (RE: [Leica] Leica or B+W Filters)