Any Suggestions: UV Filter & VND Filters for EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 Lens

[Ray and Paula]

 :)Hi,
 I have a Canon 7d with a EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 Lens & hood. I'm currently looking at UV  & VND filters for it.
UV Filter: I'm leaning towards the B+W 77MM XS-PRO UV MRC-NANO (link below) mainly due to quality & being thinner. Their "Nano" type filters are suppose to be easier to clean opposed to their regular MRC filters. Have you ever used this filter? If so, can the Canon lens hood be used? I've heard that the filter is slightly bigger in diameter.
https://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1554&IID=8160

VND Filter: As for the VND filter, I'm leaning towards the Tiffen. I realize that it's not the best, but better than average according to reviews. This filter along with a good VND comparison test performed by Doug Dugdale is on the following link;
http://www.tiffen.com/displayproduct.html?tablename=filters&itemnum=77VND

 I would like to know your thoughts & suggestions with the aforementioned as well as others, along with your experiance in regards to these type of filters. As for the UV filter, I would keep it mounted at all times with the exception of using a vnd filter. I would prefer a UV filter that will work with my hood. Your help & expertise would be most appreciated. Thank you, Ray

[JerryKnight]

Re: UV filters..

Are you intending to actually block UV light, or provide front-element protection?

Because UV filters are useless for digital sensors, since they aren't sensitive to UV light, at least not enough to affect picture quality. The only use I would agree with is to protect the front element, especially on a ~$1000 lens, but the front element is surprisingly strong, and for many photographers (including me) the added protection of a filter isn't worth the potential increase in lens flare and reduced contrast. Using a lens hood can help prevent this, but a lens hood itself provides plenty of protection for the front element.

[Ray and Paula]

 :)Hi Jerry,
 Two reasons, first for protection and secondly for the help of keeping out dust, etc. Thanks, Ray

[neuroanatomist]

I've got B+W MRC filters on almost all my lenses (bought before the Nano coat came out, new lenses will get a Nano).  I have a mix of XS-Pro and the standard F-Pro mounts, depending on the lens. 

The EF-S 17-55mm is actually pretty resistant to filter-induced vignetting:



Basically, you can stack a standard CPL onto an XS-Pro or a slim/Nano CPL onto an F-Pro and still not get increased vignetting.

Personally, I had an XS-Pro on my 17-55mm, bought before I did the above tests.

As for a VariND filter, personally I prefer solid ND filters, and I find that a 3-stop and a 10-stop give me the flexibility I need.  In my case, that's partly because I often want long exposures with wide/ultrawide lenses.  Starting at about 24mm on FF (15mm on APS-C), uneven polarization occurs - you see this with a CPL on wide/ultrawide lenses as banding in the sky.  A variable ND filter is essentially a pair of stacked polarizers (one circular, one linear), and at  wide/ultrawide angles, the uneven polarization manifests as a 'Maltese cross' artifact - a dark 'X' through the frame that gets more prominent as the AoV gets wider and/or the darkening of the VariND is increased (at the darkest end, you start to see the artifact even into the normal focal length range).

But...if I were going to get a variable ND filter, I'd likely be choosing between the Tiffen one and the relatively new Schneider Optics version (Schneider is the parent company of B+W).

[Ray and Paula]

Hi,
 Awesome info.!! Do you know if the Canon hood would fit the B+W 77MM XS-PRO UV MRC-NANO? The reason I ask is due to B&H stating that it may not fit. Thanks, Ray http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/756191-REG/B_W_1066125_77mm_Ultraviolet_UV_MC.html

[2n10]

Hi,
 Awesome info.!! Do you know if the Canon hood would fit the B+W 77MM XS-PRO UV MRC-NANO? The reason I ask is due to B&H stating that it may not fit. Thanks, Ray http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/756191-REG/B_W_1066125_77mm_Ultraviolet_UV_MC.html

You may need to mount the hood first and then the filter.  If you have large hands/fingers this may not work for you.  It works for me and have average size hands and fingers.

[Ray and Paula]

Good idea........ My hands are also average. It may be a pain removing the filter everytime I want to use the hood, but at least I may be able to use both at the same time. Thanks, Ray

[neuroanatomist]

Hi,
 Awesome info.!! Do you know if the Canon hood would fit the B+W 77MM XS-PRO UV MRC-NANO? The reason I ask is due to B&H stating that it may not fit.

That's a generic warning.  The 17-55's hood will fit fine with the filter in place, on and off.  B&H is warning that the actual filter is slightly larger (less than 1 mm) than the 77mm threads.  The filter for the 17-55 is the EW-83J - it's mount diameter is 83mm, plenty of space!

[Ray and Paula]

Hi Neuroanatomist,
  Wow......... Somebody smack me......... Why didn't I think of that! I just measured the I.D. of my genuine Canon EW-83J hood, it's actually 80mm. I should have a couple mm's for play. Now all I need to do is find out the actual size of the B+W 77 XS-Pro UV MRC-Nano 010M Filter. All I can say is thank you for all your help! Ray

[Ray and Paula]

Hi,
 Just got word from a rep at B+W Schneider Optics. He stated that the factory specs for the filter is 80mm. It's right there in size. Now I'm really curious to see how well it will fit. Hmmmm.......

[neuroanatomist]

Sorry, but you're worrying over nothing. Put the filter on the lens, the hood will fit just fine.

FWIW, for both the XS-Pro and F-Pro mounts, in all the sizes I have (58mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, and 82mm), the outer diameter of the filter is the same as the outer diameter of the same-sized lens cap. If the hood fits over the lens cap (it always does), it fits over the filter.

[Ray and Paula]

Thanks........ Just wanted to make sure that it would fit before purchasing. Thanks again, Ray

[Ray and Paula]

Hi,
 Received my B+W 77MM XS-PRO UV MRC-NANO filter. The hood fits just fine as you stated. Now I'm trying to decide on a variable ND or just a couple solid ones for my Canon 17-55 2.8 lens.  Basically all I'm after is a nice blurring motion - soft look in my DOF. Do you have any suggestions for a couple good all around solid ND's for my lens? Thanks again to all of you, Ray

[neuroanatomist]

Personally, I find that a 3-stop and a 10-stop ND cover all my needs.  There are a lot of not-so-good variable ND filters out there, from an IQ standpoint.  The good ones are from Tiffen, Singh-Ray, and Schneider (B+W's parent compant).  I avoid variable NDs because I often want to use an ND with ultrawide lenses, and they're not optimal there (at wide focal lengths, you get a 'Maltese cross' artifact - an 'X' through the image - that gets worse the wider the AoV and the darker the setting).  But at 17mm on APS-C, you'd either not see it at all, or only at the very dark settings of a variND.

[Ray and Paula]

 :)Thanks for the great info....... decisions.. decisions.........