Hoya filters - Which is better in quality?

Hoya Multicoated Filters

Why buy multi-coated filters? Multicoatings offer many benefits over single, or non coated filters. First, coating enhances light transmission, it reduces and removes unwanted reflections which cause ghosting and flare in images, and the coatings protects the surface of the filter. In general, light transmission improves as more layers of coating are applied. Many other manufacturers standard filters are bare glass, and bare glass can reflect as much as 9% of the light hitting it - 4.5% off the front, and 4.5% off the back. This greatly increases unwanted flare and ghosting, particlulary in stong or direct light. Some manufacturers 'coated lenses' only coat the front side of the glass, not both sides like Hoya filters. Also, the coating on many other manufacturers filters is “painted” on or applied as a cold spray that are not as durable. Hoya's layers of anti-reflective coating are bonded to the surface of the glass in a furnace at a temperature of up to 800 degrees F.

Bare Glass - without Multicoating	With Multicoating

Hoya offer a choice of filters with 3 different coatings:

STANDARD These Hoya filters offer both amateur and professional photographers great quality at reasonable prices. They have coatings applied to both the top and bottom surfaces to reduce reflection and increase light transmission. There are a few exceptions in the special effects range which, due to special materials and construction do not have coatings applied.

HMC (HOYA MULTI COATED) These popular Hoya filters are renowned for their ability to minimise reflection at the filter surfaces reducing flare and ghosting and other unwanted light refractions. The result is an average light transmission of over 97%, giving sharp contrast and well balanced colour. HOYA HMC filters are recommended for enhancing the performance of multicoated lenses, both for use with film and digital cameras

Hoya's ultra thin Circular Polarising filters have seven layers of ulticoating applied to their rear surface to further eliminate unwanted internal reflections and ghosting. Advanced thin selective film is used to guarantee perfectly polarised light with neutral color balance. They also feature an extemely slim profile of just 5mm, helping to avoid vignetting problems, and making them ideal even with wide angle lenses. There is no front female thread on the Super HMCs, but they do accept push-on lens caps.

HOYA Super HMC filters will appeal to the most demanding of photographers who require the ultimate in performance.

Filters in this Hoyas ULTRA series basically feature thin filter rings, designed primarily to avoid vignetting problems which occur with wide angle lenses. The ULTRA series filters use rings just 3mm in thickness, except for the hybrid UV/Polariser which has a 5mm rotating ring. HMC Multicoating is applied to both sides of the filters and they are supplied with our push-on lens caps. The HOYA ULTRA series filters are the ideal choice for wide angle lenses.

HOYA PRO1 SERIES FILTERS The Hoya Pro1 s are available in HMC (Hoya Multi Coat) and Super HMC (Super Hoya Multi Coat), and Pro 1 DIGITAL filters (see product below). The SHMCs have twelve layers of multicoating to the surfaces, producing an average light transmission of 99.7%. PLEASE NOTE: It is easy to confuse the Hoya Pro1 filters with the Hoya Pro1 DIGITAL filters - The Hoya Pro1 can be used in digital and non digital cameras and lenses but are not the Pro1 Digital filters as below, which were designed for digital photography.

HOYA PRO1 DIGITAL SERIES FILTERS The Hoya Pro 1 DIGITAL filters are specially designed for digital cameras, and digital photography. They are fully multicoated, and although are marked HMC (Hoya Multi Coat) on the filter, we have been officially told (from the UK distributor) that they are effectively Super HMC filters, specially designed for digital photography, and among the best filters for digital photography.

PLEASE NOTE: The Pro1 Digital's are described (both through retailers and Official suppliers) as either HMCs or SHMCs (despite being the exact same product, and same barcode number), and marked DMC (Digital Multi-Coat) on the retail box and MC (Multi-coat) on the filter. Although this has caused confusion for us, customers and indeed the distributors themselves, whether described as Super HMC, SHMC, HMC, MC, or DMC, they are all the same product, and are marked DMC (Digital Multi-Coat) on the retail box and MC (Multi-coat) on the filter. The DMC (Digital Multi-Coated) filters have extra layers of multicoating for digital photography above SHMC (Super Multi Coated) Hoya filters. This product is often confused with the non digital Hoya Pro1 Super HMC with the brown reatail case, (above).

New technology has enabled HOYA to produce superior performance Skylight and UV glass is just 1mm in thickness. It is also tempered for increased strength. The glass is mounted in a super slim 3mm ring with front filter thread - as in the ULTRA series filters. As the ring is only 3mm thick this avoids vignetting even in ultra-wide angle lenses.

HOYA PRO 1 DIGITAL FILTERS have also newly formulated multi-coatings specially designed for the digital cameras CCD and CMOS sensors reducing stray reflections and unwanted refracted light to a minimum.

		Digital Multi-Coated Digital multi-coated filters greatly reduce the appearance of lens flare and ghosting caused by reflections, and greatly improve optical quality and performance.
		Black Almite Frame Hoya filters feature a black matte aluminum satin finish almite frame which reduces unwanted reflections off the filter frame.
		Black Rimmed Glass The Hoya Pro1d filters are equipped with black rimmed glass to reducing light reflecting off the edge of the filter.
		Low Profile Frame Ultra thin filter frames which help avoid vignetting on wide angle lenses. Also designed to hold a lens cap firmly in place.
		Knurling Edge Frame These filters are equipped with a straight knurling edge for non-slip, easy attachment and removal.
		UV Protected Case Filter cases are UV protected to further lengthen the life of filters when in storage.

Hoya Pro1 Digital filters are among the best filters for digital photography currently available.

HOYA HD SERIES FILTERS HIGH DEFINITION The New Hoya HD series filters is a brand new line of High Definition filters from Hoya from May 2008. HARDENED GLASS Featuring Hardened optical glass that has 4 times the breaking strength of normal glass, for added strength and durability and resistance to breaking.

WATERPROOF / SCRATCH & STAIN RESISTANT MULTI-COATING
Specialized coatings that are water-proof to help repel water droplets and also hardened to be scratch and stain resistant. Featuring Hoya Multi-coated glass to greatly reduce reflections off the surface of the glass allowing maximum light transmission.

HIGH TRANSPARENCY POLARIZING FILM
The polarizing film in the Hoya HD Circular Polarisers filters is the same as that used in the latest high definition LCD TV screens. Hoya states it has 25% higher light transmission than standard polarizing film used in current photographic filters.

The Hoya HD Filter series will available in UV and Circular Polarizers in standard sizes from 52mm to 82mm.