car show runied by circular polarize filter

[s2kologist]

EDIT2: there was a huge smug on the filter that is why the pic came out super hazy.

EDIT: i used the filter wrong, i did not rotate it.

What did I do wrong? Should i have not use a filter? It was a very bright day and thought i would try out the B+W circular polarizer filter i just picked up. All of the pictures came out hazy. I was using a 40d with 17-55 2.8 with hood.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/s2kologist/IMG_4598.jpg

[mlav]

Did you just clean the lense/filter? Check it closely, I have smeared crap on the glass before, not a good outcome.

[A2EVOMR]

Did you turn and adjust the filter properly for the angle of shots you were taking?

[s2kologist]

Did you turn and adjust the filter properly for the angle of shots you were taking?

no. tell me about this.

[s2kologist]

Did you just clean the lense/filter? Check it closely, I have smeared crap on the glass before, not a good outcome.

the lens and filter are brand new. i just pulled them out of the box and shot. maybe i smugged it later in the day.

[tedBalog]

For a Circular polarizer to work properly you must turn the one layer of the filter.

[CincyShooter]

You didn't use it correctly

[s2kologist]

how do i use it correctly?

[Pete]

how do i use it correctly?

When you're looking at your subject through the viewfinder, rotate the front of the filter around. You'll see that the reflections on windows will appear and disappear as you rotate it.

Just take the shot when the reflection (or not as the case may be) is how you like it. Mostly, you want to try and get the windshield clear (no relfection).

[Bill Ng]

Polarizers only work their best when the lens is pointing at a 90 degree angle from the sun, in other words, not pointing towards it or away from it, but positioned so that the side of the camera is pointing at the sun.

Second, your polarizer should have a floating front-element that allows you to rotate the glass while the filter is installed. You need to rotate the glass while looking through the lens until the filter's effect is at its strongest. Then shoot.

Just go outside today if you have a chance and watch what happens as you rotate the filter and turn your body around to different directions - it will effect the potency of the filter.

Bill

[elysium]

Looking at it, the white car on the right seems to be much more clearer.

Have you tested it more. How did it look when using the viewfinder on your camera?

[Mark1]

You can test it here at the computer. At least with LCD screens... hold the filter up and turn it. You will see the screen change. This is what you need to do when shooting. It does slow you down, but the results are usually worth it. When you do the rotation depends on weather the front element of your lens rotates or not. If it does, you need to focus first then align the filter. If it does NOT rotate it really does not matter. However every shot will most likely take an adjustment.

[s2kologist]

i did not know you had to turn the filter. i will do some more testing with it today. when i was looking through the view finder the pics looked dark. the sun was too bright to see how the pics looked in the monitor on the camera.

[s2kologist]

Polarizers only work their best when the lens is pointing at a 90 degree angle from the sun, in other words, not pointing towards it or away from it, but positioned so that the size of the camera is pointing at the sun.
Bill

so is the filter a bad idea for walking around at a car show?

[Mark1]

They will be fine. Note he said" work their best". Not "only work at". Polarizers will cut down reflections at most angles. "Cut down" not necessarily eliminate them. Just take your time and adjust the filter before each shot and you will do fine.

[Jamie Holladay]

If I am not mistaken, there is a white mark on the rotating portion of the filter. That needs to be positioned in the direction of the sun.

[Bill Ng]

i did not know you had to turn the filter. i will do some more testing with it today. when i was looking through the view finder the pics looked dark. the sun was too bright to see how the pics looked in the monitor on the camera.

With a polarizer you lose two stops of light - that's why everything looked dark. Nothing to worry about, and your camera's metering will adjust for the correct amount of light being passed.

Bill

[Bill Ng]

so is the filter a bad idea for walking around at a car show?

No, in fact polarizers are fantastic for removing reflections in painted surfaces and out of windows .... the trick is balancing the direction of sunlight. Typically you stick the sun at your back when shooting in bright daylight to get rid of harsh shadows, but a polarizer doesn't work with the sun at your back, only with the sun at your side.

There's a bigger problem there though. No one yet, including myself, has addressed the fact that even if the polarizer isn't rotated correctly, it should not have drastically reduced the contrast in your photos like the shot above indicates. Looking at that photo, I would expect that the polarizer isn't clean or there was a simply phenomenal amount of haze that day. Either that or there was some sunlight that was hitting the front of the polarizer (if sunlight directly hits any filter at an angle, it WILL ruin the photo)

Bill

[John_TX]

I guess the next question would be: Did you use a hood with the 17-55?

