Zeiss 21: which UV and polifilter to buy?

[niels123]

I just purchased a secondhand Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distaton T*. I want to put a UV filter to protect the lens and also have a polarizer. Maybe the B+W polarizers (about $200) here are a bit too expensive. I think Hoya offers excellent value for money and with my current filters (hoya 77 HD vs B+W C-pol 67mm) it is not easy to see the difference.

However, 21mm is wide and I don't want to buy a filter only to find out that it heavily vignettes...

http://www.amazon.de/Hoya-HD-Polarisationsfilter-Cirkular-82mm/dp/B001G7PMHC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1435297568&sr=8-2&keywords=hoya+82mm+polarisationsfilter

I think this filter has the normal thickness and will vignette? Wat would you recommend?

What about this UV filter, will it vignette?

http://www.amazon.de/XS-Pro-Digital-010-UV-Haze-Filter-nano/dp/B004861KAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435298727&sr=8-1&keywords=b%2Bw+82+uv+filter

Thanx!
Niels

 

[Eldar]

I did not use a UV (or any other clear) filter, but I use a B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano polarizing filter (I sold my 21mm Zeiss, but regret it, so I will most likely buy it again). They come in various quality gradings and are prized accordingly. The 21mm is a very good lens, so I would save up for a good filter and B+W is (in my opinion) very good. Getting the MRC and nano coatings is a good idea, but it carries a price tag, so you should consider how critical it will be.

 

[niels123]

I did not use a UV (or any other clear) filter, but I use a B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano polarizing filter (I sold my 21mm Zeiss, but regret it, so I will most likely buy it again). They come in various quality gradings and are prized accordingly. The 21mm is a very good lens, so I would save up for a good filter and B+W is (in my opinion) very good. Getting the MRC and nano coatings is a good idea, but it carries a price tag, so you should consider how critical it will be.

I have, for instance compared my B+W c-pol filter and my hoya HD polarizer filter on my Canon 100L macro. The images look nearly identical and comparing a 100% view of the two filters shows almost no differences in sharpness. I think the 100L macro at f/5.6 is different a lot from the 21 from Zeiss (in terms of sharpness and micro contrast, not FOV obviously, what do you think?

 

[Eldar]

I did not use a UV (or any other clear) filter, but I use a B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano polarizing filter (I sold my 21mm Zeiss, but regret it, so I will most likely buy it again). They come in various quality gradings and are prized accordingly. The 21mm is a very good lens, so I would save up for a good filter and B+W is (in my opinion) very good. Getting the MRC and nano coatings is a good idea, but it carries a price tag, so you should consider how critical it will be.

I have, for instance compared my B+W c-pol filter and my hoya HD polarizer filter on my Canon 100L macro. The images look nearly identical and comparing a 100% view of the two filters shows almost no differences in sharpness. I think the 100L macro at f/5.6 is different a lot from the 21 from Zeiss (in terms of sharpness and micro contrast, not FOV obviously, what do you think?

A wide angle, like the 21mm will be more challenging for a pola filter than a longer focal length. With a cheaper filter, ghosting, flare and loss of contrast are the primary issues. You may also see reduced image sharpness. I have no experience with your Hoya filter, so I cannot comment on its quality.

 

[niels123]

I did not use a UV (or any other clear) filter, but I use a B+W XS-Pro MRC Nano polarizing filter (I sold my 21mm Zeiss, but regret it, so I will most likely buy it again). They come in various quality gradings and are prized accordingly. The 21mm is a very good lens, so I would save up for a good filter and B+W is (in my opinion) very good. Getting the MRC and nano coatings is a good idea, but it carries a price tag, so you should consider how critical it will be.

I have, for instance compared my B+W c-pol filter and my hoya HD polarizer filter on my Canon 100L macro. The images look nearly identical and comparing a 100% view of the two filters shows almost no differences in sharpness. I think the 100L macro at f/5.6 is different a lot from the 21 from Zeiss (in terms of sharpness and micro contrast, not FOV obviously, what do you think?

A wide angle, like the 21mm will be more challenging for a pola filter than a longer focal length. With a cheaper filter, ghosting, flare and loss of contrast are the primary issues. You may also see reduced image sharpness. I have no experience with your Hoya filter, so I cannot comment on its quality.

If I take the Canon 24 f/2.8 IS or the Sigma 24 1.4 ART (which I both own as well) and compare my hoya filter with my B+W filter, would this than also be similar to what you can expect on the 21? In other words: how big is the polarizer filter effect difference between 24 and 21 mm?

Did you mount a B+W XS-Pro MRC nano polarizer on your 21mm and did you see any vignetting?

