Heliopan Filters

[Kirk Gittings]

Who is a good mail order source for Heliopan filters. Someone who actually stocks some inventory?

[David A. Goldfarb]

If B&H doesn't have what you're looking for, try www.photofilter.com.

[Oren Grad]

Kirk - I've bought a few Heliopan filters from B&H over the years, albeit only in oddball small sizes for M-Leica lenses. At the moment, a search for "Heliopan" on their site returns 756 listings, and 129 if you limit the search to "in stock". I'd be surprised if anyone else does even that well.

[Robert Oliver]

calumet.... at least their san diego store stocks them. or did back in june.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

I have used www.photofilter.com that David mentions above.

[Steve Hamley]

Possibly Midwest Photo Exchange. I ordered some rather large ones, but some were in stock in sizes I didn't expect them to be. Give Jim a call first.

Steve

[Lee Hamiel]

Kirk:

I have bought a number of Heliopan filters from Team-Foto in Germany over the last few years & their prices are great.

See:
http://stores.ebay.com/Team-Foto

[Kirk Gittings]

I tried all of the above. Only Team Foto in Germany has a decent inventory. Why are inventories of these filters so bad in the US? I am just looking for a 77mm no.15 and a 22. I can find B&W's in a minute. But I have had many issues with B&W filters and don't want to buy anymore of them, but it is really hard to find the Heliopans.

[Lee Hamiel]

Kirk:

See:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Heliopan-Gelbfilter-Dunkel-15-E-77-77-mm-Gewinde_W0QQitemZ270017296619QQihZ017QQcategoryZ79994QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Heliopan-Orangefilter-22-mit-E-77-77-mm-Gewinde_W0QQitemZ270017291291QQihZ017QQcategoryZ79996QQcmdZViewItem

[Kirk Gittings]

I gave up and just bought B&W again. I was in a hurry for a trip. Hopefully they fixed the issues I had before.

[Bill_1856]

Posting on this forum that you have "issues" with a well-respected brand raises questions that are unreasonable to leave unanswered. So I'll ask specifically -- "WHAT issues?"

[Kirk Gittings]

Ok, fair enough. This is from purchases a few years ago.

1) The locking ring working its way loose so that the glass flops around (one actually fell out). These rings are very hard to tighten in the field and shouldn't come loose. I have seen this problem mentoned by others on this forum in the past, and 2) the multicoating being soft and scatching easily.

[JW Dewdney]

I've used their filters for years and years and always found them to be built like a brick ... uh.. house! No problems at all. Those and B+Ws. Are you sure they were real Heliopans and not some taiwanese knockoff? Where did you get them? Just curious.

[Michael Mutmansky]

Kirk,

Go get some red Loctite and put a little drop on the threads of the retainer ring. I doubt they'll ever come off after that. A little goes a long way with this stuff, and you'd better not want to remove it. If you think you'll want to remove the retainer in the future, get the blue Loctite.

As for scratching them, quit using brillo pads to clean your optics. Have a fun trip.


---Michael

[Kirk Gittings]

JW,

I was only refering to problems with B&W. I have never owned a Heliopan. Others in this forum have reported the loose ring issue before, but maybe the soft MC was a single production run problem.

Because of those experiences I quite using glass filters for years and used Lee Polyesters instead, but I have become such a clumsy dufus that I am continually sneezing into them, jabbing them with my finger punching them thru the frame, dropping them in dirt etc. that they have become a liabilty.

[Bill_1856]

Sounds like a reasonable complaint, to me. When you sent them back did they replace them with better ones? You did send them back, didn't you?

[JW Dewdney]

JW,

I was only refering to problems with B&W.

D'oh...! oops. Sorry.

[Kirk Gittings]

Bill,

That is another story............an anger management tool.........................lets just say I had great satisfaction watching one of them sailng off a bridge smashing into the rocks below and the other became one of the best "skipping stones" I've ever had the pleasure to throw.

[JW Dewdney]

Bill,

That is another story............an anger management tool.........................lets just say I had great satisfaction watching one of them sailng off a bridge smashing into the rocks below and the other became one of the best "skipping stones" I've ever had the pleasure to throw.

Gives a new meaning to "schott glass" - there's a joke in there SOMEWHERE!

[Keith Pitman]

A friend tells me that B+W filters showing up on Ebay these days are likely to be Chinese counterfeits. I have no idea if this is true of not, but buyer beware.

[Kirk Gittings]

JW,

Touche, I think.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

JW,

I was only refering to problems with B&W. I have never owned a Heliopan. Others in this forum have reported the loose ring issue before, but maybe the soft MC was a single production run problem.

Because of those experiences I quite using glass filters for years and used Lee Polyesters instead, but I have become such a clumsy dufus that I am continually sneezing into them, jabbing them with my finger punching them thru the frame, dropping them in dirt etc. that they have become a liabilty.

