Hoya 72mm Circular Polarizing PL-CIR HMC Multi-Coated Filter

by Hoya

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B00009R9D5
• Item model number: Y5POLC072
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #43 in Camera & Photo > Accessories > Filters > Polarizing Filters
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 17, 2007

Product Description

Dollar for dollar, there is no other accessory that can make as noticeable an improvement in the way your outdoor photographs look as a Polarizing Filter offers you. Light rays which are reflected by any surface become polarized and Polarizing Filters are used to select which light rays enter your camera lens rather than allowing all the scattered multi-directional light waves to enter simultaneously which degrades picture quality. Both the older style PL (Linear Polarizing) and the more modern PL-CIR (Circular Polarizing) filters provide the same photgraphic effect, but it is important to use the correct version for your camera. Many of today's cameras use semi-silvered mirrors or prisms to split the light entering the viewfinder in order to calculate exposure and focusing distance. Older style PL (Linear Polarizing) filters can sometimes interact with these items to give unpredictable exposure or focusing. So it is recommended that you choose a PL-CIR (Circular Polarizing) filter which will work on both the most modern digital cameras as well as the older manual focus film cameras. They allow you to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water, wood, grass, leaves, snow, glass, etc. They also enable colors to become more saturated and appear clearer, with better contrast. This effect is often used to increase the contrast and saturation in blue skies and white clouds for incredibly vivid yet natural looking scenic photographs. In addition, HOYA's Polarizing Filters do not adversely affect the overall color balance of the photograph. Hoya Multi-coated HMC filters are renowned for their ability to minimize reflection at the filter surfaces which reduces flare and ghosting to enhance the performance of today's multi-cpated lenses. The result is an average light transmission of over 97%, giving sharp contrast and well balanced color.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the good die young, June 15, 2008

By 

David H. Meaders "imdm" (Down by the Riverside) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hoya 72mm Circular Polarizing PL-CIR HMC Multi-Coated Filter (Accessory)

Good to excellent color and light interplay (when used properly), capable of obtaining really desirable clarity and removing unlovely glare, shine and reflections. Unfortunately, the surface coating scratches very easily rendering the glass unusable. While walking around on a shoot, the camera twisted and brushed against my vest buttons. It might as well have been rocks as the accident scraped off some of the coating in the center of the glass. Granted, it could have scratched the lens (except I use a UV to prevent that) so it could have been worse. (Use your lens caps and hoods!)
I will be ordering the Heliopan Heliopan 77mm Circular Polarizer Lens Filter or the Heliopan 77mm Circular Polarizer Filter - SH-PMC (16 Layer Super Hard Multi-Coated) because Heliopan glass is "dyed in the mass" and as such it is far less prone to destruction from a simple act of carelessness. This route may be expensive, but so is replacing circular polarizers.
Another option, but not what I want to deal with is the Lee Foundation Kit LEE Filters Foundation Kit - Filter holder, an interesting way of building a flexible filter arsenal.
BTW, these filters are going to be thicker than others since that is the nature of the beast. I would recommend getting a 77mm (or greater) for a 72mm lens, then using a step-up ring to avoid (or reduce vignetting). Thinner rings are better, but cost more.

38 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Brand Name Filter, July 3, 2007

By 

kkrome25 "kkrome25" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hoya 72mm Circular Polarizing PL-CIR HMC Multi-Coated Filter (Accessory)

Hoya is the best when it comes to combining quality and reasonable price. It is used by professionals and amateurs alike. If you are using a film or digital SLR camera (with thru-the-lens metering), you must use a circular polarizer instead of a conventional one, or the metering will be way off. This unconventionally-sized 72mm filter is the one to use for those who have the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good filter, February 5, 2008

By 

A. Merritt (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hoya 72mm Circular Polarizing PL-CIR HMC Multi-Coated Filter (Accessory)

The Hoya filter arrived on time and has so far done a fine job for me. I am an amateur photographer, so I'm sure there are other filters out there that pro's would prefer, but this does what I wanted it to do. It is multi-coated, and so far I haven't had any lens flare problems. I am using it primarily on a Nikon 18-200mm lens. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a mid-priced, good polarizing filter.