How To Use Circular Polarizer..

[rollsman]

I have a Canon 20D and just purchased a this Pol. filter I put it on the lense and took 2 pictures. They both looked the same. I turned the ring but no change. What am I doing wrong? I thought that you can control the polarizer . Thank you, Dennis:rolleyes:

[Ron Lacey]

I have a Canon 20D and just purchased a this Pol. filter I put it on the lense and took 2 pictures. They both looked the same. I turned the ring but no change. What am I doing wrong? I thought that you can control the polarizer . Thank you, Dennis:rolleyes:

You'll only get an effect under specific conditions and scenes. To darken a blue sky you need to point the camera at the polarized band which is 90 degrees from you off a straight line between you and the sun, turn the filter and watch the sky lighten and darken. To get the most effect in reducing or innreasing reflections your angle of reflection has to be around 30 degrees from the plane of the reflective surface. You can also increase the saturation in rainbows or make them dissappear completely.

It's handy for checking a swimming hole before you jump in too:D

http://ronsfotos.com/mc/reflections.jpg

http://ronsfotos.com/mc/noreflections.jpg

Ron

[jbkalla]

Ron, nice example! :-)

[islandphoto]

Is one with the polarizor and one without?

Really cool website by the way :)

[Ron Lacey]

Is one with the polarizor and one without?

Both are with the poloarizer but the second one is rotated 90 degrees from where it was when the first photo was taken.

Really cool website by the way :)

Thanks:D

Ron

[islandphoto]

OH, I thought you just put the polarizor filter on (just like a UV)and that's it. I was thinking of getting one. Are there different kinds? I'm confused.

[Ron Lacey]

OH, I thought you just put the polarizor filter on (just like a UV)and that's it. I was thinking of getting one. Are there different kinds? I'm confused.

There are two types but they both work the same way, circular and linear. Circular are best and on some cameras a linear polarizer can scew up auto focus. It's really two pieces of glass one can rotate the other is fixed, when rotated one way it allows polarized light in when turned 90 degrees from that position it blocks polarized light.

Ron

[nwyman]

Glad this topic has come up, because I've been struggling with it for several weeks now.
My CP has a little white mark on the outer ring. Is this supposed to line up with the sun, or does it just indicate where the outer piece of glass is in relation to the other?

Nancy

[jbkalla]

Glad this topic has come up, because I've been struggling with it for several weeks now.
My CP has a little white mark on the outer ring. Is this supposed to line up with the sun, or does it just indicate where the outer piece of glass is in relation to the other?

Nancy

I don't know the answer to this, but I know it's not to line it up with the Sun. The reason is that the polarization of light will be different depending upon the angle of the surface the light is reflecting from. What the CP does is to block the direction of polarization that is causing the glare by cancelling out that angle of polarization.

I'm sorry if that was TMI! (too much information) :-)

[glowie]

check this out!

http://www.offrench.net/photos/articles/polarizing_filter.php

and this one:

http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/polarizer.html

[FlashZebra]

Circular are best and on some cameras a linear polarizer can scew up auto focus.
Ron
There are also some cameras that meter behind a partially silvered reflex mirror; this metering function is inhibited when you do not use a circular polarizer.

Enjoy! Lon

[jbkalla]

check this out!

http://www.offrench.net/photos/articles/polarizing_filter.php

and this one:

http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/polarizer.html (http://www.cs.mtu.edu/%7Eshene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/polarizer.html)


Great links, glowie! I didn't know you shouldn't stack the polarizer on top of the UV (or any) filter! I guess it makes sense. :-)

[FlashZebra]

To see the gross effect of your polarizer.

· Screw it to your lens.
· Go outside on a sunny day before 10:00AM or after 3:00PM
· Point the camera where you can see part of the sky
· While looking through the viewfinder, rotate the polarizer
· Note how the sky darkens at some polarizer positions.
· Note how the polarizer has little effect on the sky at other polarizer positions.

Other considerations.

You typically only fit you polarizer when you want to reap its effect. It cuts huge amounts of light from your camera, and you do not want to be unnecessarily saddled with that encumbrance.

Enjoy! Lon

[nwyman]

check this out!

http://www.offrench.net/photos/articles/polarizing_filter.php

and this one:

http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/polarizer.html

these were of great help to me, particularly the second one! Thanks.

Nancy

[sti jaguar]

Can somebody recommend some good polarizers? Hoya?..

[glowie]

B+W or Heliospan

Stay away from the cheap ones

[farrukh]

Can somebody recommend some good polarizers? Hoya?..

I've decided to go for Sigma EX CP filter for my Sigma 10-20 lens. http://www.sigma-photo.com/lenses/lenses_lens_details.asp?id=3250&navigator=2

[calicokat]

A decent filter in the 77mm size from Hoya or B&W is going to run you around $150.00. Its one of the more costly filters.

[Ron Lacey]

Can somebody recommend some good polarizers? Hoya?..

I'm happy with my Sigma and B+W polarizers, I imagine Hoya are just as good.

ron

[FlashZebra]

Almost all opinions about the gross effect of the optical quality of various brands, or brand grades, of filters are based on pretty much nothing. I have yet to see a meaningful codified and rigorous report that tests these issues in some comprehensive manner.

So, you are mostly stuck with antidotal ramblings from individuals that often make their case much too strongly than the weak nature of there antidotal observations might warrant (and my ramblings are no better than any other).

It is my opinion that the available grades of lens filters owes more to adept marketing departments that are very skilled in stroking psychological factors of their consumers, than the same companies engineering and manufacturing departments actually delivering meaningful, discreet levels of product performance.