Kirk, I have had B+W filter for years and never had a problem, OTOH when I was unemployed I sold Heliopan when I worked at a camera shop. If you are rough on the filters then Heliopans are a better choice. B+W have a more "refined" finish, the Heliopans are built like bricks. A slight disadvantage would be if you stack filters, for instance a polarizer and a colored one. The Heliopan rings are a bit thicker than the B+W, so if you stack and are using a wide angle you might get some vignetting. Other than that you should be very happy with the Heliopan.

If your choice of filters is too narrow, you might want to contact HP marketing and ask them who has them in stock, they might be able to help you.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Heliopan switched to slim rings for all their filters at a certain point, so most of the newer Heliopan filters that I have are in thinner rings than most of the B+W's that I have, but I have one or two B+W filters in slim rings as well.

[Bob Salomon]

If a deaaler does not have the filter you want in their stock when you need it they can simply order it from us and have us drop ship it directly to you. Even on the same day. There is no charge for drop shipping.

[Steve Hamley]

For the record, I've also had B&W retaining rings come loose. Not fatal, but it is a hassle. I like Heliopans even though most are only single coated, especially the old brass housings. Yes, I know you can special order multicoated, but I don't think I've ever seen one while MRC B&Ws are common. One of my favorite filters is an older Heliopan uncoated warm tone Kasemann polarizer.

Bob, you make it sound easy but Heliopans are harder to get. You have to call or e-mail a dealer, then he has to order, etc etc when in most cases B&Ws are in stock for on-line ordering at major photo houses like B&H. for example, I'd like to try a yellow-green filter for fall B&W shots. B&W is in stock at B&H and Heliopan status is "Accepting orders". If it was important and I wanted it in time, I'd be ordering the B&W filter. I'd probably have all Heliopans if B&Ws weren't easier to get.

Steve

[Bob Salomon]

For the record, I've also had B&W retaining rings come loose. Not fatal, but it is a hassle. I like Heliopans even though most are only single coated, especially the old brass housings. Yes, I know you can special order multicoated, but I don't think I've ever seen one while MRC B&Ws are common. One of my favorite filters is an older Heliopan uncoated warm tone Kasemann polarizer.

Bob, you make it sound easy but Heliopans are harder to get. You have to call or e-mail a dealer, then he has to order, etc etc when in most cases B&Ws are in stock for on-line ordering at major photo houses like B&H. for example, I'd like to try a yellow-green filter for fall B&W shots. B&W is in stock at B&H and Heliopan status is "Accepting orders". If it was important and I wanted it in time, I'd be ordering the B&W filter. I'd probably have all Heliopans if B&Ws weren't easier to get.

Steve

Steve,

We stock and sell lots of SH-PMC Heliopan filters. Even through B&H. And B&H does stock Heliopan.

It is just as easy to order an item that the dealer does not have in stock as it is to order when it is in stock at the dealers. If we have it in stock they just have us drop ship it to you if you ask for drop shipping. B&H, Adorama, Samy's, John Smith camera shop regularly call us on a 3rd party call or with the consumer on hold to check our stock stsus. frequently we can ship it faster then your dealer can as we ship same day if the dealer asks to the consumer or the dealer, at no extra charge. Since we have no minimum orders all the dealer has to do is call the order in to us and give us the shipping address. This would include the dealer closest to you as well as mail order dealers.

[Steve Hamley]

Thanks Bob, that's good to know. I just placed my order for the yellow-green.

Steve

[Eric James]

Steve,

We stock and sell lots of SH-PMC Heliopan filters. Even through B&H. And B&H does stock Heliopan.

It is just as easy to order an item that the dealer does not have in stock as it is to order when it is in stock at the dealers. If we have it in stock they just have us drop ship it to you if you ask for drop shipping. B&H, Adorama, Samy's, John Smith camera shop regularly call us on a 3rd party call or with the consumer on hold to check our stock stsus. frequently we can ship it faster then your dealer can as we ship same day if the dealer asks to the consumer or the dealer, at no extra charge. Since we have no minimum orders all the dealer has to do is call the order in to us and give us the shipping address. This would include the dealer closest to you as well as mail order dealers.

Bob, Is this true of Rodenstock lenses?

[Bob Salomon]

That is true for all items we sell in both the photo market and the luggage market.

[Helen Bach]

The soft multicoating problem with B+W filters was fixed a while ago. The current multicoating (MRC 'multi-resistant coating'), is a big improvement on the old MC.

Best,
Helen

[Kirk Gittings]

Thanks Helen that is good to know. I knew I was not dreaming or using a brillo pad.

[Sal Santamaura]

The soft multicoating problem with B+W filters was fixed a while ago. The current multicoating (MRC 'multi-resistant coating'), is a big improvement on the old MC.I agree. Also, while I've had a few B+W filters arrive (new) with the retaining ring not fully seated and loose glass, they were returned and replaced without question by the dealer. Never did an originally secure retaining ring loosen while the filter was in service. This hasn't happened for quite a few years now, and I've purchased a fair number of filters recently.