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Home → Reviews → Camera Gear Accessories

Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer

By Nasim Mansurov 13 Comments
Last Updated On April 7, 2018

This is a quick review of the Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer, designed to decrease reflections, reduce haze and saturate colors in photography (see our article on how to use a polarizing filter). The filter is specifically created for the Hitech Filter Holder system to be used with a 105mm plastic threaded ring that the polarizer mounts to and then both get attached to the filter holder.

Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer

I heavily rely on circular polarizers when photographing landscapes, not just because of their color enhancing abilities, but also because they help reduce haze. While I have been relying on regular 77mm circular polarizing filters for years, I found them to be too painful to use with filter systems. Not only because it was easy to mess up with a rotating polarizer, but also because of added vignetting and other inconveniences in the field. So I decided to give the Hitech Filter Holder system a try, to see if the setup could replace my aging Lee Filters with B+W polarizers.

Table of Contents

  • Product Information
  • Packaging and Use
  • Sample Images
  • Summary
  • Pricing and Where to Buy

1) Product Information

Product Specifications:

  1. Type: Circular Polarizer
  2. Size: 105mm
  3. Filter Factor: Between 2.3 and 2.8 (approx. +1.3 stops)
  4. Effect: Removes reflections and increases color saturation without affecting the overall color balance
  5. Application: Nature, travel, outdoor photography
  6. Construction: CR39 resin

Main Features:

  1. This filter eliminates ultraviolet rays from outdoor shots as well as polarizing the light to remove reflections, and increase color saturation, without affecting the overall color balance
  2. Can dramatically enhance a blue sky and make the clouds more prominent
  3. Used best at right angle to the sun
  4. Effective with cameras that use beam splitters in the path of the TTL light meter and with AF cameras

The 105mm Circular Polarizer from Hitech is one of the two most important filters (along with a UV filter) that a photographer can keep in his gear bag. A polarizing filter can change a run-of-the-mill shot into a “keeper”. A marginal, bland sky can suddenly be transformed into a brilliant blue with clouds that jump off the image and show great separation from their blue background.

If shooting into water, hot spots off the surface can either be accentuated or minimized. However, a polarizer’s primary use is to make a blue sky bluer, enhance clouds and kill reflections when shooting into glass or bright metal. As an added effect, if you’re shooting black and white and want to simulate a threatening storm, try throwing on a #25 Red filter. The vista will take on the appearance of an imminent, ominous storm.

The Hitech filter system is made by Formatt – an English company that is renowned for its high manufacturing standards and consistency of quality. Their CR39 resin is manufactured in large sheets that are oven cured. Their exclusive Absorbing Cell Technology absorbs color as opposed to other filters that are coated. Once cured, they are sliced up to create individual filters. In this way, maximum consistency is maintained from filter to filter. This becomes crucial when you wish to change filters either mid shoot or from day to day.

Absorbing Cell Technology
The secret to Formatt’s consistency in filter design lies in its unique “Absorbing Cell Technology” (A.C.T.); this unique process allows color correct dyes to be applied to optically pure, wafer thin absorbing cells and offers a controllability that ensures the smoothest grad lines and consistent color across the whole filter surface

  1. This process is revolutionary compared with conventional filter dyeing techniques by eliminating the need to directly coat the glass surface itself; the repeatable performance gained through A.C.T. ensures that at any time you have to swap like filters for like filters mid shoot you can do so with confidence with no discernible differences in color or density
  2. Each filter is guaranteed flatness to a maximum 2-wave value and comes with an individual reading from a laser interferometer; every filter is carefully verified with a densitometer and spectrophotometer to ensure consistent and accurate transmission, before leaving the factory – the result is an absolute purity of image that eliminates any unwanted colorcast caused by conventional greenish soda-lime glass
  3. Formatt, a company with three generations of professional filter-making experience produces every filter to the highest technical standards. The finest materials, together with state of-the-art production technology have resulted in a standard of optical excellence unmatched anywhere else

2) Packaging and Use

I wrote about my negative experience with the plastic threaded ring and the painful process of mounting the 105mm Hitech CPL in the Hitech Filter Holder Review. Hitech messed up the threads between the CPL and the plastic threaded ring, which turned out to be a painful problem to deal with – I could not properly mount the CPL on the filter system. After forcing the filter into the threaded ring, I did not want to take it out anymore, since I could not imagine trying to do that while working in the field. So I decided to leave it on permanently, as I would only use the over-sized 105mm filter with a filter holder anyway. Here is how it looks attached to the Hitech Filter Holder:

Hitech 100mm Modular Filter Holder with CPL
NIKON D600 + 105mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, ISO 200, 1/40, f/11.0

I found the quality of the circular polarizer to be very good – the filter performed admirably well when photographing landscapes with the filter holder (although I had to be a little more careful when rotating the filter so that it does not fall off from the filter holder). It did a nice job reflecting light, saturating colors and reducing haze, so I cannot complain. Image quality did not seem to suffer at all on the D800E, which is great.

