Product Description High Quality German Filters From the Manufacturer Protect Your Lens while Reducing UV ExposureThis UV Filter blocks the invisible Ultra Violet component of light from the sky, which can cause blur and to which many color films react with a blue cast. These filters should be called UV-Blocking Filters, because there are filters for technical applications that pass UV radiation and block all the other wavelengths. Nevertheless, the short term “UV Filter” has become established among photographers. UV Filters are ideal for photography in high altitudes (in the mountains), by the sea and in regions with very clean air. The pictures gain brilliance and disturbing blue casts are avoided. Because the glass is colorless, color rendition is not altered, aside from the elimination of the unwanted blue cast, and no increase in exposure is required. That makes a UV Filter very suitable as protection of the front element of the taking lens against dust, flying sand, sea water spray and the like, and it can be kept on the lens at all times. It is recommended for analog color and black-and-white as well as digital photography.MRC - A Special Scratch-Resistant, Water and Dirt Repelling Coating The left half of this filter has atraditional coating. The right halfhas MRC coating. The lens elements of high-quality lenses and the plano surfaces of filters require a perfect shape and smoothness to achieve the best optical quality. Dirt, greasy fingerprints, water marks and scratches reduce the image contrast and the sharpness, which can result in blooming at light sources and have an effect similar to a soft-focus lens. A clean front lens element and clean filter surfaces are therefore an absolute pre-requisite for demanding photographers. MRC coating causes the waterto bead up and slide right off. The MRC coating is first and foremost a broadband anti-reflection coating. This means that its reflection-reducing effect, which is thus also a transmission-increasing effect, i.e. one which suppresses scattered light and ghost images and transmits more light, has a broadband action over the full spectrum. In contrast, the (almost always blue) single-layer coating only has a high effect in the medium wavelength range around yellow and yellow-green where the eye is most sensitive to light, while its effect is greatly reduced toward the blue-violet and purple-red end regions of the visible spectrum. With the MRC coating, this blue, violet and red to deep-red light cannot produce any contrast reducing scattered light, spotty reflections or ghost images. A broadband effect can only be achieved with a multilayer coating which requires a much higher effort and precision because unevenness and irregularities of the individual layers build up on one another and amplify one another. Schneider therefore uses a plasma-assisted evaporation coating process in which inert gas ions accelerated in an electrical field compact the material deposited on the lens surface in the vacuum chamber. For photographers, the main advantage of MRC coating, is it's ability to combat flare and ghosting. An added benefit is that their filters remain free of dirt longer, so that they do not have to be cleaned so often. When cleaning the filter does become necessary, it is a lot easier to wipe off the dirt with a blower brush, because of MRC's ability to repel dirt and moisture. This also reduces the risk of micro-scratches which can occur during cleaning. Side view of F-Pro Mount.Click for larger view.F-Pro Brass Filter MountThis filter uses our standard B+W F-Pro filter mount, which has a front accessory thread and is made of brass. Compared to the earlier standard mount, the F-Pro mount, introduced in 2001, has become thinner. Now it can be used with wide angle lenses, including most 24mm focal lengths on a full frame body, without vignetting. Another advantage of the F-Pro mount is its modified retaining ring, which is no longer threaded in from the front, but holds the filter glass in place from the back. When removing a filter or lens hood that has been screwed on too tight to the filter, the retaining ring is not at risk of loosening.
J**Y
Avoid fakes! 2021 Updated B+W buying advice!
