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View Full Version : Does Heliopan make red-orange filter in 95mm



Jonathan Brewer
6-Oct-2001, 20:40
This question is for Bob Salomon. Does Heliopan make a red-orange in 95mm? I'v e bought a Heliopan 25R in 95mm off e-bay from Wallstreet but haven't been able to get a response from Wallstreet lately. I'm assuming few people will stock th e red-orange in 95mm even if it is available.

The B+W is available but special order only per the dealser out here in cali fornia and B&H lists it on their mail order website as 'out of stock'. Answer m e this, are the filters by both manufacturers coated on both sides, single coate d? I know they're both great filters, just curious about the details before I g et either one.

Thomas W Earle
7-Oct-2001, 02:50
Jonathan,

I'd be careful with the Heliopan 95mm filters, especially the yellow- orange. These filters are very difficult to make since they are so large. I returned my first filter because it had clear bubbles in the glass. They sent me another one, and it had more bubbles than the first. I now wish I had kept the first.:-( I just gave up. I still have the flawed one. It just wasn't worth the effort, especially since everyone I've gotten has been flawed. I think B + W's quality control is much better than Heliopan. In summary, I'd special order the B + W filter and forget about the Heliopan.

Bob Salomon
7-Oct-2001, 07:25
Of course they make this size and the quality is superb

Andre Noble
7-Oct-2001, 14:11
Jonathan, try to go for the Heliopan, despite Thomas's bad experience with back to back ones. Heliopan makes the thinnest filters and step up rings. As I am learning the hard way, this is especially important in Large Format, where you will likely confront possible mechanical vignetting using shifts. Andre

Wayne_6692
7-Oct-2001, 14:42
Appears that you haven't gotten a decent answer yet. Heliopan will supply anything that you want - all you need is time and money. Both manufacturers single-coat their standard line of filters on each side - even though various sources call them "double-coated" then continue on to state that they are coated on "both sides" (misleading advertising?). They both make great filters using Schott glass, presumably purchased from the same source. They both use brass rings, with Heliopan being further along on the conversion to slim mounts than B+W. If you need a slim ring with front threads Heliopan is the better bet, if you don't either one can supply what you need (B+W has their "wideangle" range of filters). The new multicoating with a protective layer is very nice - I prefer it over a single coating. BTW don't be concerned about bubbles in the glass - their effect is nil.

Bob Salomon
7-Oct-2001, 15:27
Concerning Heliopan coatings.

1: Not all fiters can be coated. Fog, soft focus, etc. filters would not work if coated.

2: Heliopan uses a hard coating on each side as their standard coating. Total of 2 coats.

3: Heliopan's new multi coating was introduced at Photokina 2000. This coating uses 8 coats per side, total of 16 coats and results in exteremly low flare, which gives greater contrast and color saturation. Additionally the top most coat on each side repels dust and moisture and is exteremel hard so it is very difficult to scratch.

With older MC equipment it was not possible to get a perfectly flat surface when appling the MC so the coating would be slightly higher in the center of the filter then at the edges.

This would result in uneven wear during cleaning so that the effect of the MC could have been lost over time. It was also difficult to apply to all filter types that could be coated.

The new coating (SH-PMC) applies perfectly flat and is applicable to any filet made by Heliopan that benefits from coating.

Wayne_6692
8-Oct-2001, 00:44
Fog and soft focus filters would work perfectly fine if coated Bob. The reason that they aren't coated is because it wouldn't ADD to their utility, and the fact that they are made of PLASTIC.

Bob Salomon
8-Oct-2001, 04:53
"Fog and soft focus filters would work perfectly fine if coated Bob. The reason that they aren't coated is because it wouldn't ADD to their utility, and the fact that they are made of PLASTIC. "

Fog and soft focus aren't coated as they need flare to work. Coating cuts fare.

And some acrylics can be coated.

Wayne_6692
8-Oct-2001, 22:37
Well Bob if flare is the mechanism by which the soft focus and fog effects are produced you'd better inform B+W, Heliopan and Hoya, (among others) because they seem to have gotten their optics theory all wrong. They seem to think that the effects are due to the use of varying patterns in the filter's surface, which creates multiple lenses of various focal lengths on the filter's surface, thus overlaying multiple out of focus images on top of the main image. And through diffraction effects in the case of "net type" filters. "Flare" is a secondary effect, and very often not present to any significant degree (depending upon the lighting conditions).

Quote from "The Filter Connection": "The next major type is the pattern type of soft focus filter. When you look at the filter very close up, a wave pattern or line pattern is visible on the surface of the filter or inside the glass sandwich, as the Tiffen's. This group differs by the count of the patterns and angles of the wave patterns. Most manufactures of filters in this group have given unique names to their products, like Tiffen's S/FX (Soft/FX). This group also has versions with warmth. Many of the filters in the above two groups do vary in the degree of softness also, by simple changes in the f/stop you use.

The last group consists of many very unique ways of disturbing the light images as the light passes to the final capture device. One of the worlds most famous, The Ziess Softar's is covered with tiny droplets that are lenses in themselves. A very popular type is the concentric ring softener; they look like water after you drop a stone into it. An example of this type is the B+W Soft Focus 1 and 2. Put also in this group is the mesh, gauze or net type of softeners. This net material comes in different colors; the most popular are the blacks and whites. An example of this type is Tiffen's Softnets"

Quote fron B+W Webpage: "B+W Soft Focus 1 and 2 These filters reduce contrast and create a soft halo around the highlights. They are also ideal for creating a hint of softness or blurred contours. Their effect is based on concentric rings and can be enhanced or reduced by opening or closing the aperture. B+W Original Zeiss Softar 1 and 2 Despite softening of the highlights, the basic focus remains sharp up to the edges with this classic soft focus accessory -- an advantage which makes focusing easy. The degree of softening is not affected by the aperture setting. Tiny lens-shaped structures in the glass of the Softar create this pleasing effect. The model number of the filter and size determine the level of effect.

B+W Soft Spot The soft spot produces a clear circular section in the center of the image where the details of the subject are reproduced in sharp focus. The surrounding area does not go completely out of focus but remains visible in softly flared contours with a slight whitening of colors.

Soft focus, trick filters, fog filters, spectra, speed effect, star effect, double sunny, and prisms are only available uncoated because coating would not improve their performance in any way."

As I previously stated they are not coated because it would not add to their utility. Because they are plastic they cannot undergo the same coating process as a glass lens (I know plastic lenses are coated - I have plastic eyeglasses), and trying to lay a coating on an irregular surface would be a losing proposition anyway. Soft focus lenses ARE coated and seem to do quite well (hint: lookup "spherical aberration").

Bob, we on this forum really should start charging you for the education that you have been receiving here