Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty

Comments

1. Tech Ninja says:

   September 23, 2010 at 11:53 PM

   Review by Tech Ninja for Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty
   Rating:
   I was mostly interested in protecting my wide-angle lens and among the few options available for a 72mm thread this was one of the cheapest so my expectations weren’t high about the product or the brand. The polarizer works well and cuts down on reflection quite well, occasionally making the sky so dark blue at maximum angle that it looks space-like.
   
   Slight vignetting is to be expected especially if you’re using a wide-angle setting (I use it with my Canon Powershot S3 for an adjusted focal length of 24mm in 35mm eq.).
   
   While mounting another filter like the UV one might add some protection, it creates a bigger vignetting problem. I have found little use for the Fluorescent filter as most digital camera like mine come with either a manual white balance or a preset for artificial lights condition… you can use it for its rosy tint.
   
   Comes with a protective pouch for all three filters.
2. Penetralia says:

   September 24, 2010 at 12:15 AM

   Review by Penetralia for Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty
   Rating:
   
   The Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D can be competitavely compared with B&W, Hoya, Opteka, and others; except that the kit offers a much lower price. A firm leather case is also included with the 15-Year Warranty. We use the case filled with a Sakar spare, and other size filters for various lenses when on the go. This one is truly a keeper.
3. Photo Fun says:

   September 24, 2010 at 12:26 AM

   Review by Photo Fun for Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty
   Rating:
   I am very satisfied with the quality of these filters especially for the price. I have used all 3 so far and find them to be just what I needed. I would recommend these to anyone.
4. Patrick Sherman says:

   September 24, 2010 at 12:36 AM

   Review by Patrick Sherman for Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty
   Rating:
   2 Stars for not selling what is listed. Opteka filter sets not Sakar. The filters are not sharp, but they shouldn’t be either for the amount you pay. These are great for any older gear you may have laying around.
5. Jorge Ramirez says:

   September 24, 2010 at 1:12 AM

   Review by Jorge Ramirez for Sakar 72mm 3-Piece Filter Kit Polarizer/UV/FL-D Metal Rim with Leather Case, 15-Year Warranty
   Rating:
   The CPL in this kit introduces significant distortion when used at the long end of the zoom range. I have an 18-200mm lens and significant picture degradation is added by the polarizer when taking images at the 200mm limit. It’s unfortunate I can’t upload sample images to show the difference with and withouth the CPL. The UV filter I found to be of good quality and no visible distortion is introduced. I am giving 4 stars because considering the price, you are really getting what you pay for and perhaps a bit more.
6. G. Argov says:

   September 24, 2010 at 2:02 AM

   Review by G. Argov for Zeikos ZE-CU458 58mm Multi-Coated 4 piece Close-up Filter Set
   Rating:
   I have extensive experience with the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras for Macro photography, and highly recommend it to anyone who has over $500 to spare. Since most macro lenses are out of the reach of most people on budgets, however, this filter set is a great alternative.

   BEFORE I BEGIN…
   
   Amazon also sells Digital Concepts +1 +2 +4 +10 Close-Up Macro Filter Set with Pouch (58mm), which I closely looked at as well before pulling the trigger on this. I only got the Zeikos ones because of the shipping arrangement (this was eligible for Prime, the other wasn’t). I don’t know how different these two sets are, and I can’t recommend one over the other since I only used this set. They’re both in the same relative price range, however, so some of my review could theoretically apply to both.

   PURPOSE
   
   To start off with, it’s really important you understand just what these filters are for. These will NOT magnify the image and turn an ordinary lens into a telephoto one. Instead, these will change the minimum distance from which you can focus with your current lens. In other words, you will be able to physically put your lens closer to the object in question, and achieve a macro-like effect. Which means this is great for stationary objects, but if you want to photograph bugs, you have to get very close in order to fill the frame, so a 100mm macro lens might be a safer bet since it’d allow you to achieve close focus from a safe distance.