 

[xps]

I bought two Hoya polarizer in 2014. Take care to buy it from an Hoya certified shop. There are many fakes Hoya filters around. Bought such one last year and it was optically awful. The original filter was ok.

I use one Heliopan High Transmission Polfilter circ. Slim SH-PMC for my wideangle lenses, and one B&W XS-Pro Digital. Optically I can´t see much differences as they are both good. The B&W is more expensive (bought it for around 250€ at 82mm, the Heliopan was about 100€ cheaper (but is high transmission and swallows lesser light)).
To avoid vignetting, the XS-Pro Digital version will be needed if you buy it from B&W

 

[niels123]

I bought two Hoya polarizer in 2014. Take care to buy it from an Hoya certified shop. There are many fakes Hoya filters around. Bought such one last year and it was optically awful. The original filter was ok.

I use one Heliopan High Transmission Polfilter circ. Slim SH-PMC for my wideangle lenses, and one B&W XS-Pro Digital. Optically I can´t see much differences as they are both good. The B&W is more expensive (bought it for around 250€ at 82mm, the Heliopan was about 100€ cheaper (but is high transmission and swallows lesser light)).
To avoid vignetting, the XS-Pro Digital version will be needed if you buy it from B&W

Which hoya polarizer did you buy exactly? Also a 82mm version for the Zeiss21? How big of a difference do you see between B+W and hoya on that particular lens?

 

[xps]

I bought two Hoya polarizer in 2014. Take care to buy it from an Hoya certified shop. There are many fakes Hoya filters around. Bought such one last year and it was optically awful. The original filter was ok.

I use one Heliopan High Transmission Polfilter circ. Slim SH-PMC for my wideangle lenses, and one B&W XS-Pro Digital. Optically I can´t see much differences as they are both good. The B&W is more expensive (bought it for around 250€ at 82mm, the Heliopan was about 100€ cheaper (but is high transmission and swallows lesser light)).
To avoid vignetting, the XS-Pro Digital version will be needed if you buy it from B&W

Which hoya polarizer did you buy exactly? Also a 82mm version for the Zeiss21? How big of a difference do you see between B+W and hoya on that particular lens?

I bought two Hoya HD Polarisationsfilter Cirkular 82mm (they are a little bight brighter than the Pro digital.
One Hoya filter was ok, but it broke after some month (my fault), the other had 2 small coloured stains in the glass (the print of the "Hoya HD" on the side of the filter was different to the picture at the Hoya page) so I sent it back. When I tried to order an new Hoya, the shop assisitant told me, that they do not offer this filters as there are many faked filters around.
Then I ordered the B&W there and bought the Heliopan at the manufacturer for my 16-35mm 2.8 II Canon and the Distagon 18 3.5.

My personal opinion is, that the Heliopan and the B&W are a little bit better. Visibly better on the Zeiss 18mm (but this lens makes me not happy, I should have better bought the 21mm). But I did not compare the Hoya and the others directly, just a feeling from the taken pictures

A friend of mine, who uses an D810 from Nikon says, the B&W filters and Heliopan are much better, if you use an big MP Camera.

 

[niels123]

I bought two Hoya polarizer in 2014. Take care to buy it from an Hoya certified shop. There are many fakes Hoya filters around. Bought such one last year and it was optically awful. The original filter was ok.

I use one Heliopan High Transmission Polfilter circ. Slim SH-PMC for my wideangle lenses, and one B&W XS-Pro Digital. Optically I can´t see much differences as they are both good. The B&W is more expensive (bought it for around 250€ at 82mm, the Heliopan was about 100€ cheaper (but is high transmission and swallows lesser light)).
To avoid vignetting, the XS-Pro Digital version will be needed if you buy it from B&W

Which hoya polarizer did you buy exactly? Also a 82mm version for the Zeiss21? How big of a difference do you see between B+W and hoya on that particular lens?

I bought two Hoya HD Polarisationsfilter Cirkular 82mm (they are a little bight brighter than the Pro digital.
One Hoya filter was ok, but it broke after some month (my fault), the other had 2 small coloured stains in the glass (the print of the "Hoya HD" on the side of the filter was different to the picture at the Hoya page) so I sent it back. When I tried to order an new Hoya, the shop assisitant told me, that they do not offer this filters as there are many faked filters around.
Then I ordered the B&W there and bought the Heliopan at the manufacturer for my 16-35mm 2.8 II Canon and the Distagon 18 3.5.

My personal opinion is, that the Heliopan and the B&W are a little bit better. Visibly better on the Zeiss 18mm (but this lens makes me not happy, I should have better bought the 21mm). But I did not compare the Hoya and the others directly, just a feeling from the taken pictures

A friend of mine, who uses an D810 from Nikon says, the B&W filters and Heliopan are much better, if you use an big MP Camera.

