Shooting with a circular polarizer on all the time?

[chabooky386]

I am about to do my first wedding shoot with my circular polarizer on. I was wondering would there be anything with doing that? Or should I be taking pictures with it off. I will be shooting inside and outside. Does anyone just leave it on all the time when shooting inside and outside?

[PacAce]

Unless you a specific reason for having the polarizing filter on, I would take it off, especially when indoors, because you can lose up to about 1.5 to 2 stops of light with it on unless, of course, that much light loss is not a big deal for you. Outside under the sun, it won't really be a problem, though.

[ben_r_]

Well you lose about a stop of light with most CPLs, so when you go inside say if you have any fast glass (like your 24-70 f/2.8) you just made it an f/4 lens without the usual gain in shrapness had you just stopped it down to f/4.

Also what CPL do you own? Unless its of the finest there is no way I would leave that filter in front of my nice glass (like the 24-70 is) and risk someones wedding shots coming out of any possibly lower IQ.

[chabooky386]

Well you lose about a stop of light with most CPLs, so when you go inside say if you have any fast glass (like your 24-70 f/2.8) you just made it an f/4 lens without the usual gain in shrapness had you just stopped it down to f/4.

Also what CPL do you own? Unless its of the finest there is no way I would leave that filter in front of my nice glass (like the 24-70 is) and risk someones wedding shots coming out of any possibly lower IQ.


Well I am getting the new 70-200 f2.8 ;) and of course it only gets the best! B+W 77 MRC CIRCULAR POLARIZER!!! So then what should I get when I am shooting indoors?!

[simwells]

Well I am getting the new 70-200 f2.8 ;) and of course it only gets the best! B+W 77 MRC CIRCULAR POLARIZER!!! So then what should I get when I am shooting indoors?!

Well why do you want a polariser whilst shooting indoors? A polariser is used for specific purposes and unless a specific occasion to use it arrises it shouldn't be on the front of the lens.

[kal444]

Well I am getting the new 70-200 f2.8 ;) and of course it only gets the best! B+W 77 MRC CIRCULAR POLARIZER!!! So then what should I get when I am shooting indoors?!

I'd say flashes... :D

Why would you want to use CPL indoor? If you meant other filters, most of them are highly dependent on the situation you are shooting in and is not something you will keep in front your glass at all times.

[jhom]

There is no real reason to have a cpl on all the time, either indoors or outdoors. CPLs like other filters serve a purpose to affect light. Why would you want to lose 1.5-2 stops all the time? If you are using a CPL as a protection device, then there are much less expensive alternatives including just using the lens hood.

[ben_r_]

When youre shooting indoors you should have nothing on the end of the lens other than perhaps a UV Haze filter for protection (also get a nice one of those like the B+W F-Pro MRC ones) or perhaps any specialty filter you might want to use like a star one or something else.

[chabooky386]

Well when I take pictures I don't want to have blown out skies. So would the circular polarizer work on something like that? Or can I achieve no blown out skies with a regular UV Haze filter?

[simwells]

Well when I take pictures I don't want to have blown out skies. So would the circular polarizer work on something like that? Or can I achieve no blown out skies with a regular UV Haze filter?

Yeah a polariser isn't really to be used as an ND filter, though it does the job to an extent.

Just learn to expose for a scene correctly. If you are indoors and want sky through windows not to be blown out this can get much more complicated.

[chabooky386]

Yeah a polariser isn't really to be used as an ND filter, though it does the job to an extent.

Just learn to expose for a scene correctly. If you are indoors and want sky through windows not to be blown out this can get much more complicated.


Means Neutral Density?

[Jon]

Well when I take pictures I don't want to have blown out skies. So would the circular polarizer work on something like that? Or can I achieve no blown out skies with a regular UV Haze filter?Not really; your worst risk of blown-out skies is when you're shooting directly toward the sun; and that's where the polarizer's least effective. It'll give you maximum darkening of the sky when you're shooting at right angles to the sun. Further, a polarizer, or a regular ND filter, will reduce the light for the entire scene, not just for the sky. To hold back just the sky light you'd need a graduated ND filter.

Means Neutral Density?
Yes.

[chabooky386]

Not really; your worst risk of blown-out skies is when you're shooting directly toward the sun; and that's where the polarizer's least effective. It'll give you maximum darkening of the sky when you're shooting at right angles to the sun. Further, a polarizer, or a regular ND filter, will reduce the light for the entire scene, not just for the sky. To hold back just the sky light you'd need a graduated ND filter.


Yes.


Ah I see. So a UV filter will do me fine then...:confused:

[Jon]

Well, if it's a good UV you won't really see any difference between with and without the filter; if it's a cheap one you're likely to get flare when shooting close to the sun or other specular light sources.

[simwells]

Ah I see. So a UV filter will do me fine then...:confused:

It really would help to know what you want this filter to achieve.

[chabooky386]

It really would help to know what you want this filter to achieve.


No blown out skies and something I can use all the time to protect my glass. Circular polarizer is out the window now. So I just got a UV haze B+W filter...