So get some inexpensive filters, my experence indicates they will be fine. Or possibly, the least expensive Hoya filter you can find.

There is absolutely no need to spend $150.00 on a 77mm polarizer.

The concept that an expensive lens somehow “deserves” to be anointed with an expensive filter, a filter that likely has attributes leveraged to the ozone by marketing departments is unwarranted.

You should just use what will work nicely, and I bet an inexpensive filter will do the job.

Enjoy! Lon

[geester]

Great info on this. Ive always thought to just slap it on and use it. I never understood why I was able to spin it when it was on my lens.

[JohnnyG]

Okay, let me get this straight!!! Polarizers cause alligators to appear in the water! Wow! It must because I never saw one in Canada!

Okay, all joking aside, I really appreciate your example Ron as it clearly demonstates the effect of the polarizer!

Thanks!

[J T]

Great links, glowie! I didn't know you shouldn't stack the polarizer on top of the UV (or any) filter! I guess it makes sense. :-)

Is this just for zooms, or primes as well? I've been using my CP on a ND filter and haven't noticed any vignetting (as seen in the photo on that website).

[J T]

B+W or Heliospan

Stay away from the cheap ones

So you're saying to avoid Hoya? That's what I've been using and my pictures come out great using my 50mm.

[Tsmith]

Can somebody recommend some good polarizers? Hoya?..

Very good brand just make sure its of the multicoated variety.

[FlashZebra]

So you're saying to avoid Hoya? That's what I've been using and my pictures come out great using my 50mm.
Even the cheapest Hoya's are fine. Don't sweat this purchase.

You are only adding one additional lens element (the filter) so whither it is multicoated or not even coated, it is likely not to make any real difference.

Enjoy! Lon

[SkipD]

I am very pleased with my Hoya circular polarizer. It is their 77mm Circular Polarizer/UV Haze (HMC) Multi-Coated Glass Filter - Ultra Thin.

[farrukh]

For ultra wide lenses, Sigma wide multicoated CP filter is very good option.

[Jon]

Is this just for zooms, or primes as well? I've been using my CP on a ND filter and haven't noticed any vignetting (as seen in the photo on that website).You're more likely to see vignetting on wide angles, but not as wide as where you'd see vignetting from a single filter. With teles, it's not too common.

[nwyman]

so,when one uses the CP, is it necessary to bump the EC up a bit?

Nancy

[SkipD]

so,when one uses the CP, is it necessary to bump the EC up a bit?Nope. The through-the-lens meter takes care of it automatically.

However, if you're using a handheld meter you need to open up a couple stops from the meter reading to compensate for the filter.

[Jon]

so,when one uses the CP, is it necessary to bump the EC up a bit?

NancyNo - you're using the in-camera meter, right? It'll accomodate the loss of light and give you a "correct" exposure. If there's something in the scene that warrants EC, that's a different question, but a polarizer with TTL metering won't automatically require EC.

[Michel Souris]

RE: cheap and expensive polarizers
From the tests I've seen, the cost differential is not justified. The cheap polarizers from fotodiox.com work very well and are coated, at a fraction of the price of the expensive ones.

[lekke]

Hello... I just had an experience last week I'd like to share; If you keep your polarizer on the lens when shooting with open apertures, you'll get nasty looking bokeh - much worse that what you'd expect from your lens.

Use polarizer only with closed down apertures (large DoF) and remember to use it when shooting water, glass or sky. If those aren't your primary subjects, the filter is unnecessery

[blueM]

Almost all opinions about the gross effect of the optical quality of various brands, or brand grades, of filters are based on pretty much nothing. I have yet to see a meaningful codified and rigorous report that tests these issues in some comprehensive manner.

So, you are mostly stuck with antidotal ramblings from individuals that often make their case much too strongly than the weak nature of there antidotal observations might warrant (and my ramblings are no better than any other).

It is my opinion that the available grades of lens filters owes more to adept marketing departments that are very skilled in stroking psychological factors of their consumers, than the same companies engineering and manufacturing departments actually delivering meaningful, discreet levels of product performance.

So get some inexpensive filters, my experence indicates they will be fine. Or possibly, the least expensive Hoya filter you can find.

There is absolutely no need to spend $150.00 on a 77mm polarizer.

The concept that an expensive lens somehow “deserves” to be anointed with an expensive filter, a filter that likely has attributes leveraged to the ozone by marketing departments is unwarranted.

You should just use what will work nicely, and I bet an inexpensive filter will do the job.

Enjoy! Lon

Does anybody know anything about this online retailer?

http://shop.vendio.com/hkd/item/771825811/index.html

I ran across them while searching on eBay for filters. Nothing shows up on ResellerRatings. It looks like they sell knock-offs from China, although they say B+W.

Problem is, as I see it, if you get a crummy polarizer you might never know it if you've never used one.

Kevin

[eenorton]

Thought I'd ressurect this thread rather than start a new one...

I tried my CP with a 5D on my Bigma. These shots were both taken at 500mm. Is this vignetting to be expected? No PPing, just resized for web.

http://images20.fotki.com/v384/photos/6/64353/1871830/IMG_020701w2-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v381/photos/6/64353/1871830/IMG_022501w2-vi.jpg

And this shot is just to show you that the bird finally flew off. :D
http://images7.fotki.com/v149/photos/6/64353/1871830/IMG_022601w-vi.jpg

[poah]

Nope. The through-the-lens meter takes care of it automatically.

However, if you're using a handheld meter you need to open up a couple stops from the meter reading to compensate for the filter.


not striclkyl true. my 20D undersposes by a 1/3 when a CP is on compared to without (taking into account the loss of light with a CP)