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Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk
Buyers’ Guide
HOYA FILTERS – THE DIFFERENCE IS CLEAR
KASE FILTERS – CAPTUREWITH CONFIDENCE The Kase Wolverine series filters are ranked as some of the best optically by independent reviews and their toughened glass construction adds extra durability and peace of mind. Kase Wolverine filters are not indestructible but are rated to be tougher than standard glass filters, hopefully withstanding an occasional accidental drop, allowing you to keep shooting great images. With no discernible colour cast, you will be able to capture true scene colours and the optical quality of the glass will give you great sharpness. The special metallic nano electro-coated glass makes Kase Wolverine filters scratch resistant, water-repellent, anti-reflective and easy to clean, making the Kase Wolverine series a joy to use in the field, no matter what conditions you shoot in. The Kase Wolverine filters are available at 100mm, in hard and medium grads of 0.6 and 0.9, small grads at 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5, as well as reverse grads at 0.9 and 1.2. Also in the range are neutral density filters, at ND64000, ND1000, ND64 and ND8, as well as specialist filters which includes the Kase Night Kit, light pollution filter and 100mm centre grad at 1.2. Every Hoya filter is the result of decades of research, know-how and complete precision, backed by full quality control. The finest materials are carefully mixed by an automatic V-blender for absolute uniformity. After being melted with highly sophisticated equipment, this material is then precision moulded with automatic direct pressing equipment. The pressed blanks are next then slowly and continuously cooled to prevent any strain and are then polished by high-speed, double-surface polishing machines that assure precise surface quality and perfect flatness. Next is the coating process, which improves light transmission ability. The transmission characteristics are checked by spectro- photometer, after which an ultrasonic cleaner removes any foreign matter from the surfaces. Only after passing all of Hoya's quality control tests are the filters assembled, finished and made ready for shipment to customers across the globe. Some other manufacturers claim to have ‘coated’ filters. But this coating is often only applied to the front side of the glass, not both sides like Hoya filters. Also, the coating on some filters is painted on or applied as a cold spray that wears off quickly or can even flake off. Hoya offers a wide variety of superior quality filters for use in all imaging applications. It is important to select the best filters for your needs, as choosing inferior brands can deteriorate the performance of your high- quality lenses. Hoya filters guarantee you the highest standards of performance so you can create the best images. In order to fully understand the wide range available, Hoya filters are grouped into several categories, as follows:
Without
With filter
GENERAL FILTERS This group includes everyday filters which can be left on your lenses, such as UV and polarising. These are the first filters that every photographer should ensure they own. UV or protector filters should be constantly fitted to a lens to give improved clarity and colour- balance, as well as offering protection to your lens. Polarising filters have several uses, such as eliminating unwanted reflections, increasing colour saturation and enhancing contrast. CREATIVE FILTERS Although similar to general filters, they produce a subtle, but realistic result which may be used to artistic effect. They are also suitable for use as everyday protection filters and may be combined with other types such as circular- PL
and UV for enhanced effect. In this case, we recommend the use of Ultra-Pro, Revo or NX-10 series filters which have thin rings and multi- coating to avoid vignetting and ghosting. COLOURED FILTERS As their names suggests, these filters use Hoya coloured glass. They are used for colour correction of different light sources, or for controlling contrast with black & white images. When shooting black & white images, these filters can be used to control the rendition of each colour in a scene as a different shade of grey. The colour of the glass used in all these filters is carefully controlled and to reduce the
possibility of colour shift over a period of time, such high-quality filters are coated or multi- coated on both sides. This maintains the desired effect and gives a long service life. SPECIAL EFFECT FILTERS These Hoya filters make it possible to add many different special effects to your pictures, such as starbursts, close-ups, softening and multi-images. It is simple to achieve outstanding creative or unusual results and take special photographs for memorable occasions such as weddings, birthdays and holidays.
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H&Y – REDFINING PHOTOGRAPHY
H&Y has been in the UK in its own right for just over a year. But in reality, the company is over ten years old, with three factories and a workforce of over 700 people. This is because it is themanufacturer of many other brands of filters you might bemore familiar with. And yet, it is new tomarket in the UK, and until nowmost commonly known for its innovativemagnetic attachment system for retro-fitment to Lee Filters, Formatt Hitech and NiSi systemholders and filters. However, H&Y’s offering has now increased to include a wide range of glass filters, plus its own holders and other accessories. Of course, this all relies on using its patentedmagnetic attachment method. What makes the filters special is the fact that they are made from toughened Corning Gorilla Glass 3; that’s the same glass and surface coatings as a modern smartphone. As such, these filters are incredibly strong, and especially high resolution with minimal colour deviation. Colour accuracy, the blend of ND effect across the image area, the optical sharpness, even tangibility tests
(including wearing gloves, and howwater runs from the surface or wipes off and doesn’t smear);in all, H&Y rated especially high, or highest of all. The H&Y holder is manufactured fromaluminium with a clever rear element drop-in slot for either a circular polariser (included), or optional ND or ND circular polariser filters. The holder design is both slim, and easy to use. It’s also provided with four lens filter adapter rings to get you started, excellent value in all for £200. H&Y is distributed by PhotoTEQwho has just launched a special promotion of 3 for 2 onmagnetic filter frames to adapt your current system to magnetic attachment.
kasefilters.com
photoTEQ.com
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