Customer Reviews

Hoya 77mm DMC PRO1 Digital Circular Polarizer Glass Filter

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After having problems with the ability to clean filters' surfaces, and needing to buy 2 polarizers (I always have a spare) for my new Canon 24-105mm pro lens for my Canon 5D full-frame SLR digital body, I ordered several different polarizers in 77mm size for testing: I'd keep the winner. All of the polarizers named in this review had front threads for filter stacking and lens cap attachment.

My problem with cleaning the polarizers' glass surfaces: When a drop of rain or some spray from a garden's water fountain landed on the polarizer, I could spend 10 minutes wiping the filter and all I did was move smears all over the place; I COULD NOT get the glass clean!!! When shooting into nighttime street lights, the sun, or other light sources, the smears really hurt image quality. It was like shooting through a dirty window.

My tests involved putting a wet fingerprint and some saliva (sometimes you try to blow dust from the filter and you end up depositing some spit on it!) on the front and rear faces of each polarizer. The Hoya HD MC 8-layer placed 2nd easiest to clean: Five seconds of cleaning with a cloth and it was good as new.

Number 1 winner was the Heliopan polarizer ($153.00): it almost cleaned itself! HOWEVER, it was not a thin-ring mount, and it heavily vignetted the corners of my lens at 24mm.

The number 2 winner, the Hoya HD MC 8-layer is a thin-ring design so any vignetting is a minor problem (it's as good as it's going to get).

In third place was the Hoya DMC PRO1 polarizer.
In fourth place was the Heliopan SH-PMC.
In last place was the B+W Multi-coated which was absolutely terrible (as bad as my previous Nikon polarizers which I returned to Nikon who refunded my purchase price (thank you, Nikon!).

Since the Hoya HD MC 8 layer polarizer is extremely easy to clean, is a thin-mount design, and has front threads, there's no reason to consider any of the others. Unfortunately, this polarizer is the most expensive of all the polarizers I tested (6 including Nikon's); however, unless you lose it or break it it's a one-time purchase, and you need clean glass to make good images.

The thinner frame makes it hard to separate from other filters, but thats the trade off you take for less vignetting.Seems to get fingerprints easily.

On the other side. I do like the way it works as a polarizer. Its even and just as I hoped.

I bought this Hoya polarizer for my Canon 10-22 mm zoom lens. It works great despite slight vignetting in the corners. I still would vouch for it despite this small inconvenience.