Contax filters Any good

[albert4321]

Diane, My Contax polarizer filter is MC.

 

[benwang]

When I purchase my contax polariser, I had the sales to lay out all the other brand to see if I can spot the different. It seem to me that contax have the least reflection or flare compare to B+H, heliopan, hoya, nikon etc. Although the contax filter is most expensive, yet the quility is great compare to others. Well that's my subjective thought, on the other hand, I don't know how to measure the quility of filter objectively!

 

[albert4321]

I can also see the big difference in term of reflection between my Contax filters and Hoyas. Although I don't know if there is a noticeable different in real pictures. Lens flares frequent occurs between the filter and the lens front element. So I would not take a chance. I just byte the bullet get the best filter I can afford and not worry about the quality.
I also have B+W and Heliopan filters. They appears to me that they are better made than Contax, especially the B+W. I don't know because of it's weight, or design of the metal ring. Again, I have not tested if there are any optical different between Contax, B+W and Heliopan. The Contax is good enough for me, and certain types are cheaper than B+W. I prefer Contax mainly because I trust the brand and it looks better on my Contax lenses as they use the similar paint on the metal ring.

 

[clim]

In theory, all filters degrade the image. Some lens manufacturer recommends against using any filter. That is why for very wide and very long lenses, the gelatin filter at the back is better because it has less effect. But in practice, lens are expensive and most people buy filter to protect the lens. The effect of filter is not apparent except when there is internal reflection. That is when the picture shows images of the lens diagphram many times. Then even the best filter cannot help. But removing the filter will reduce the number of reflections. Flare cannot be much reduced because the reflection of light come mainly from the internal parts of the lens, which in Zeiss lens is very well controlled. But it is not just the filter coating that is important. A filter must be perfectly optical flat or else it will introduce distortion to the image although most time not visible. So more expensive filters hopefully are made flatter. Another important consideration is that filters even UV ones adds a slight colour. B&W most neutral so I use it for Canon. Nikon for ex&le is slightly warmer in my experience but that goes well with their lenses. Having said all these, I still buy the best filter than I can afford which is usually B&W MRC and Contax itself because it looks better on Contax lenses!