I’m a well known professional photographer and I “thought” an extremely savvy consumer, too. Lo and behold, through lots of research I have learned that most of the B+W and Hoya top of the line filters I have bought over the past 15 years are fake. Here’s what I’ve recently found to ensure getting legit ones here at Amazon:HOW TO SPOT A FAKE:Some fakes are easy to spot. The inner ring typography will be white instead of the gold color used by B+W in recent years. Now, the counterfeiters are beginning to make the inner type gold just like B+W. However: SEE PHOTO ABOVE. Note that the font of the fake at right is slightly thinner and just barely italic. Read on for more detail detective work tips below.AVOID THIRD PARTY SELLERSI truly believe in supporting small businesses but many of the B+W and Hoya filters out there from other resellers are indeed fakes. I trust in “Shipped and Sold by Amazon.com” yet some other third party reseller dealers are not genuine.BUY B+W ONLY WITH NEW AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM:In 2019, B+W fully switched to a new type of Hologram and authentication system. So if you are currently buying a new filter here, look for the red “Target” hologram logo on the side. Each box has a unique six digit number that you can check on the B+W website. After you enter the info, the website verifies if legit. Also, take a cellphone picture of the QR code on the box. If you are not automatically linked to the company website, it’s a fake.Earlier, I was fooled by counterfeits that simply had a scannable and seemingly legit 3D QR code. Did I bother to check. Nope! That was a mistake as when I just recently checked for the first time the link is to a non-existent website with the URL for sale!CHECK FOR REFLECTIONS ON THE FILTER ITSELF:Using the black-colored back of the B+W box, place the filter face down on it. Hover above. You should see almost no reflection of yourself, just very faint shadows. Cheap fakes are mostly like window glass with lots of reflections that weaken quality lenses bigtime. The glass for genuine filter will seem almost invisible.CHECK FILTER MARKINGS CAREFULLY:B+W and Hoya do change these over time so if you are seeing different typography styles and colors this does not mean they are fakes. For example, the current B+W logo on the side of the filter is sans serif type while older filters had the classic serif, bolder logo style.XS-PRO Nano MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the XS-PRO Nano series, all type will also be a rich gold color. All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “nano.”XS-PRO Nano CLEAR MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the XS-PRO Nano CLEAR series, all type will be a rich gold color. All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “nano.” Thus, the markings are in the same style as the UV version.F-PRO MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the F-PRO series, all type will also be a rich gold color . All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “Haze” for UV filters. The “x” in “1x” will also be in lowercase.F-PRO CLEAR MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the F-PRO series, all type will be a rich gold color . All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS including the word NEUTRAL.WEIGHT:All of the series above are brass filters with impeccable machining. Brass filters weight more. Simply get a gram scale and weigh a filter “Shipped and Sold by Amazon” in comparison to a filter you suspect as fake. This, plus carefully checking reflections carefully helped me determine how to discern a real filter from a counterfeit.SPELLING MISTAKES:I found Hoya and B+W fakes long after I’d bought them by carefully examining the box. For example, beyond fake QR codes, I found boxes with the word “licensed” mistakenly spelled as “licensed.”Hope this long review has been of some small help. I still can’t believe I was so thoroughly hoodwinked, literally for years. I also love some of the better Hoya filters but, unlike B+W, they do not seem to have a sophisticated counterfeit checking system yet in place.Keep shootin’ strong!
J**Y
Avoid fakes! 2021 Updated B+W buying advice!
I’m a well known professional photographer and I “thought” an extremely savvy consumer, too. Lo and behold, through lots of research I have learned that most of the B+W and Hoya top of the line filters I have bought over the past 15 years are fake. Here’s what I’ve recently found to ensure getting legit ones here at Amazon:HOW TO SPOT A FAKE:Some fakes are easy to spot. The inner ring typography will be white instead of the gold color used by B+W in recent years. Now, the counterfeiters are beginning to make the inner type gold just like B+W. However: SEE PHOTO ABOVE. Note that the font of the fake at right is slightly thinner and just barely italic. Read on for more detail detective work tips below.AVOID THIRD PARTY SELLERSI truly believe in supporting small businesses but most of the B+W and Hoya filters out there from other resellers are indeed fakes. I trust in “Shipped and Sold from Amazon.com” yet some other third party reseller dealers are not genuine.BUY B+W ONLY WITH NEW AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM:In 2019, B+W fully switched to a new type of Hologram and authentication system. So if you are currently buying a new filter here, look for the red “Target” hologram logo on the side. Each box has a unique six digit number that you can check on the B+W website. After you enter the info, the website verifies if legit. Also, take a cellphone picture of the QR code on the box. If you are not automatically linked to the company website, it’s a fake.Earlier, I was fooled by counterfeits that simply had a scannable and seemingly legit 3D QR code. Did I bother to check. Nope! That was a mistake as when I just recently checked for the first time the link is to a non-existent website with the URL for sale!CHECK FOR REFLECTIONS ON THE FILTER ITSELF:Using the black-colored back of the B+W box, place the filter face down on it. Hover above. You should see almost no reflection of yourself, just very faint shadows. Cheap fakes are mostly like window glass with lots of reflections that weaken quality lenses bigtime. The glass for genuine filter will seem almost invisible.CHECK FILTER MARKINGS CAREFULLY:B+W and Hoya do change these over time so if you are seeing different typography styles and colors this does not mean they are fakes. For example, the current B+W logo on the side of the filter is sans serif type while older filters had the classic serif, bolder logo style.F-PRO MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the F-PRO series, all type will also be a rich gold color . All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “Haze” for UV filters. The “x” in “1x” will also be in lowercase.XS-PRO Nano CLEAR MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the XS-PRO Nano CLEAR series, all type will be a rich gold color. All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “nano.” Thus, the markings are in the same style as the UV version.XS-PRO Nano MARKINGS:As of 2021, for the XS-PRO Nano series, all type will be a rich gold color. All gold type on the inside ring will be in CAPS except for lowercase “nano.”WEIGHT:All of the series above are brass filters with impeccable machining. Brass filters weight more. Simply get a gram scale and weigh a filter “Shipped and Sold by Amazon” in comparison to a filter you suspect as fake. This, plus carefully checking reflections carefully helped me determine how to discern a real filter from a counterfeit.SPELLING MISTAKES:I found B+W fakes long after I’d bought them by carefully examining the box. Beyond fake QR codes, I found boxes with the word “licensed” mistakenly spelled as “licensed.”Hope this long review has been of some small help. I still can’t believe I was so thoroughly hoodwinked, literally for years. I also love some of the better Hoya filters but, unlike B+W, they do not seem to have a sophisticated counterfeit checking system yet in place.Keep shootin’ strong!
