S & W UV Filter....?

D

dragion

Senior Member
I purchased a Tokina SD 12-24mm F4 (IF) DX lens from Craigslist and attached was a S & W UV filter.
It seems to multi-coated, but most likely not super-coated like the B+W or Hoya Pros.

I usually use either Nikon NC or B+W MRC filters...never heard of S & W.
It does have some sort of "smudge" on it, but doesn't appear on the shots.

Anyone know anything about this filter...good or bad?
Should I replace it with a better known brand...thinking trying a Hoya HMC (C) Slim Filter
Hoya 77mm HMC UV C Multi Coated Slim Frame Filter 024066051400 | eBay

Any advice/feedback will be appreciated.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
dragion said:
Would the Hoya be considered an upgrade?
I don't have the funds to spend $70 for either a B+W or Nikon. :(
Click to expand...
I would say yes, and while I don't use a UV filter, I must confess I *do* have several Hoya filters because I think Hoya pretty much nails the price vs. performance "sweet spot". Even so, most anything would be better than that S&W in my opinion; they're pretty much bottom of the barrel.

.....
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Did you remove the filter to make sure the smudge isn't on the front element of the lens? The reason I ask is because I recently got a wide angle zoom and looked at available UV filters. During my search I came across an article telling about a Canon wide angle lens that was getting damaged when a front filter was added.

Not all filters are equal--and I'm not talking about quality here. Some manufacturer's use thicker glass for their filters than others, and when these filters with thicker glass are screwed onto the front of some lenses, the filter's glass actually hits the front element of certain lenses (quite often some wide angle lenses with a bulging front element) causing damage. :(

I'm trying to remember where I read it--I *think* it showed up in my Facebook news feed--possibly from Borrowed Lenses or some other photography Facebook page. I wound up buying a Hoya slim filter which uses very thin but durable glass. When I read the description for Hoya's glass, initially I wondered why they would use such thin glass...now I know. ;)

Sorry I can't offer you any info on the brand of filter that came on your Tokina lens though.
 
D

dragion

Senior Member
hark said:
Did you remove the filter to make sure the smudge isn't on the front element of the lens? The reason I ask is because I recently got a wide angle zoom and looked at available UV filters. During my search I came across an article telling about a Canon wide angle lens that was getting damaged when a front filter was added.

Not all filters are equal--and I'm not talking about quality here. Some manufacturer's use thicker glass for their filters than others, and when these filters with thicker glass are screwed onto the front of some lenses, the filter's glass actually hits the front element of certain lenses (quite often some wide angle lenses with a bulging front element) causing damage. :(

I'm trying to remember where I read it--I *think* it showed up in my Facebook news feed--possibly from Borrowed Lenses or some other photography Facebook page. I wound up buying a Hoya slim filter which uses very thin but durable glass. When I read the description for Hoya's glass, initially I wondered why they would use such thin glass...now I know. ;)

Sorry I can't offer you any info on the brand of filter that came on your Tokina lens though.
Click to expand...

I have cleaned the the lens when I received it and there isn't any smudges or marks on the lens...it's definitely on the filter.
I tried cleaning the filter with my LensPen and smudge remains.

See below:

7DK_9936.jpg
 
Top