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[Samy]

Originally Posted by Margus

Samy,

I know what you mean but the price is never equal to the quality. I'm always amazed in the fact that by going to the high-end side there's a certain point in around 80% of the best possible quality where the price will start to grow exponentially while the quality still grows linearly. The same phenomena is almost in every field I know: audio, video, racing equipment, military electronics etc etc.

I.e. relatively speaking to have some 90% of the best possible quality it will cost multiple times of the 80% quality. Basically you only gain 10% quality for rediculously high price, and to get 95% you'll pay even more! It's always like that and probably will be like that. A sad fact of life.

While for an average person this 10% gain for a rediculously high price is laughable yet for a field-fanatic who use the stuff to the full capability this 5-10% gain makes a world of a difference! Hence everything is relative.

I've run cheap Chinese (Tiyan-Ya and others), medium price range (Cokin, Tiffen, Hoya) all the way to high-end (Heliopan SH-PMC-coated, B+W MRC-coated versions).

I can tell chinese filters degrade the overall sharpness and reduce contrast quite a bit (especially shooting against the light will dramatically reduce the contrast) but the worst of all is that they create a noticable color cast, especially their GND filters I've been annoyed alot with since it is hard to correct in PP "twisted" colours being gradually over the image. Single cheap filter is managable, but if you run multiple filters then it'll grow into a big problem with the degraded sharpness, reduced contrast and different color casts.

While the better filters I have never have those issues. The colors are clean even running multiple filters and you can shoot against even a strong sunlight w/o any noticable flare or haze problems.

Cokins have been something in between. Hence it really comes down to 'what you pay for'. So everything being relative for sure you don't need to buy the most expensive ones, just the ones that fit your personal demands on quality.


Some of my lousy film scans using multiple filters on each shot:

































































Again, all IMHO of course,
Margus

Hi Margus,

Totally Agree with you.

I consider cheap filters for carrying on M/C trip. If I am travelling in my car and carry camera bags, no need to carry cheap filters... Same like, can you easily carry a D800E or Eos5dII in your tankbag?

By the way very nice MF pictures and good scans. What MF camera you have?

I have a Hassy but will need a digital back in few years