B&W Filter Selection

[Drew Wiley]

Risky, yep. I learned that the hard way. Stacking threaded filters risks them getting jammed together tight, as well as accumulating more dust and sweat while fiddling around with them. I gave up on that method many moons ago. Now I keep them in individual appropriately sized round plastic containers, then rubber band those together and put them in a ziplok bag, then into an appropriate pack pouch. Hoya filters once came standard in these kind of round containers, but now unfortunately in flat square pegboard stye plastic, which is OK but bigger.

Although I have a huge selection of filters in storage, I try to carry no more than three black and white contrast filters, and three color correction filters, on any long trip. Too many just get in the way
and slow down the shooting process. Early on, I was shooting with a Sinar in Titcomb Basin in Wyoming, and only had along two contrast filters and a single lens, a 210. The sun was rapidly setting. Nearby was a nice fellow shooting a Tachi, who had brought along seven lenses and nearly two dozen different gel filters. He spent so much time trying to decide what to use, fidgeting around, and chasing loose filters in the wind, that by the time he was finally set up, it was already dark and too late. Keep it simple.

[BrianShaw]

“Keep it simple”.

There has never been advise any better than this!

“ But since yellow filters are relatively abundant, yet 22 deep orange is down to only one maker at this point, I'd latch ahold of the latter while you still can. ”

This is excellent advice also!

I put my filters in filter wallets, by size and sometimes by type. Types are contrast filters and soft focus and related portraiture filters. Grab and go.

[AdamD]

I think I'm going to go with the Heliopan 22.

I personally carry them in my backpack inside their own pouch.

[r.e.]

I think I'm going to go with the Heliopan 22.

There are two versions of that filter - a standard coated version and a fancier multicoated version - and it's unclear which version U.S. resellers, who are supplied by the Mac Group, are selling. You can't tell from the SKU, because resellers like B&H are not using Heliopan's SKUs. They are using SKUs that I assume the Mac Group made up.

The version available in the U.S. is being sold at the same price as the multicoated version in Europe, there being a significant price difference between the versions. The question is, which version is being sold at that price? Also, why aren't both versions available here?

The more expensive version should have SH-PMC on the rim. The B&H photo doesn't show the rim.

[AdamD]

There are two versions of that filter - a standard coated version and a fancier multicoated version - and it's unclear which version U.S. resellers, who are supplied by the Mac Group, are selling. You can't tell from the SKU, because resellers like B&H are not using Heliopan's SKUs. They are using SKUs that I assume the Mac Group made up.

The version available in the U.S. is being sold at the same price as the multicoated version in Europe, there being a significant price difference between the versions. The question is, which version is being sold at that price? Also, why aren't both versions available here?

The more expensive version should have SH-PMC on the rim. The B&H photo doesn't show the rim.

This time I plan to use Adorama.

[CreationBear]

[QUOTE=Drew Wiley;1609733]Risky, yep. I learned that the hard way.QUOTE]

Good to know, thanks!

[AdamD]

Update:

I ordered the #22 from Adorama. I have no idea what I'm going to get MC or not. I just hope they can fulfill the order in the next 4 weeks.

I live in the Phoenix area and it's too hot to shoot LF right now, but in a month or so I'll want to start shooting again!

[r.e.]

Update:

I ordered the #22 from Adorama. I have no idea what I'm going to get MC or not. I just hope they can fulfill the order in the next 4 weeks.

If the Adorama photograph shows what you are getting, it looks like Adorama is selling the standard version of the filter at the price that European vendors want for the SH-PMC version. In 82mm, the SH-PMC version sells in Europe for about US$35 more than the standard version, ex-VAT. I think that if what Adorama is selling is the SH-PMC version, the description would say so. As far as I can tell, U.S. resellers don't even offer the SH-PMC version as an option, although they do for a number of other Heliopan filters.

Given the history of the Mac Group on prices, this does not surprise me. The Mac Group was also the distributor for Mamiya film cameras. When I purchased a Mamiya 7II, I discovered that I could purchase a return air ticket to Europe, and spend a couple of nights in a decent hotel, for the difference in the European and U.S. price. Indeed, I purchased my Mamiya 7II from Robert White in the U.K. and had them ship it to New York. Saved a lot of money.

This photo shows the ring on the SH-PMC version of Heliopan's #22 orange filter. I can't download the interactive version of the photo, which let's one "travel" around the ring, but the words "Made in Germany" come right after the code SH-PMC:




This is the Adorama photo. It matches European vendor site photos of the standard version. If you go to Adorama's site and "travel" around the photo, the rim does not contain the code SH-PMC:



I'm considering the purchase of this filter and a red #25, which raises the same issue, myself. B&H and Adorama are local to me. Before buying from either of them, I will want to know exactly what they are selling. The failure to use Heliopan's own SKUs, and the photos above, don't give me a lot of confidence in what's going on here. This may be a situation where I choose to use a vendor from elsewhere, as I did last year when I purchased Heliopan's UV/IR Cut. It helps that vendors from elsewhere also tend to have Heliopan filters in stock, or can get them with a short wait. I'm not big on catering to the Mac Group's arrogance as a distributor.

[r.e.]

Update:

I ordered the #22 from Adorama... I just hope they can fulfill the order in the next 4 weeks.

As I understand it, you want 82mm. In a rare event, this morning B&H's site shows the filter in stock. No need to wait four weeks, if you're OK with the version of the filter and price. If you call B&H to find out which version this is, it would be great if you could pass along the answer. I'd love to know by personal message if you don't want to write a post.

According to the screen capture below, the filter isn't in the store. That just means that it's at the warehouse in New Jersey, which is where it would be shipped from to you anyway.

[BrianShaw]

My last purchase from Adorama was shipped from that NJ warehouse. They "shipped" (provided tracking number) next workday. Watching the tracking was fascinating. It took several weeks and the package spent a day at each of numerous small towns as it traveled by train to me.