Hoya Y3STERN458 58mm Four-Cross Star Filter

The Hoya 58mm Four-Cross Screen Star Filter is a creative effects filter designed to add a distinctive four-pointed star flare to bright highlights in your images. It works by using a finely etched cross-hatch pattern on the glass surface to diffract concentrated light sources — such as street lamps, candle flames, sunlight glinting off water, or reflections from jewelry and metallic surfaces — into four symmetrical rays. This makes it a popular choice for adding visual drama to nighttime photography, product shoots with reflective items, and any scene featuring strong specular highlights.

Beyond the star effect, the filter imparts a gentle soft-focus quality to the overall image, which can complement certain portrait and lifestyle photography styles. The standard optical coating helps suppress internal reflections and maintain light transmission, though photographers should expect a slight reduction in contrast and sharpness compared to shooting with no filter. The 58mm screw-on design makes it quick to attach and remove, and rotating the filter on the lens thread lets you adjust the orientation of the star pattern to suit your composition. For photographers looking for a simple, in-camera creative effect without relying on post-processing, this Hoya cross screen filter offers a reliable and repeatable result.