J**T
Beware of Counterfeits
I received a counterfeit item. It was Sold and Shipped by Amazon so I was very surprised by this.The first red flag I saw was the filter came in a vanilla envelope within the Amazon box I received. When I opened the item, there was a pamphlet that was included and it had Chinese writing on it. The item is also made of plastic. The writing on the counterfeit is also Times New Roman font or some type of serif font. It's also Black in colour.The real filter is made of metal, comes as is in its original packaging (no extra envelope), has sans Serif font writing, is a dark gunmetal Gray colour, and no Chinese pamphlet.I've had colleagues purchase this filter from Amazon in the past and never had a problem. This could be a recent issue so as of 2018, July 7th, please be vigilant and don't fall for counterfeits even if Sold and Shipped by Amazon.
M**S
Top optical quality.
I did not realise that these filters were manufactured in Germany by Schneider Kreuznach until I read the details on the box of the first one I purchased. This company at one time supplied camera lenses to high end makes such as Hasselblad, Kodak Retina, Rolleiflex and even Leica. They still make best quality lenses for the cinematic and large format camera industry so there is no doubting their pedigree as optical glassware manufacturers. I now use these filters on my Leica cameras because they are easier to obtain and significantly less cost for the same, if not better, quality. A 52mm Leica filter costs £78 as opposed to a B + W at £46, though Leica in the UK at any rate, seem to have dropped their prices somewhat. Previously a new E 39 Leica filter was costing £120. The B + W filter has Nano coating to reduce the adherence of particles and water drops and multi coating on both sides so no reduction in photographic performance for the lower price.
K**Y
Not genuine
I've used B+W filters happily for years, and I was suspicious when this one arrived in a case that didn't fit. I then read other bad reviews here and agree with concerns. Attached is a screen shot from B+W website. There was no hologram/security number on the filter delivered. It has a yellow cast. It feels cheap. It's a dust magnet. I've returned it. Amazon should should be ashamed.
M**S
Made by Schneider Gmbh
I wish I had considered B+W filters previously. When I received the filter I saw that on the box the manufacturer's name was Jos Schneider Optische Werke Gmbh. I had no idea that these filters were made by one of the renown names in high quality German camera lens production. I use Leica cameras and have always bought the official original filters, in part because quite a few of the lenses require a 39 mm screw in size that is not available in most alternative brands and also for warranty purposes with any new lens. In any case you are not going to screw a cheap unknown quality item on the front of a very expensive lens. In recent years the price of Leica filters has gone skywards, from £72 in 2009 to £120 today and the £72 filter was not a straight UV filter either, it had special coatings to cut infra red light for use with the M8 camera because of CCD sensor colour rendition problems. The above XZ-PRO B+W filters now retail at about one third of the Leica price and have a better coating for cleaning and resisting rain spots. How glad I am that my usual Leica dealers had no 39 mm Leica filters in stock.
V**M
Good solid build quality. Optically, not sure if these are any better than Marumi DHG Super filters
Good solid build quality. Optically, not sure if these are any better than Marumi DHG Super filters, which are a third cheaper.Unlike the cheaper alternatives, e.g. from Formatt Hitech, etc, these don't introduce noticeable degradation, even at 50mpx resolution, and certainly no excessive flaring.It does, however, introduce flaring/ghosting when shot directly into the sun, more so compared to other high quality filters from Marumi / Hoya.Recommended if you want to get the extra assurance of a "Made in Germany" product, but otherwise the slightly cheaper Japanese branded products perform just as fine.
Trustpilot
5 days ago
1 month ago