   BUILD QUALITY
   
   When I purchased this filter set, I also purchased the Zeikos ZE-FLK58 58mm Multi-Coated 3 Piece Filter Kit (UV-CPL-FLD). Prior to this, I had never heard of Zeikos, let alone purchased their products. I am enjoying that set as well, and while I wouldn’t say Zeikos necessarily makes top-quality products – these are cheap, flimsy, and probably wouldn’t hold up well when thoroughly scrutinized by image experts – I do think that for most people’s purposes, this filter set will be just fine. That being said, I think these are probably more of a starter set than a durable long-term investment. If one is very serious about image quality, they would probably benefit by getting an alternative solution.

   ALTERNATIVES
   
   There are two strong alternatives to close up filters Macro alternatives, but both are more expensive:
   
   (a) Extension Tubes. These are basically tubes that you put in between your lens and the camera’s body. There is no glass involved, it’s just a tube that increases the distance from the sensor to the lens. The benefit of this is that with no glass involved, there won’t be noticeable image degradation; the downside is that less light will be available, so you will either need an external light source or have adequate natural light. Plus, extension tubes are generally more expensive than this filter set!
   
   (b) A dedicated Macro Lens. This is the optimal piece of equipment for macro photography, but these are generally very expensive. If you want to dabble in macro photography before making a major investment, get this filter set to experiment. For most people, this set should be fine, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone gets better quality shots with a thousand-dollar macro lens than with a ten-dollar filter set!

   IMPRESSIONS
   
   So far, I’m very pleased with my purchase. For around ten dollars, I can now focus much closer to small objects than before. This is especially great for small product shots (i.e. eBay sales), as you can highlight smaller areas much better than without the filter set. Photography is a very expensive hobby, and much in the same way a $150 telephoto lens won’t provide the same image quality as one that costs ten times as much, this filter set is probably not for those who are very serious about macro photography. But for most people who don’t want to yet take the plunge and fork over hundreds of dollars for a macro lens they might never use, this is a great way to start taking close-up photos.

   PORTABILITY
   
   This set has four different filters, all for the same effect, but in varying degrees. If one wanted, they could stack all four filters together, but there will be a noticeable decline in quality as you put more and more filters between your lens and the sensor. They come in a pouch which is very portable, and has a fold-out system (much like a wallet) that makes it convenient to keep all four in your pocket.

   FINAL THOUGHTS
   
   I don’t regret this purchase. Like I said at the start of the review, I have played extensively with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens (which I’ve rented, and don’t own)…this doesn’t exactly compare to that, but then again, this is about one-fiftieth of the cost! This filter set is a great way for someone to get a feel for macro photography, especially beginners. Just by getting physically closer to the object you’re trying to photograph, you can now compose your shot much differently than before, and that alone I believe is worth the cost of this set. A WARNING, however…getting close is great, but be mindful of just how close you’re getting to your object! The first day I got this set, I was experimenting and actually slammed my lens into my girlfriend’s eye. Injuries aside, this is a very worthwhile product. I hope to upload some photos soon to highlight this.
7. Morgan Thompson says:

   September 24, 2010 at 2:28 AM

   Review by Morgan Thompson for Zeikos ZE-CU458 58mm Multi-Coated 4 piece Close-up Filter Set
   Rating:
   As I became the proud owner of a Canon EOS Rebel XSi (about 3 months ago), I began looking for accessories to teach me more about photography and create better pictures. I was looking around for new lenses, and I came across these ones. They are just an attachment, but they provide such a clear picture. The result is just amazing. I highly reccomend anyone looking into other lenses, but is not looking to invest in highly priced macro lenses. These do a great job without the cost.
8. Nick says:

