21.5.2013

Well basically I bought this filter from Amazon the other day, seems to be genuine.I like the image it provides, there is seriously no noticeable loss of quality from using this lens! That's a plus one for the filter at least, however somehow on the FIRST TIME USING IT I've managed to get a scratch on the lens, although on this occasion I did accidently put it in my pocket with some loose change for a few seconds (idiot).It also doesnt seem to be very "fingerprint resistant" as I have had to wipe it multiple times now, and it picks up more dust than my uncoated tiffen filters if anything.Maybe I got a dud, I don't know, but judging from the (I will happily admit this) SUPERB image quality,I think not.Take my review with a pinch of salt, at the end of the day if you're careful with this you should be fine, however don't believe all the hype about it being so scratch and fingerprint resistant because at the end of the day if you think its some miracle filter you're gonna end up breaking it just by treating it as if its made from solid oak. Just my two cents.I give it four stars and not less because the image quality is simply staggeringly good, I will only use this in crappy conditions though, as I believe the best lens is an uncovered one.EDIT: In the end, I had to change this review to 5 stars. I feel perhaps I was a bit harsh considering I went so far as to put it in a pocket full of bloody change, so I can't fault the Hoya on such an extreme beating. Furthermore, it is just a tiny, barely noticeable chip.Admittedly, it smudges rather easily, and they don't seem to be easy to clean off. I spent a good five minutes rubbing at it the other day, and was quite worried for the coatings. I truly did believe I would have rubbed them off, delicate as they are. Upon testing it however, it seems to be 110% intact, and hasn't suffered any loss in performance. If there is any, it must be invisible to the human eye because I simply do not see it there (even in the most extreme of crops).I have had time to run more significant tests with it, and I will say when shooting directly into light sources such as the sunset and electric lights, it does suffer from reflections, however even without the filter I found this to be the case (although to a lesser degree), and this is generally unavoidable.Generally though, and this is why I felt the need to change my review to one of five stars, I found this filter to be INVISIBLE. It simply doesn't show when you are not shooting direct into bright light sources, and even at the most extreme crops you can not tell you are using a filter. I have put pictures up showing this. It is truly the best of the best in filters, and if you have concerns about using a filter on big expensive lenses, I would recommend you cast them aside if you plan on shooting in mucky conditions, as this is truly worth it in terms of protection and you will not loss any quality conceivable to the human eye. If you are not shooting in mucky or dangerous conditions then... well... why bother?In my opinion this brilliant little piece of glass is money will spent, and compared to other pieces I simply could not help but give it five stars in spite of the fact that it does in fact smudge easily and does scratch relatively easily in spite of Hoya's claims. It is simply invisible and does not affect the final image of your photography in simply any way, and should be an addition to every photographers camera bag in my opinion.

1.8.2011

I bought this polarising filter in mid-June after reading a review of polarising filters in "Advanced Photographer", in which it was awarded "Best in Test", but was rather expensive. It was a pleasant surprise to find it available from Amazon at just over 1/3rd of the usual price.I have now used it for about 6 weeks and I am very pleased indeed with it's performance. It works really well darkening blue skies, improving contrast between clouds and sky, and brightening the landscape generally. It has improved my landscapes considerably. It reduces reflections in water quite well, but did not remove reflections in images that I took in an aquarium,

12.5.2015

I am slowly changing all my UV and other protectors to these, most are 77mm, some 58mm and 72mm. The construction is solid, looking through the filter and a window, the coatings add a clarity (which I did not expect) to the view. (Time to clean the windows?) Shining various lights along the surface shows no ripples or interference patterns, I have seen this on other protector filters.I have not tested one to destruction, but the glass seems to be tough, which gives me a reassuring feeling when one of these filters is on the front of a lens.Image quality appears the same with or without the filter, also there is no shift in colour temperature or increase in flares when shooting into light.

4.8.2014

You want a circular polarizing filter. This kind of filter removes a lot of reflections, softens the hard midday light in your photos and improves contrast. It makes colors pop especially the blue sky will suddenly look gorgeous but it will also make grass and leafes look greener and more "juicy". When shooting pictures of water, fx the ocean, the surface will suddenly be transparent instead of a shiny blank surface, and you will be able to see either whats below the surface or a beautiful deep blue color. Picture of any item with reflections from light can be magically improved, as it removes the reflections in many cases.Be advised though, it does reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor in the camera,

17.5.2013

Compared to a Hoya SMC Pro which is not shabby by any means, this is exceptionally clear.Only you can decide if its value for money, but I value not having to clean the actual face of my lenses but don't want to pay any optical penalty for that - with this filter there is no penalty to speak of.Out in the field, the transformation is amazing - I can shoot almost directly into the sun before there is even a glimmer of glare, and then only minimal non-invasive "blob", not washed out contract and haze which you can get shooting near the sun. Makes the lens hood just about obsolete other than for physical protection - the sun is well inside that before any adverse effect is visible.

