What brand and type of polarizer do you use?

I am looking into getting a new polarizer or two and I figured that I would ask the group here what brand and type of polarizer are you currently using?

Thanks
Jody

Hoya - just the plain one. Optically, its fine, but in build quality its a piece of junk. I've had if fall apart in my hands twice.

I've also got some tiffen CPLs in smaller sizes (49, 55, 58). They also perform fine. The glass rattles around but the holders don't fall apart.

I don't use CPLs often, so it just hasn't been a priority for me.

If you're looking to invest in the best, Heliopan and B+W multicoated models will offer the best performance in a high quality filter body.

I use a Heliopan and have used the B+W multi in the past as well. Both great filters but a little pricey.

I have B+W but rarely use it and have problems with adding extra glass in front. Seems like it's a constant struggle with haze and dust and frost. They do remove reflections from water and leaves which are hard to get rid of any other way.

I use Hoyas and they seem fine to me...I've had them about a year now.

Jack

I should also note that lately I've been doing a lot of HDR and don't see the need for polarizers when going that route. I like the greater control over dynamic range.

Jack

I have a Singh-Ray warming circ.pol. from my film days, shooting in AutoWB RAW the warming effect is not necessary. I also have a Cokin circ.pol. that is quite serviceable and I use it pretty much 50:50 with the SingRay, depending on which lens I'm using. I use cir.pol. frequently to increase color saturation of vegetation both on sunny and cloudy days, and for skies at sunset to help define the clouds.

I use B&W and Hoya screw in polarizers, a Singh-Ray sprocket style warming polarizer that fits the Cokin P filter holder, and a Lee square polarizer for the Lee holder.

Oh yeah, I also have a screw in Moose warming polarizer around somewhere. I think those were made by Hoya.

Cheers,

For my 77mm lenses, I use a Heliopan (thin) polarizer. My consumer 28-105mm lens is apparently content with whatever I put on it; right now it's a Tiffen.

I've had the Moose warming polarizer for years. Really like it, but don't really need the warming glass anymore since I've been shooting digital.

I think I also have a standard Tiffen around somewhere. Someone bought it for me but I don't think I ever really used it. The build quality was crap compared to the Moose, and I always preferred the warming polarizer to the standard one. So, the Tiffen usually just stayed in a drawer at home.

I use a Tiffen circular polarizer and I like their products quite a bit. It is one of the few filters I still use with some regularity including grad NDs and occasionally a warming filter. Most often use the polarizer with fall foliage scenes, red rocks in the southwest, areas with a lot of green foliage and to cut reflections.

I have found Nikon, Heliopan and B&W filters to be good. I have also seen problems with some of the cheap filters - Hoya, Tiffen and such with zooms in the 70-200 range. George Lepp confirms this as well. They have enough distortion the lens will not focus at infinity. Very rare, but it does happen. The same filter on a 50mm lens will work, but I have to wonder if it isn't causing some problem. This is most apt to occur on filters where the retaining ring is screwed in. As the ring is tightened it will cause more pressure on one side than the other and can lead to this problem. Guess I don't see much sense in paying $1500 for a lens and then putting a cheap chunk of glass in front of it, but that may just be old school thinking.

I did try one experiment that was interesting. I tested all three brand polarizers mentioned above against no filter at all and found all three acted as warming filters. At least an 81A worth and maybe more. Maybe I used them out in the sun or something and they yellowed. Go figure. I wonder if the Moose and the Singh-Ray are tinted up to an 81B or even 81C.

Bottom line is, if you have a filter and it works for you then price, brand and assembly method don't really matter.

Cast my vote for Hoya. Their SMC line is excellent, and they have some really nice thin versions.

I've never owned a Singh-Ray but from what I hear, everything Bob makes is excellent. Pricey though.

I use a B+W MRC 77mm polarizer, a little pricey, but I have found it much better than Tiffen than I used to use on my prosumer lenses. I do have issues though when I stick on my Lee filter adapter for the GND's, does get into the frame at the wide angles!.
I do like Hoya too, I use their HMC UV filter on the 17-40mm to keep dust out.

I've been using the Singh Ray Polarizers, but for the past year I have been pulling away from Polarizers and using just a 3 stop SS Gradient ND so I don't get dark corners anymore. I'm looking at using a 2 stop ND Grad fixed on the lens.

Heliopan and B+W multicoated polarizers. For my medium format camera I use a Moose warming polarizer.

Hoya Pro1 Digital.
Works well and seems to be thinner than most CPLs.
Filter dealers at eBay stores offer terrific prices for many of the most popular filters.

I'll confirm George's comments - the cheaper filters sometimes cause focus issues. I think I posted here when I got my 80-400VR - I bought what I thought was a decent pair of filters (UV and polarizer) and both of them caused my focus to go off on that lens, and not just at infinity. That's why I'm using the Heliopan now.

On the other end, the 28-105mm lens on Nikon bodies is so tolerant I once put a video (linear) polarizer on it out of desperation for a weekend and had no problems!

I absolutley agree about NOT using cheap filters!!! I prefer not to put anything in front my 24-70 and 70-200 L's. No polarizer goes on my EF-s 10-22 for the uneven sky issues. My 1.5 year old CPL is a Hoya Pro1 DMC thin series. Build seems solid enough does not wiggle and the glass in the mount is tight. Don't use the CPL that often. My Hoya Pro1 DMC ND 4x is also decent but that one seems a bit hard to clean. I do put some really cheapo UV's on when shooting in the dunes just to protect my glass from the sand (hard to do) but I take it off just before shooting 'cause it causes so much flare. I also have The Cokin Z-PRO 100mm holder to use with my HiTech Grads. Have to treat the HiTecs carefully but work well enough. I love B&W's just don't own any now.

I use all Singh-Ray filters. Wouldn't even consider anything else, personally.