   September 24, 2010 at 2:46 AM

   Review by Nick for Zeikos ZE-CU458 58mm Multi-Coated 4 piece Close-up Filter Set
   Rating:
   I’m new to SLR cameras and can not currently afford a true macro lens, so I opted to buy this set to hopefully hold me over in the meantime. I posted 4 pictures with the 2x,4x and 10x lenses attached and one with no attachment (all at 55mm). I have to say they work well for flowers or other stationary objects. I cant recommend them for bugs however. All of the pictures I posted were taken within 6″ of the subject (except the non attachment was maybe 8″ or so). Im not sure how these are supposed to work with focal length, but I also tried them on the 55-250mm lens. I couldn’t get any focus lock at full length. At 135mm I could get lock with the 2x or 4x lens. At 70mm I could get a lock with the 10x lens. Unfortunately these were all withing about 8″ of the subject as well. For those that didnt look at the pictures, the 10x lens will allow you to fill the fram of a 1.6crop camera with ~1″x1″ subject.

   I honestly have not used these much out in the field except for a few things around the house to test them. So far they have not affected image quality in any pictures (not substantially that I can tell) except for one picture of a yellow flower showed bad CA. It may have been something else I did, but it was there none the less.

   Build quality actually seems pretty good. Glass is substantial, metal rings, no play, no cross threading. As with all of the Zeikos “Multi-Coated” products I have used so far, NONE have been multi-coated and that includes these. They do also come with a very nice case. Much better than the cheap filter sets they sell. You have to be careful how you open it though because they can easily slide out of the pockets if you open it upside down.

   I would definately buy these again considering the price, however I also can’t wait to get a real macro lens!
9. M. Martin says:

   September 24, 2010 at 3:32 AM

   Review by M. Martin for Zeikos ZE-CU458 58mm Multi-Coated 4 piece Close-up Filter Set
   Rating:
   This is a very cost effective alternative to a macro lens. As always, ‘you get what you pay for’ and the results you will get will either be satisfactory or you’ll toss these filters and purchase the more expensive macro lens required to provide the results you require.
10. katieb says:

    September 24, 2010 at 3:41 AM

    Review by katieb for Zeikos ZE-CU458 58mm Multi-Coated 4 piece Close-up Filter Set
    Rating:
    I am a HUGE fan of close ups and macro photography. I was SUPER happy when I ordered this product because my camera is from stone age and they would fit my current lense, and I couldn’t afford an actual lense. When I finally recieved it in the mail, the packaging was okay, and I got a little nervous, but when I opened up the product everything was fine and my worries were quickly squashed. Once I got them out I had to try them right away, and I was VERY pleased with the outcome, the 10x is a little difficult to use at first, but they are great, and I’m VERY happy with this product.
11. Wendi Bieniek says:

    September 24, 2010 at 4:32 AM

    Review by Wendi Bieniek for Opteka FW-100 Padded Canvas Filter Wallet for 6 Filters up to 82mm in Diameter (Black)
    Rating:
    The item description states that this filter wallet will fit 6 filters up to 82mm in diameter. I purchased this product and insterted 6 filters 72mm in diameter. The filters did fit in the pockets provided (barely), but I was not able to close the wallet properly. Don’t purchase this item unless you have smaller filters.
12. Nathan Andersen says:

    September 24, 2010 at 5:13 AM

    Review by Nathan Andersen for Zeikos ZE-WA58B 58mm Wide Angle Lens
    Rating:
    Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1HOQQNZZMDEP1 Ever since I picked up my Canon VIXIA HFS10 camcorder, I’ve wanted to add a wide angle lens converter. Of course, the macro converter that Canon sells (the WD-H58) is pretty expensive and since I wouldn’t use it very often I couldn’t justify the cost.

    Then I noticed this Zeikos lens and thought at this price it was worth a try. I’m pretty happy with it.

    First, it looks great on my camcorder. It doesn’t look cheap, and matches the style and look of the Vixia HFS10 very nicely. It comes with a “fit on” cap for the Wide Angle end of the lens and a “screw on” cap for the attachment side.

    It does what I was looking for, expanding a bit on the angle I can capture up close and extending the range of imagery that’s in focus on a longer shot. The main thing I wanted was to be able to shoot a bit wider up close, since I sometimes use a green screen in my office and can’t get my camera back very far from the screen. Though I was hoping it would go a bit wider than it does, this definitely helps.

