Hoya engineers recognized a need for a filter that could meet the demands of super high resolution cameras, and the needs of photographers who require ultimate protection for their expensive lenses. Utilizing a new multi-coating process that applies 32-layers of anti-reflective coating to the optical UV glass, Hoya created a filter that is 5x sharper and a coating that is 800% harder than the award winning HD2 UV filter. The HD3 filter yields a light transmission rate of 99.7% and uses the same chemically enhanced 4x harder optical UV glass that made the HD2 filters "The Toughest Filters on the Planet". The new coating process created a top layer that is more scratch & stain resistant, and water & oil repellant making it super easy to clean when smudges and fingerprints are introduced to the surface. The filter's UV properties filter unwanted ultra-violet rays, reducing haze and increasing clarity. This means the filter faithfully maintains the sharpness and clarity of the original lens while protecting from everyday wear-and-tear and extreme shooting conditions. The HD3 glass is housed in a one-piece, lightweight, low-profile, aircraft grade aluminum filter frame. This one-piece design allows the filter to maintain perfect parallel alignment to the sensor plane for maximum sharpness and zero distortion. The low-profile design eliminates the concern for vignetting when used on ultra-wide-angle lenses, and the front filter threads accepts lens caps and other filters for stacking. Made exclusively in Japan, the new HD3 UV professional filters are manufactured with micro-precision under the strictest quality control to ensure each and every filter meets the demands of working professional photographers and their equipment. For this reason Kenko Tokina USA, the US distributor for Hoya Filters, provides a lifetime limited warranty against manufacture's defects when purchased from a USA authorized Hoya retailer.