Help with Understanding UV Filters....

[anubis]

Guys, bear with me on this one:

Need some help with 77mm UV Filters. Now I know that both Hoya and Nikon produce reputable filters and both are high quality.

Basically looking at the HOYA Set there is the:
(1) Standard Multicoated UV filter
(2) The HMC UV Filter
(3) Super HMC UV Filter.

Or the Nikon Version (L37C?).

I have read that a filter costs you about one-two f stops depending on which one you select (an issue in low light).

Can I assume the Super HMC is a 1 stop and the Standard UV 2 Stops....? Or is the Super HMC less than 1 stop?

What about the Nikon version - can I assme that its a "1 Stopper"?

Or doesnt it matter at all and I should just get the cheapest Standard Multicoated UV Filter?

Primary use will be for lens protection - so don't want to take the filter off much, but am interested in getting "bang for buck" i.e. not just get the Super HMC if there is little difference between it and the HMC from a practical point of view.

Just interested in opinions.

[zeb00]

i was under the impression that a UV filter had very littly difference on the amount of visible light that gets through and any desent (nikon, hoya) filter would have far less then 1 stop impact. but im sure you will find smeone here who knows more about it then me.

[MattC]

Anubis

I am no expert on the subject, but the difference in the filters that you mention is simply the coatings (and the glass used in manufacturing). There appears to be slight variations in light transmission with the more expensive allowing slightly more light through, although not 1 or more stops. The difference would appear to be only a few percent.
Think of the standard being low tech and the Pro1 being high tech. The coatings are there to prevent reflections, lens flare and other undesireable characteristics. The better they are, the better optical performance and the more you pay.

Perhaps you were thinking of (or confusing with) ND (neutral density) filters which are designed to filter 1, 2 or more stops depending on the filter.

Cheers

[anubis]

Interesting, thanks MattC for your comments.

[gstark]

Different glasses have different properties in terms of light transmission capabilities. Different filters, and different types of filters, always wear an EV factor of some type.

Both of these qualities are important if you're going to be using the filters to shoot through. IOW, if you're using UV filter purely as lens protection while walking wround, and you remove it for making exposures, then none of this matters.

But if you're using filters during exposures, then getting good quality glass is very important, and given the pricing regime that Maxwells impart upon us here in Oz, I'd suggest buying a high quality non-Nikon filter; I use Hoya.

The Ev factor iexpresses how much exposure compensation you need to dial in to your exposures where you're metering externally; internal metering shouldn't need too much adjustment, although my experience with the CPLs is that some compensation is neccessary.

Finally, most UV filters carry an EV of 0, and you can safely use them without worrying about compensating for them.

[anubis]

Thanks Gary.... looks like I will go with Hoya - your recommending the Super HMC right?

[gstark]

I seriously doubt you'd be able to discern any difference between either of their filter types, but for the ultimate performance, yes.

[anubis]

Thanks Gary.

[Matt. K]

anubis
Be a real photographer and throw your UV filter away....unless you do heaps of landscapes and are trying to avoid atmospheric perspective. I love amospheric perspective.