22.1.2011

The HD series are the best filters Hoya makes and Hoya makes excellent filters. Multicoating is already superb for the SHMC and PRO 1 Digital series which are very thin yet strong filters with excellent transmsission properties and glass planarity. The HD grade claims extra hardened, stronger glass and scratch resistant/oleophobic coatings.The latter reduces a bit the likelyhood of leaving fingerprints, and certainly makes the filters easier to clean. For most lenses these filters are a bit of an overkill, just because of the already excellent SHMC and PRO 1 Digital Series. However at 52 mm the difference in price on the market is small.For pro lenses and/or heavy use the hardened glass and

4.5.2011

I purchased this filter mainly because of its spec and the good reviews it has received. As soon as I got it out of its box, I could see that it was worth the money. Looking through the filter at the palm of my hand, I couldn't tell there was glass there at all! In fact, I could see more/better detail through it but I couldn't see the glass. I then looked at both the Hoya HD protector/filter and my other (cheaper) one which, by the way, is also not a bad make and also claims to be multi coated. What a difference! Looking at the cheaper filter I could clearly see my reflection looking at it but through the Hoya HD I could see only my hand holding it! There was no reflection whatsoever!

18.4.2012

Having read loads of reviews on various websites I finally decided on this model of polarising filter. Although relatively expensive it is likely to be used a lot - in fact as most of my work is outdoors it is attached almost permanently to the lens, to be removed if NOT required, rather than an 'extra' added if required. Of course the amount of 'effect' can be adjusted by simply rotating the filter, using the white arrow marker on the edge as a guide. It is thin and light enough to be unobtrusive, with no noticeable vignetting. It is claimed to be dirt and scratch resistant, although I have not tested this! The main plus points are that it can provide the right amount of effect (not 'over the top'

25.9.2016

When you decide to invest in a bridge camera, like the Panasonic FZ1000, it's really important to protect the lens. Unlike a DSLR which has interchangeable lenses, bridge cameras don't. So if you damage the glass, you'll need a new camera. That's where this comes in - it's a piece of high quality protective glass that screws onto the front of your camera lens, protecting it against bumps, scratches and dirt. It doesn't affect the image quality at all. But you will need to take it off before using any other filters or conversion lenses with your camera. If not, just leave it on as permanent protection. It's worth spending the money on this one for the quality,

14.6.2016

Ordered 2 by mistake, but I have 2 lenses with 77mm mounts so it was ok. They fit fine on my 20-200 f/2.8L and Tokina 11-16 wide angle with no vignetting. Very clear, don't appear to give a colour cast at all.However I have had a potentially difficult situation with them and a Lee filter adapter ring. The fit was so tight between them and the grip between the finishes on both components that I couldn't get the ring off the protector - it too half an hour of struggling before they eventually came free and I was really worried about broken protector glass slicing my fingers. Naturally I'm very reluctant to put any sort of lubrication on the threads so for the time being I'm going to have to remove the protector before adding in the Lee ring.

28.10.2019

Brilliant. Good fit, the glass is so clear it's almost invisible. I've bought a number of Hoya HD filters in the past - certainly the best ones to go for. No colour cast, no discernible effect on the finished image or light loss. The attach and detach easily - I've never had one get stuck on a lens. Definitely worth spending the extra cash on decent filters - especially if you have decent lenses. The idea of sticking a cheap filter on £1,000 lens is ridiculous, you've spent the cash on the lens, now spend some cash on a decent filter!Update - 9 years of professional use later, the filter is still going strong. Having said that, I've changed camera systems to the much smaller, lighter, fuji X series,

21.8.2011

I always use a Protector Filters on my lenses,not UV to guard against dirt and water marks since I do not believe in cleaning the front lens element unless it is absoluteley necessary. It is much cheaper to replace q filter than a scratched lens. Having previously used Hoya Pro 1 filters I thought I would try their HD filter. These are better optically and manufactured from tougher glass and dust and moisture is more easily removed from their surface.Hoya Pro1 filters are good but these are even better. I have bought other makes of filter but always come back to purchasing those made by Hoya. I know they are mor expensive but well woth the money if you want to care for your lens optics.I would advise anyone to check out the Hoya website and search google if you are at all not sure.

12.10.2010

This filter does what it says on the tin.I bought it to protect my EF 100-400mm L lense as i do a lot of shooting on the beach and particularly wanted to keep sand from contact witht the front element. It has done this to great effect and is also easy to clean with a quick wipe with a microfibre cloth or some cleaning solution to get rid of sea spray.I was initially reluctant to put a filter on a telephoto lense for fear of degrading image quality. Im no pixel peeper but i certainly havn't seen any loss of quality with this filter in place.I would recommend buying this if you have expensive lenses and want added protection for them, its much cheaper to replace the filter than your lense.

26.11.2010

Any serious photographer needs a polariser filter to get rid of unwanted reflections, improved colour, super cloud scapes & so on. In certain situations, it can replace a neutral density filter too. For those of you that done't know, get a UV filter too which you can leave on your lens all the time. This Hoya filter is top of the range but was at a bargain price. Performance is top class, very thin & light & much more durable than cheaper filters. It always pays to buy the best filters if you can afford them. Remember, you don't need to buy filters for every lens ou won. Just buy for your largest diameter & then buy step down rings. Saves a fortune. Anyway, for this polariser,

17.5.2013

Having used the traditional dark polars for years, this is a revelation - very reduced inherent darkening. The clarity is exceptional too and the reflection removal from shiny objects seems superior (near 100%) to previous Hoya polars I have used. I use these a lot and this increase in light transmission is going to enable greater DoF or faster shutter or reduced ISO - all will give me a greater chance of a perfect shot.One really odd thing though - for years the way to prove a polarising filer or glasses was doing its job was to cross then at 90 degrees - if they are polar, they go black. These don't do this - they darken a little, but not that much.

Hoya HD Protector - Reviews

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