Fliter coatings

**Mike Lyons** · 13-Apr-2004, 05:03

Hi to all. Can anyone give a valid comparison to the coatings of the B&W Standard and MRC filters? Is there big enough difference to warrant the expenese? O.K, that gets a bit subjective..can anyone SEE a difference? How are they in comparison to (say) Heliopans offerings? Thanks in advance- Mike

**Bob Salomon** · 13-Apr-2004, 05:28

Heliopan's SH-PMC and B*W MRC coatings are identical except for an especially hard top coat on the Heliopan that not only repels dust and moistur but is more scratch proof.

Both companies bought the same coating equipment but a year apart. The only difference, again, is in the top coats.

**Frank Petronio** · 13-Apr-2004, 05:32

How does a coating repel dust? Seems like quite an advantage, and it's a pity I've never heard about it before.

**Arne Croell** · 13-Apr-2004, 07:52

"Repelling" might overstate the case for dust, being less attractive to dust might be a better formulation. The repelling of water is done by choosing a coating with a very low surface energy - that should also help with dust since it reduces adhesion to that surface in general. Having a slightly conductive ("antistatic") material should help in addition.

**Darin Cozine** · 13-Apr-2004, 11:05

I believe that B+W standard filters are single coated on both sides, whereas the MRC are multicoated with a scratch-resistant coating on the outside.

**Bob Salomon** · 13-Apr-2004, 11:29

"it's a pity I've never heard about it before."

http://www.hpmarketingcorp.com/PR/Heliopan%20pr.html

Introduced at Photokina 2000 and introduced in US in Feb. 2001 and PR mailed to magazines for PMA 2001. Brochures have been mailed out in English since 2/01. First printed in magazines like Outdoor Photographer in June 2001.

Sorry you missed the PR, the brochure and all of the shows they have been shown at since Feb. of 2001.

If you would like the SH-PMC specific slim jim we would be happy to mail you one. Or we can email you the PR from 2001.