Looking for a polarizing filter

This has been long overdue, and I don't even have a good excuse. I am in need of a good polarizing filter. I haven't used one in almost three years if you can believe that, but I am starting to photograph around water a bit more and will be shooting waterfalls and streams later this summer in OR and WA (but also monsoon season is near and the skies get wild). Can anybody recommend a durable high quality circular polarizer that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? I don't mind spending in the hundreds, but I'd like to keep it around $100-$130. I've been looking at B+W's, heliopan, hoya, and even singh ray as the high priced option. I'd prefer one that won't vignette if I switch to full frame in the future, and also one I can stick the lens cap on. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Well, I've always gotten excellent results using a Hoya HD polarizing filter ($69 at Amazon See user reviews). It's fairly slim and allows the use of another filter and/or a lens cap. As with anything photographically related, you can spend a lot more money, but I doubt you'll see better results.
Remember not to include any skies in your image when using a polarizer on a wide angle lens as it will result in unevenly polarized skies, which is really unattractive.

Thanks for the link John, I was looking at that one earlier. I would really only be using the polarizer for water scenes or forest scenes. I've seen what they do to the sky with a wide angle lens and have made that mistake before.

Check out the Nikon Circular Polarizer II. It is very thin, front side is threaded for same size so you can use the same cap for the lens, and it's made with top-notch Nikon glass. Available in several sizes, so you can probably find the right one even if you don't shoot Nikon. If you're looking at used ones, make sure it is the "II" version. http://bhpho.to/MbG1Hp. I often stack mine with an ND filter for waterfalls and other running water.

If you use a polarizer on a wide lens you can often overcome the uneven polarization effect (most evident in skies) by using the Graduated Filter tool in Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw.

Peter, you know that you'll get 23 replies with 23 different filter choices with a question like that, lol! Here's the 3rd: I'm a diehard B+W filter guy. The optics are superb, the build quality is unmatched especially if you need to keep out humidity, and that heavy brass ring is infectious, once you mount that you'll never want to use an aluminum-ringed filter again. I use the Kaesemann line of their filters and it just never disappoints, best in class IMO. I did buy a Hoya Pro 1 Digital 82mm CPL for my 16-35mm, and then one day I had the nerve to get a smudge on it which needed to be cleaned off. I think it's easier to get toothpaste back into the tube than it is to clean multicoated Hoyas. Googling only confirmed the issue, lol! So I've bit the bullt and bought B+W CPLs and NDs in the 72mm and 77mm sized I need. The Hoya will be fine for my 16-35mm, it's only the edges near the ring I can't get clean.

BTW, for the least few years I've gotten my B+Ws from BestEastern on eBay. They are the Hong Kong distributor and the do sell small bits directly such as filters, iPhone cables, real Canon lens hoods, etc for a lot less than our USA retail stores. They have a 33,000+ feedback rating at 99.9%. Stuff from Hong Kong doesn;t take that long to arrive and being we don;t have VAT or any import fees, it's a great way to go. The USA dealers get my big bucks for bodies and lenses... for B+Ws I skip the middleman which saves easily $50 per filter.

There you go. Try not to spend my 2 cents all in one night.

Thanks Greg and Paul

Paul, I know the question was quite vague, but I'd like to see what everyone uses and their thoughts and opinions. I've narrowed it down to B+W and Hoya, so thats a good sign haha.

I used an Hoya 77mm with my old 10-22. Then when I sold it and bought the 16-35 I changed it for a Lee polarizer. It is much better, but unfortunately out of your budget =(

It also creates vignetting at 23mm and wider and has the advantage that it can be used with any lens.

In your case, I would go for the Hoya or the B+W since I've tried UV filters from that brand and were pretty decent too.

Peter, I use Singh Ray filters in conjunction with the Cokin P system. I've always been very pleased with Singh Ray and they have excellent service. Most of my Singh Ray filters were purchased on eBay for a considerable savings. Thet nice thing about using the Cokin system is that you can use one filter on multiple lens even though they're different sizes. There are now better Cokin systems than the P that I use, but you can have a choice that suits your need. I also understand thet B&W makes wonderful filters, but have never tried them personally.

Another vote for B+W, I won't use anything else. You pay more (certainly...), but the quality is unmistakable.