# B+W Filter - No Green Hologram



## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

I've just received a new 77mm MRC Nano XS-PRO UV Filter and the box doesn't have the usual B+W/Genuine Product green hologram. Instead it has a silver hologram on the left side of the box which says Schneider Kreuznach on it and underneath that it says 9FFQ3T. 

Should I be concerned? :-\ I know Schneider is B+W but all my other filters have the green B+W hologram and I haven't seen anything online about this changing. It might be my imagination but the black box doesn't look quite so black as well...but I'm at work at the moment so can't check if this is the same as my other XS-PRO ones. The filter itself seems to look about right.


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## gferdinandsen (Aug 21, 2013)

lastcoyote said:


> I've just received a new 77mm MRC Nano XS-PRO UV Filter and the box doesn't have the usual B+W/Genuine Product green hologram. Instead it has a silver hologram on the left side of the box which says Schneider Kreuznach on it and underneath that it says 9FFQ3T.
> 
> Should I be concerned? :-\ I know Schneider is B+W but all my other filters have the green B+W hologram and I haven't seen anything online about this changing. It might be my imagination but the black box doesn't look quite so black as well...but I'm at work at the moment so can't check if this is the same as my other XS-PRO ones. The filter itself seems to look about right.




Did you order it from a reputable dealer?


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

gferdinandsen said:


> Did you order it from a reputable dealer?



I got it from Fotosense here in the UK. Not used them before myself but I believe they are ok.
Maybe B+W have started to use a new hologram(?) not seen any mention of this anywhere though.


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## duydaniel (Aug 21, 2013)

I got one sold by Amazon US that has no hologram too.
But I used B+W before and you cannot fake the quality.
So I think as long as you find its quality, keep it.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

duydaniel said:


> I got one sold by Amazon US that has no hologram too.
> But I used B+W before and you cannot fake the quality.
> So I think as long as you find its quality, keep it.



interesting. did the box have a silver logo on the side like mine or just no hologram at all?


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## emag (Aug 21, 2013)

The name Schneider says it all, I wouldn't be concerned. Enjoy your filter.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

emag said:


> The name Schneider says it all, I wouldn't be concerned. Enjoy your filter.



blimey if it was that simple it'd make the job rather easy to counterfeit these filters


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## 7enderbender (Aug 21, 2013)

I would email Schneider/B+W. I vaguely remember that they had some information about the holograms on their web site.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

7enderbender said:


> I would email Schneider/B+W. I vaguely remember that they had some information about the holograms on their web site.



yeah i've emailed them through the Schneider Kreuznach website. I'm in the UK and the UK site for B+W (www.bpluswfilters.co.uk) has changed now as a new distributor has been chosen in the UK so it just points to the distributors site.


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## tonymontana277 (Aug 21, 2013)

I've received my new 82mm MRC Nano XS-PRO UV Filter yesterday and the box has the Schneider Kreuznach hologram too :


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 21, 2013)

tonymontana277 said:


> I've received my new 82mm MRC Nano XS-PRO UV Filter yesterday and the box has the Schneider Kreuznach hologram too



Pretty sure mine did as well, received a few months ago.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

tonymontana277 said:


> I've received my new 82mm MRC Nano XS-PRO UV Filter yesterday and the box has the Schneider Kreuznach hologram too :



ah yep that's the same as mine.
oh well I guess this must just be a slight change in packaging/hologram then.
put my mind more at rest now. thanks.
where did you get your filter from out of interest?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 21, 2013)

I've older ones, I don't know that they had a hologram. The packaging depends on the lot and date of manufacture.

The main thing is to buy from a camera dealer, online you need to be vigilant. Yours is likely just fine.


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## tonymontana277 (Aug 21, 2013)

I got it from Amazon France but it was imported from Germany.

Regards


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

tonymontana277 said:


> I got it from Amazon France but it was imported from Germany.
> 
> Regards



was it actually Amazon selling it or a Amazon Marketplace seller?


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## lastcoyote (Aug 21, 2013)

now I'm home from work I've managed to check the filter out more and all seems good as per normal B+W quality. I've fitted it to my new 70-200 f/2.8L IS II lens. I've got an 82mm version of the nano xs-pro mounted to my 24-70 f/2.8L II as well. Really great low profile filters with front threads. Very easy to clean too. Will probably make them my default filter for new lenses. If I wasn't so fearful of damaging my front elements I'd of course prefer to go filter-less. Nice to have the extra 'sealing' on the front of these L lenses too.


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## duydaniel (Aug 21, 2013)

Yes silver hologram on side like the picture above



lastcoyote said:


> duydaniel said:
> 
> 
> > I got one sold by Amazon US that has no hologram too.
> ...


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## tonymontana277 (Aug 22, 2013)

lastcoyote said:


> tonymontana277 said:
> 
> 
> > I got it from Amazon France but it was imported from Germany.
> ...



An Amazon marketplace seller from Germany.

I'm pretty confident that my filter is a genuine B+W, it seems good as B+W high quality on my new 16-35 f/2.8L II lens.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 22, 2013)

OK I got an email back from Schneider/B+W. Everythings cool 8) 

They confirmed that they've recently changed the hologram from the square green one to this new silver one on the side of their boxes. They even attached a PDF doc explaining the change and new hologram spec. Looks like they have plans to at some point make the characters that show on the lower part of it to be traceable online to confirm authenticity.

Anyway there you go. Hopefully this thread and info will help others out who have the same concerns as I did.


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 22, 2013)

I wonder if they changed it because they discovered the B+W green ones were being counterfeited (on counterfeit filters)? Hope not. 

More likely, Schneider just wants to promote the overall brand. For those who don't know, they've got a large selection of rectangular Schott glass grad ND filters they sell in their MPTV line.


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## lastcoyote (Aug 22, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> I wonder if they changed it because they discovered the B+W green ones were being counterfeited (on counterfeit filters)? Hope not.
> 
> More likely, Schneider just wants to promote the overall brand. For those who don't know, they've got a large selection of rectangular Schott glass grad ND filters they sell in their MPTV line.



I think your first guess is actually the correct one.
Here's the wording from the doc:

_"In order to ensure maximum safety from product fakes of B+W filters to the end user and the photo trade the function of the previous safety label was extended.

The hologram label itself is secure against manipulations. An unnoticed removing or reapplying is not possible. The adhesion as well as the structure of the material are done in a way that the label is self-destructive when trying to remove it. The safety color is located between two material layers. Consequently, a separation effect occurs and a manipulation is immediately apparent. Furthermore, the numeric coding is also placed securely between the material layers.

Furthermore, it is planned to enable the enduser to check the authentication via an online platform."_

Plus this bit written next to a picture of the new hologram label:

_"The new safety hologram with a size of 10 x15mm with glittering safety color similar to a banknote are positioned on the side of the B+W filter box. Depending on the viewing angle the color is changing, and the authentication number is clearly evident."_


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 22, 2013)

lastcoyote said:


> I think your first guess is actually the correct one.
> Here's the wording from the doc:



Makes sense, thanks!


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