Lens Filter Coatings

[Sal Santamaura]

B+W and I think Heliopan use brass instead of aluminum; so there is less chance of the ring becomming stuck...

Ignoring questions of optical quality, this is the primary reason to select filters from those two manufacturers -- avoidance of aluminum-to-aluminum galling. I once had an aluminum filter ring become permanently fixed to a lens and decided never to repeat the experience.

Another factor to consider is where the glass is set within the ring. Some Apo-Sironar lenses (and, I'm told, some newer Schneider lenses) have very bulbous front elements. My 135mm Apo-Sironar N is one of them. The only filter that can be screwed on all the way without having its glass collide with the lens' glass is a Heliopan, since that ring places its filter glass farther forward than does the equvalent B+W. I'd suggest checking each lens very carefully for front element protuberance before selecting a filter.

[Bob Salomon]

Since you asked about the coatings:

Heliopan's SH-PMC coating (not the older PMC version) passes 99.9% of the light that hits the filter to the image plane so their is considerably less flare then most other coatings. This results in increased contrast, better apparent sharpness and greater color saturation. The SH-PMC coating has 8 layers on each side and the top layer on each side repels dust and water so they are very easy to keep clean and to clean. Naturally these are hard coatings, not soft or steamed on coatings. All Heliopan glass filters are ground plane parallel so they will not effect resolution with longer focal length lenses.

[naturephoto1]

I have to agree with Bob. The new Heliopan SH-PMC are the nicest filters that I have ever used.

Rich

[davidb]

And since you brought it up, how much is a Heliopan UV filter with the SH_PMC coating?

[naturephoto1]

David,

Price is size dependent. As an example a 55mm Heliopan SH-PMC at B&H Photo is $52.95.

Rich