    I’m not exactly sure what the .45x means, since as far as I can tell (based on measuring the relative size of objects with and without the lens on) this really gives about .8x magnification. I assume it may have to do with the fact that what you really have here is a “Macro” lens + a .45 Wide Angle lens and the net effect is to give a .8 magnification. What I didn’t know when I bought this is that the “Macro” component of the lens and the “Wide Angle” component are separable. With the “Macro” filter alone you can get VERY close to objects like flowers and insects – and you can ONLY focus on things that are very close (between an inch or so to about half a foot). If you wanted to fit only “Wide Angle” component onto the Vixia HFS10 you’d need another adapter. Anyhow, the roughly .8 magnification of the whole set up is not quite as wide as I’d hoped but it does mean there is pretty minimal curvature effects around the edge of the frame – if you look closely at the attached video you’ll see there is SOME curvature at the edges, noticeable on the right and left hand sides when the converter is attached.

    Anyhow, I wondered why Canon only sold a .7 converter when you could get an inexpensive .45 converter from another company – I assumed to begin with that was because .7 is as far as you can go without vignetting (change in light levels from the center to the periphery) or fisheye-like curvature, and so I worried a bit that this lens would show those effects. Luckily it doesn’t show them to an unacceptable degree, but what my tests suggest is that this lens with its roughly .8 magnification is probably pretty close to what you actually get with Canon’s own lens, and their numbers likely assess the “true” conversion rate of the lens as a whole, whereas the .45 only applies if you were to use only the “Wide Angle” portion of the lens. (If anyone knows more about this than I do I’d love to read about it in the comments.)

    One thing that is probably evident from this footage is that with the lens on there seems to be a slight loss in the light levels. That’s to be expected, but it’s something you can compensate for in the settings. I can’t compare this to Canon’s own lens, but since I picked this up at less than 10% of the cost, and it does most of what I wanted from it, I’m not complaining.
13. Photo-Nerd.com says:

    September 24, 2010 at 5:52 AM

    Review by Photo-Nerd.com for Zeikos ZE-WA58B 58mm Wide Angle Lens
    Rating:
    Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2RH3U6NSTIGG2 For $12.50 I wasn’t expecting much. This lens is awesome for the price… and it will get quite a bit of use… the optical quality is good and it doesn’t feel cheap.
14. Christopher Vincelette says:

    September 24, 2010 at 6:14 AM

    Review by Christopher Vincelette for Zeikos ZE-WA58B 58mm Wide Angle Lens
    Rating:
    I have owned this for a few weeks now. I’ve used it a few times with my Canon HF S10. Just recently I used it for a 2 hour tour de force real estate shoot. I filmed indoors and outdoors, low light and bright light, fixed on a tripod and hands free with panning.

    The final cut (10 minutes) can be viewed on youtube if you search for “Colonial Square Model Twin Home Complete!”

    Issues I’ve noticed include dark shadows in the upper right and left corners when at full wide (zoomed out all the way). Chromatic aberration (red, green, and blue halos around things) is particularly bad. The barrel distortion (curve of straight lines near the edges) actually isn’t too bad but blurring is very noticible everywhere except the dead center of the shot.

    The lens is alo extremely suseptible to lens flaring. If there there is a light source in front of or above you… you will have lens flare garanteed. The wide lens is threaded so you can use a Multi Coated UV filter to kill the lens flare.

    Overall I found the quality of the video captured with this lens on to be noticably degraded.

    That all said I have to agree with the video review that the build quality is spectacular. It integrates and blends with the HF S10 body very naturally. It’s solid metal and glass, built like a tank. The snap on lens cap is a great inclusion. And weird as it may sound it adds enough extra weight and viewing area to the camera that it substantially reduces the amount of perceivable camera shake in my shots. If you need to go wide in some hostile environments and need a lens that can take a beating but won’t make you shed any tears if it dies this would be worth having in your arsenal.

