B&W Filter Selection

[r.e.]

Just curious, what lens is in your kit driving the need for 82mm monster filters?

I have the 115mm Rodenstock and that's kinda my main go to lens. I flank that with a 150mm and 90mm. So my kit is all wide these days. Next up is something longer like a 240 or 300 or a 360, but in all cases they will always have smaller filters sizes.

I use both the Lee100 System and round filters, standardised at 82mm on the latter because I think that it's a good general choice. I think that it's easy to get into a situation where you take an optimistic view on standardising, only to realise later that you have to do it all over again.

On large format lenses, I'm generally at no more than 67mm, but I do have a Nikkor-W f/6.5 360mm that takes 95mm filters.

[Drew Wiley]

I use 82's only in relation to a couple of P67 lenses, the 75 and 300. All my current LF lenses are standardized to either 67mm or 52mm (plus a few step adapters). And the balance of my MF lenses use 67 too, which is nice.

[r.e.]

I use 82's only in relation to a couple of P67 lenses, the 75 and 300. All my current LF lenses are standardized to either 67mm or 52mm (plus a few step adapters). And the balance of my MF lenses use 67 too, which is nice.

Yes. The main factor in my decision to go to 82mm was that I got involved in video, where 82mm is pretty standard. I don't want to have to use Lee100 or a matte box all the time.

There's a new approach to filters, via Kickstarter, called Revoring. It may go a long way to addressing this issue. Here's what Philip Bloom, who knows what he's talking about, said about Revoring during the Kickstarter campaign. This video was paid for by Revoring, but there are others that aren't, all positive.

It's kind of surprising that nobody came up with this idea before.

[r.e.]

I'd suggest that people take their time acquiring these filters for B&W, at least if they care about price. Since yesterday, I've been able to acquire three in 82mm. Prices including shipping:

B+W F-Pro MRC Yellow #8: B&H, open box, $70 ($90 new)
Hoya HMC Yellow-Green X0: eBay, new old stock, $36 ($70.35 new)
Hoya HMC Green X1: eBay, new old stock, $29.50 ($57 new)

Currently looking out for red #25. There seem to be a lot of these around, but I haven't come across 82mm in the last 24 hours. I've identified a vendor of both versions of Heliopan's orange #22, but I'll see whether one comes up in the next week or so.

A caveat on this. I've done enough reading on counterfeit filters that I won't buy a filter via Amazon and in most cases via eBay. In the case of the Hoya filters above, the vendor is reliable and the odds that someone would go to the trouble of making counterfeit green 82mm filters strike me as low. Nevertheless, I'll have a good look at the filters and their new old stock packaging when they arrive on Friday. The problem with Amazon is that legitimate vendors were apparently selling filters from inventory that Amazon commingled. I don't know if this commingling is still happening, but I don't plan to test it. My personal experience is that Amazon prices on this kind of thing aren't attractive anyway.

[Bob Salomon]

A caveat on this. I've done enough reading on counterfeit filters that I won't buy a filter via Amazon and in most cases via eBay. In the case of the Hoya filters above, the vendor is reliable and the odds that someone would go to the trouble of making counterfeit green 82mm filters strike me as low. Nevertheless, I'll have a good look at the filters and their new old stock packaging when they arrive on Friday. The problem with Amazon is that legitimate vendors were apparently selling filters from inventory that Amazon commingled. I don't know if this commingling is still happening, but I don't plan to test it. My personal experience is that Amazon prices on this kind of thing aren't attractive anyway.

Our experience, as a vendor on Amazon, for some of our products is that we ship to an Amazon warehouse a bundled pallet of product so they could pick from it when they or one of there dealers received an order for that specific product. They never “commingled our products. What do you mean by commingled anyway?

[r.e.]

Our experience, as a vendor on Amazon, for some of our products is that we ship to an Amazon warehouse a bundled pallet of product so they could pick from it when they or one of there dealers received an order for that specific product. They never “commingled our products. What do you mean by commingled anyway?

I mean a common inventory pool consisting of product from more than one supplier.

[Bob Salomon]

I mean a common inventory pool consisting of product from more than one supplier.

If you are talking about non branded items, like a lens cleaning product sold under the Amazon brand name you could be right. Although it would make no sense for Amazon as they keep very strict and complete sales statistics that include returns, defects, packaging problems, etc.. so they can return problems to vendors and chargeback to vendors. Too many problems and you are no longer a vendor. They also have penalty charges fo vendor failures.
If you are talking about name brand products, they only pull from stocks of that specific product or brand.

[r.e.]

If you are talking about non branded items, like a lens cleaning product sold under the Amazon brand name you could be right. Although it would make no sense for Amazon as they keep very strict and complete sales statistics that include returns, defects, packaging problems, etc.. so they can return problems to vendors and chargeback to vendors. Too many problems and you are no longer a vendor. They also have penalty charges fo vendor failures.
If you are talking about name brand products, they only pull from stocks of that specific product or brand.

I'm talking about an inventory of a specific product that mixes product from more than one supplier. European internet sources, based on Amazon Europe practices, say that this resulted in the sale via Amazon of product, including filters, that was counterfeit. I have no personal knowledge about this, and I don't know if it reflects current Amazon practice. However, it's one reason, along with broader concerns about Amazon and counterfeiting, why I'm careful about Amazon purchases. As I said, I don't think that Amazon prices on this kind of product are attractive anyway. I'd just as soon buy from B&H or another specialist photo dealer direct.

[Bob Salomon]

I'm talking about an inventory of a specific product that mixes product from more than one supplier. European internet sources, based on Amazon Europe practices, say that this resulted in the sale via Amazon of product, including filters, that was counterfeit. I have no personal knowledge about this, and I don't know if it reflects current Amazon practice. However, it's one reason, along with broader concerns about Amazon and counterfeiting, why I'm careful about Amazon purchases. As I said, I don't think that Amazon prices on this kind of product are attractive anyway. I'd just as soon buy from B&H or another specialist photo dealer direct.

Why counterfeit? Who who do that and why?
Maybe what you mean to say is gray market or parallel imports. Those are not counterfeit but are product obtained by bypassing proper channels.

[r.e.]

Why counterfeit? Who who do that and why?
Maybe what you mean to say is gray market or parallel imports. Those are not counterfeit but are product obtained by bypassing proper channels.

Bob, I'm not completely stupid. I know what the difference is between fake goods and gray/parallel import of goods. I've provided two reasons why I'm not keen to purchase filters via Amazon. Others may have a different view. There doesn't appear be much point in pursuing this further.