3) Sample Images

Here are some sample images taken with the Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer:

Waterfall Slow Exposure
NIKON D800E + 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 22mm, ISO 50, 16/10, f/8.0

Circular Polarizer Sample
NIKON D800E + 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm, ISO 200, 1/30, f/8.0

4) Summary

Unlike the filter holder and the 10 stop ND filter that I disliked, the Hitech 105mm CPL performed quite well overall. Although the process of mounting the CPL on the 105mm plastic ring can be painful, the CPL itself does a nice job, especially when used in combination with other Hitech filters. I used the CPL a number of times in different conditions/setups and I liked the results, so I cannot complain. The quality of the filter seems to be top-notch.

5) Pricing and Where to Buy

You can purchase the Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer from B&H for $270.35 (as of 10/08/2012)

Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer
  • Features
  • Build Quality
  • Handling
  • Value
  • Size and Weight
  • Packaging and Manual

Photography Life Overall Rating

4.1

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Disclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support Options
Filed Under: Camera Gear Accessories Tagged With: Lens Filter, Product Reviews

About Nasim Mansurov

Nasim Mansurov is the author and founder of Photography Life, based out of Denver, Colorado. He is recognized as one of the leading educators in the photography industry, conducting workshops, producing educational videos and frequently writing content for Photography Life. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook. Read more about Nasim here.

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Laidlaw
Laidlaw
December 18, 2016 10:53 am

If you need to fit the circular polariser ring you need to purchase longer screws. As it’s several months ago I believe the ones fitted are 3mm so I found small batches (10) on EBay.

0
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Laidlaw
Laidlaw
October 28, 2015 2:26 pm

I am interested in going for the Hitech system especially the polariser fitting. I am in the UK and have just checked what the latest fitting is made of and it is now metal. So it appears that they have listened to your or other complaints since 2013.

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Reply
Laidlaw
Laidlaw
Reply to  Laidlaw
October 29, 2015 7:20 am

Further to my comment above, I have been in touch with stockist Teamwork Photo (UK) and they said that only the first batch was polycarbonate. They have been metal for two years.

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Reply
Roberto
Roberto
November 8, 2013 3:45 am

Dear All,
I have one question: can i use this circular polarizer filter on my Hitech 85 Metal Modular Filter Holder ) or it is only compatible with the Hitech 100 Metal Modular Holder?

Kind Regards
Roberto

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Reply
Gilles
Gilles
September 1, 2013 9:58 pm

Hi Oleg,
Do you have the Lee WA ring or the standard one ?
As far as your question is concerned, I do have the Eliopan 105 with thin mount and i get vignetting @ about 20mm with 3 slots on the filter holder. I did not test it with less slots thoug as I have no screwdriver with m on holidays.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
gilles.

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Reply
Igor
Igor
April 23, 2013 9:59 am

Hello, Nasim

I have one question: is it possible to mount this Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer to Lee system 105mm ring?
Thank you very much.

0
Reply
Gilles
Gilles
Reply to  Igor
July 8, 2013 3:35 pm

Hi Igor,
Yes you can. I did it. Much less painful than with the Hitech ring.

Cheers,
Gilles

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Reply
Oleg
Oleg
Reply to  Gilles
August 30, 2013 5:03 pm

Good idea to use Hitech 105mm Circular Polarizer with Lee system . That is exactly what I need but what about vignetting with wide angle. Do you have it? Personally, I am using 16-35 and 17-40.

thanks

Oleg

0
Reply
Gilles
Gilles
Reply to  Oleg
August 31, 2013 6:13 am

Hi Oleg,
It does not vignette as. Much as with the Hitech filter holder. I don’t get any vignetting @24mm on a full frame. But I haven’t tested it with my WA lens. I’ll test it and report the results when I’m back from holidays.

Cheers,
Gilles.

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Reply
Oleg
Oleg
Reply to  Gilles
September 1, 2013 6:34 pm

Hi Gilles,
Thank you for respond.
I have mark II and very often I am using wide angle lenses 16-35 and 17-40. Both of them have vignetting with Lee holder and Lee polarizer 105 mm. I am looking for any brand 105 mm polarizer with thin mount. Do you know anyone ? Let me know.

thanks

Oleg

0
Reply
Justin
Justin
Reply to  Oleg
September 7, 2014 5:18 am

Hi Oleg
I use the Heliopan 105mm slim mount circ polariser. When screwed into my Lee circular filter holder, it only extends 5.4mm. Image quality is superb. The only slight issue you may have – if like me you have large hands, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to turn the circ polariser, as the ring is so small to get hold of! Here’s a link to a UK site where I got mine from, but I imagine they are available in most countries. www.teamworkphoto.com/onlin…ng-filter/
Justin

0
Reply
Mike
Mike
Reply to  Gilles
December 18, 2016 8:43 am

Hi Thank you for this review. Similar question, I have the Lee fondation filter holder and use Hitech rectangular filter so far.
Can you mount the circular adaptor to the 3 slot filter holder?

0
Reply
Gary Groves
Gary Groves
February 21, 2013 1:27 pm

Hi Nasim,

Enjoyed this review, so i’ve decided to add the Hitech 95mm Circular Polarizer to my growing Hitech filter kit.

Kind Regards
Gary

0
Reply

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