Re: [Leica] Leica or B+W Filters

["Bob Walkden" <bobwalkden@hotmail.com>]

Hi,

I will second Shel's description of the shoddy QC on Hoya filters - I've 
even had one that, when I lifted it out of the box for the very first time, 
left the glass behind and just an empty ring in my hand!

However, apparently Hoya make the Contax filters, and they are very good 
indeed, although more expensive even than B+W.

One thing to be wary of with B+W filters is that under some circs. the 
retaining ring can come loose. I had this problem when I used a B+W brass PL 
with a Heliopan metal hood, which I think is aluminium, and removing the 
hood unscrewed the retaining ring.

Cheers,

Bob


>From: Shel Belinkoff <belinkoff@earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica or B+W Filters
>Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 08:43:16 -0700
>
>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?
>

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