So you have personally used a B+W MRC nano XS-Pro KSM 82mm polarizer on the Zeiss 18? I see it has the same filter size as the Zeiss 21. If this filter does not vignette on the Zeiss18, it certainly won't do it on the 21 either

 

[Eldar]

I bought two Hoya polarizer in 2014. Take care to buy it from an Hoya certified shop. There are many fakes Hoya filters around. Bought such one last year and it was optically awful. The original filter was ok.

I use one Heliopan High Transmission Polfilter circ. Slim SH-PMC for my wideangle lenses, and one B&W XS-Pro Digital. Optically I can´t see much differences as they are both good. The B&W is more expensive (bought it for around 250€ at 82mm, the Heliopan was about 100€ cheaper (but is high transmission and swallows lesser light)).
To avoid vignetting, the XS-Pro Digital version will be needed if you buy it from B&W

Which hoya polarizer did you buy exactly? Also a 82mm version for the Zeiss21? How big of a difference do you see between B+W and hoya on that particular lens?

I bought two Hoya HD Polarisationsfilter Cirkular 82mm (they are a little bight brighter than the Pro digital.
One Hoya filter was ok, but it broke after some month (my fault), the other had 2 small coloured stains in the glass (the print of the "Hoya HD" on the side of the filter was different to the picture at the Hoya page) so I sent it back. When I tried to order an new Hoya, the shop assisitant told me, that they do not offer this filters as there are many faked filters around.
Then I ordered the B&W there and bought the Heliopan at the manufacturer for my 16-35mm 2.8 II Canon and the Distagon 18 3.5.

My personal opinion is, that the Heliopan and the B&W are a little bit better. Visibly better on the Zeiss 18mm (but this lens makes me not happy, I should have better bought the 21mm). But I did not compare the Hoya and the others directly, just a feeling from the taken pictures

A friend of mine, who uses an D810 from Nikon says, the B&W filters and Heliopan are much better, if you use an big MP Camera.

So you have personally used a B+W MRC nano XS-Pro KSM 82mm polarizer on the Zeiss 18? I see it has the same filter size as the Zeiss 21. If this filter does not vignette on the Zeiss18, it certainly won't do it on the 21 either

I have used that filter on the Zeiss 21. It does not add vignetting.

 

[Zeidora]

I use an XS-Pro on my 21. I still has the front filter thread, so I can attach the Zeiss lens cap. On my old 21/CY I had a B&W slim (before the XS line was out), but it has no front filter thread, and the push-on lens cap just keeps falling off.

For pol, I use a Lee WA lens adapter and the Lee polarizer holder with a 105 mm B&W cPol. No vignetting either. The pol can occasionally produce uneven effects, and can accentuate the natural light fall-off towards corners (aka, "vignetting" not same as filter rim vignetting). If you want that effect, great, I find it occasionally a bit too cartoonish. But that is a matter of taste.

Heliopan is significantly more expensive in the US. You may also want to look at the following site:
http://www.lenstip.com/113.1-article-UV_filters_test.html
Another one to consider is breakthrough
http://breakthrough.photography
for any new UV needs I may give that one a try.

 

[nc0b]

XPS In what way are you unhappy with your Zeiss 18mm f/3:5? For me it was a vast improvement over non-L Canon lenses I had in the 20 to 24mm range. Since I usually want something important in the foreground, and infinity sharp, too, I usually shoot the Zeiss 18mm at f/8. I bought a B+W filter for it, but the version I bought didn't have threads on the outside, so I couldn't screw on the metal after market lens cap. I should make some comparison tests just to know if the filter has any effect. As thin as it is, I double it makes vignetting any worse wide open.

 

[fazel]

I know very little about polarizers, but have been asking myself the same sort of question (quality vs cost mostly). This is a very thorough review of polarizing filters.

http://www.lenstip.com/115.1-article-Polarizing_filters_test.html

 

[NancyP]

I have the Zeiss 21 and use a B+W MRC nano XS-Pro KSM 82mm "slim" polarizer - no vignetting. I don't use a UV or clear filter on a routine basis - I did buy it a B + W MRC clear filter. I also have step rings so that I can use the polarizer on the 58mm to 77mm filter-size lenses (yes, it does look silly on the 58mm lens.

 

[Oneand0]

Niels123,

You're going to love that lens. I bought the Ziess polarizer 82mm and it works great! I own B&W polarizers for other lenses and this one performs perfect. No problems here using it. Sample picture of end results bringing up submerged rocks and clarity.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1and0hound/16636216900/in/dateposted/

Good luck and happy shooting!

Mario