    All things considered for $10 I would buy this again without hesitation. It’s alright as a fail safe in the event that I absolutely have to go wide and can live with the issues the lens brings with it. Or in situations where I’m afraid the camera and the lens may be taking one for the team in the name of extreme cinematography. It’s also a fantasticly cheap way to play around with different lens styles without breaking the bank.

    If you’re not shooting in 1080p the chromatic aberration, blurring, etc, may not be noticable. But if you need to do a lot of professional HD grade wide angle filming look to the Raynox or Canon 58mm wide angle. And be prepared to pay A LOT more.
15. John C says:

    September 24, 2010 at 6:43 AM

    Review by John C for Zeikos ZE-WA58B 58mm Wide Angle Lens
    Rating:
    I ordered this as a basic test to expand the wide end of my Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS lens for video mode on a hybrid DSLR. This adapter is made up of two pieces: a wide-angle portion, and a macro portion. With the macro adapter screwed onto the back of the wide-angle adapter, it fits a 58mm lens, but the threading between the macro section and the wide section has much smaller threading. Therefore, if you are expecting to get a true .45x magnification factor, you will be dissappointed, as the wide-angle section alone has threading somewhere around 51mm and cannot be used on a 58mm threaded lens without some kind of adapter. This makes it nearly useless without the macro attachment since the vignetting would take up a good portion of the 58mm circle.

    Having said that, it does give the effect of approximately .7x magnification with both pieces assembled, so it isn’t completely worthless. It is a solid metal build, but the transparent material (whatever it may be) isn’t perfectly even. The threads don’t appear to be of the best of quality, either.

    I won’t give this 1-star because it does work well as a .7x adapter for medium definition work. I’ve held equivalent adapters for 7 times this price. You just need to know about the above mentioned issue before considering a purchase.
16. Michael Bock says:

    September 24, 2010 at 7:26 AM

    Review by Michael Bock for Zeikos ZE-WA58B 58mm Wide Angle Lens
    Rating:
    Okay, for only 11 bucks (plus shipping), what an incredible deal. Even the Amazon.com price is phenomenal. BUT, you need to know the pros/cons of this product.

    1.)The build quality is great. Looks 15x more expensive than it is. Integrates well with camera.

    2.)It’s actually a set. This isn’t at all clear from the description. You get a macro lens, and a wide angle converter. The two screw together to create a macro/wide angle converter combo. I’ll discuss each one, below.

    3.)The Macro Lens: Great. By itself, worth the price. Macros are used for close-ups, and it’s all this is good for. Tried it against a much more expensive model in a camera store, saw no difference. Used it for a human eye close-up and some ladybugs, and it looked fantastic. Small and compact.

    4.)The Wide Angle Converter: Useless. Kind of produces a weird distorted fish-eye effect, but the visual garbling/distortion is awful and unattractive. No idea if this is supposed to have any function on its own, but if so, then it fails at it.

    5.)The Wide Angle Conveter/Macro Combo: Moderately useful. First, it’s compact. Much more so than a “true” wide angle converter like those offered by Sony or Canon. It is barely wider than a 58mm barrel. It opens up the frame a bit … maybe .9 to .85 … not sure. It makes a difference, but don’t expect to turn into David Lean

    The problem is with zooming. At minimal to zero zooms, I saw no image problems, and it did its job well. At 5x+, color problems and distortions appeared. As you get close to 8x+, the lens became useless. So much distortion you could barely tell what you’re looking at. So, basically, don’t use this if you expect to zoom at all! But, for its pricepoint, if you know the limitations it’s a great deal.
17. G. Schienbein says:

    September 24, 2010 at 7:46 AM

    Review by G. Schienbein for Kalimar 49mm +1, +2, & +4 Close-Up Macro Lens Filter Kit with Carrying Case
    Rating:
    A great alternative to buying a macro lens! MUCH less expensive and they work great!!