Since my switch to the Sony system I have needed to get new filters as the new lenses have different diameters than my Canon lenses. First of all you will remember from previous posts that I do not believe in UV or so called protective filters; so I don't buy those. Secondly, I believe in buying very good filters, even at higher cost. Your lens will never be better than the filter you place in front of it because whatever light gets through to the lens is the only light your lens has to work with.

          The first three filters I bought was from B+W:

I am very happy with these filters. They check all the boxes that need to be checked when looking for good quality filters. Here are some pointers to consider when buy filters and yes, I use them for digital photography.

1. Brass rings: cheap filters usually use aluminum rings which tend to bind to your lens. This makes it very difficult to remove them from your lens, especially if the filter is a polarizer because the front part rotates independently from the back part and it can be difficult to get a good grip on the back part to remove a stuck filter. Brass rings are more solid and don't get stuck so easily as aluminum.

2. Schott glass: this glass is some of the best glass in the business. I want to put the best glass in front of my lenses so that my lenses get the best light to work with.

3. 16 Layers of coatings: the magic is in the coatings. Coatings can be harder than the glass that helps prevent scratches. Coatings prevent ghosting, flaring, reflections, and so forth. Certain coatings bead the rain so that it just runs off. They can repel dirt and dust and they are easy to wipe clean. This last point is a big one as some filters are notoriously difficult to clean.

4. Filter profile: the filter ring profile needs to be slim when you plan to use them with wide angle lenses (please read one of my previous posts on being really careful to use a polarizer on a wide angle lens when including the sky in the photograph) to prevent vignetting. Please make sure that your slim mount ring can still take your lens cap. Some filters cannot take a lens cap and provide you with a cap that fits over the filter - they fall off and get lost; stay away from these (even some previous versions of B+W filters).

5. The filters above are Kaesemann polarizers which give you extra weather sealing (although this is not always necessary).

6. Price / Performance ratio: Singh Ray makes great polarizer filters but I just cannot bring myself to pay that price when all tests show that these are just as good or very, very close to as good.

          I needed two more filters to complete my filter setup. As usual I wanted to buy B+W filters (I have also owned Rodenstock and Heliopan filters and have been happy with them) but I stumbled across Break Through Photography filters. They make some rather brave claims on their website: http://breakthrough.photography/  I got close to pulling the trigger on them but I did not.  They were a bit more expensive than the B+W filters and they were a new company. I spend a few weeks dialoguing with them till I decided to be brave and test them. I was assured that I could return them if I was not satisfied. After all, these filters also checked all the right boxes for me: brass rings, Schott glass, 16 layers of coatings, slim profiles, weather sealed, etc.

          Here they are:

Although one of the filters showed on back order when I placed my order both of them came together and within a day or so. These filters present the best of any filter I have seen in terms of packaging. The boxes are quality. The authenticity seals are a nice touch, although I am not sure how secure they really are as they come off easily and can be reapplied. The presentation is Apple style and quality.

Inside is a nice plastic filter holder and a micro fiber lens cleaning cloth; a nice touch once again. There were two cards in each filter case about registering the filters. Each filter's serial number is engraved into the ring (I Photoshopped mine out in these images for security reasons).

Once you take out the plastic filter box and open it you find once again that it is really well done. The B+W filter holders just has the filter laying on white foam rubber. This filter box has a cutout for the filter and impressions to easily remove them.

Once suggestion (or complaint) that I have is to label the plastic filter holders. When I have a few of these I cannot tell which one is which filter without opening them up. Perhaps a nice sticker can be made to identify what is inside. I have five of these white filter holders and I would hate to have to open each one of them to find the one I need and as Murphy would have it, the one I want will always be the last one you open.

Please look at this filter. A stand out feature of these filters are their rings. They are designed with traction in mind. You can grip these in the cold. You can work with this filter even with gloves on. You will notice that the ring that connects with the lens also have small traction slots for easy removal. They just feel quality.

You can see a similar traction design on the ND filter. These filters are presented as upmarket filters with nice touches and quality.

So far I am really impressed. Everything looks and feels really good. The presentation is just in another class.

          I just returned last week from New Mexico where I co-instructed for one of Don Smith's photography workshops. I thoroughly tested these filters. Stay tuned for part two of this review were I will talk about performance. See you next Sunday ...