[Desertraptor]

Also may have gotten moisture between the elements.
Did you go from a cool to warm environment. Like from in doors to out doors on a hotish day? May have fogged the lens

[Mark1]

For landscapes and such the "sun at the side" rule works. However when you are at a car show light is bouncing off of everything and there is no 1 scorce of light. So the rule gets minimized. The CP will reduce reflections at just about any angle, that is why they can spin. They may not eliminate them, but they can drastically reduce them at just about any angle.Just try it and you will see. Take the extra 3 seconds and spin it till its as you want it.

[40Dude6aedyk]

You can consider the polarizer much like your polarizing sunglasses. Go outside on a sunny day with your sunglasses on and look at reflections from a car window or the surface of a body of water. Now hold your sunglasses off your head and rotate them. Question: What happens to the bright reflections from windows or water?

Imagine your filter being like your sunglasses. If you rotate your filter, you can minimize the intensities of the hot spot reflections. But if you rotate it 90 degrees from that, you can maximize the intensities of the hot spot reflections.

You might also wish to take off your sunglasses when shooting photos.

[PhotoJourno]

i did not know you had to turn the filter. i will do some more testing with it today. when i was looking through the view finder the pics looked dark. the sun was too bright to see how the pics looked in the monitor on the camera.


A great way to learn how the Circular polarizer works. Sit down with your lens, and point it at your Laptop screen, or any LCD type.

Then slowly rotate the polarizer, and look at the effect through the lens as you do. The LCD refresh rate also helps to emphasize the results.

In short, you should be able to see how turning the polarizer simply regulates specific light going through it. With the laptop and a CP, I can take a photo where the LCD looks black and I can expose well its surroundings, and then -without it- where the Camera exposes the LCD light, but all surroundings come out dark.

Anyhow, the best way to practice these are to clean your car windows, park it outside on a sunny day, and just walk around taking pics and getting familiar with what you see.

[Jamie Holladay]

A great way to learn how the Circular polarizer works. Sit down with your lens, and point it at your Laptop screen, or any LCD type.

Then slowly rotate the polarizer, and look at the effect through the lens as you do. The LCD refresh rate also helps to emphasize the results.

In short, you should be able to see how turning the polarizer simply regulates specific light going through it. With the laptop and a CP, I can take a photo where the LCD looks black and I can expose well its surroundings, and then -without it- where the Camera exposes the LCD light, but all surroundings come out dark.

Anyhow, the best way to practice these are to clean your car windows, park it outside on a sunny day, and just walk around taking pics and getting familiar with what you see.
Nice information. Thanks for sharing!

[5005]

EDIT: i used the filter wrong. how do i use it correctly?

What did I do wrong? Should i have not use a filter? It was a very bright day and thought i would try out the B+W circular polarizer filter i just picked up. All of the pictures came out hazy. I was using a 40d with 17-55 2.8 with hood.



Did you drive to the car show in a nice cold air conditioned car, then get out in the heat and start shooting? If so, your lens was probably all fogged up.

[MagicallyDelicious]

To test out the filter so you know the differences to look for hold it up to the sky off the lens and turn it and you will see sky change colour.

[PhotosGuy]

I guess the next question would be: Did you use a hood with the 17-55? Good question. I think you have some flare from the sun hitting the filter. when i was looking through the view finder the pics looked dark. Why not just hold it up to your eye & walk around while rotating it. Much easier than looking through a viewfinder.
FWIW, I don't care for a CP for cars.

[Hawmaw]

The guy states in his first post that he DID use a hood.

[PhotosGuy]

The guy states in his first post that he DID use a hood. Sometimes the hood needs a little help. I've had to shade the lens with my hand which leaves fingers in the shot so I shoot a bit wider so I can crop them out.
With the 28-70 f/2.8, on 28mm, the lens element is right at the outside edge of the hood, so not much help from it there.

[s2kologist]

update the main problem was the biggest smug i have ever seen. that is why the pic is hazy. thanks for the help guys.

I was using a lens hood for the car show pics, but as i stated the problem was the smug. i am having lens flare problems with this 17-55 lens even when using the hood.

the next day i went out to the beach with some friends and tried out the lens/filter/hood combo and i got this.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/s2kologist/IMG_4829.jpg

[John_TX]

update the main problem was the biggest smug i have ever seen. that is why the pic is hazy. thanks for the help guys.

I was using a lens hood for the car show pics, but as i stated the problem was the smug. i am having lens flare problems with this 17-55 lens even when using the hood.

the next day i went out to the beach with some friends and tried out the lens/filter/hood combo and i got this.


Smug?

[Bill Ng]

Smug?

he means a smudge.

Bill

[John_TX]

I thought he might have been referring to CA's notorious SMOG. :oops: