Circular polarizer for super telephotos?

I purchased my first super telephoto and was wondering how many people use the drop in CPL with Canon super telephoto lenses.

It's about $260 but I'm not sure how much use it would get. I don't use CPLs with my other lenses that much but when I do use one I'm very grateful to have one.

Can you please share your experience with the Canon drop in CPL and super telephoto lenses! I.e. how often and where have you found it to be useful?

I have often used a CPL in my 500mm when I am forced to shoot in harsher light towards the mid day, and on the water to help remove glare, or any time the sky is going to be a strong feature of the image,.

That said, without a CPL the optics of the 500mm seem to render blue skies with puffy white clouds better than any other lens I own.


I'd say if your not using CPLs much now, don't jump in @ $260.00 just to have it in your bag. See first if you ever find you miss it.

I recently got the Canon drop-in CPL for my 500mm to cut reflections. Watching reflections almost disappear on a wider lens with a CPL, like a 35mm, can result in a dramatic change to the image, but so far I haven't seen a similar dramatic results on the 500mm with the drop-in CPL. Thus far I just see subtle reflection reduction; even when my POV is more optimally positioned from the sun. Still I'm glad I got one.

The one thing I don't like about using a CPL with the 500mm is that you lose a stop or two of light. No problem on a sunny day with shorter lenses, but it's a bigger deal when I'm trying to keep my shutter speeds real high.

Congrats on the new 200-400L. That is a specatularly awesome lens.

I also use mine for motorsports partly for the same reasons as over water to cut glare/reflections on wind screens/body work but also so I don't have to stop down as much on the bright days for those slow shutter speeds.

I've toyed with the idea of mounting another piece of CPL glass onto my drop in CPL for an externally adjustable vari-ND since it only give about 1.5 stops on it's own and it would more convenient carrying several different stop NDs or a screw in vari-ND(not that it would hard to pull it out and drop back in) and a screw in drop in holder(yes there's also the option of gels but they're not very durable).

David, that is the nature of the beast, meaning the CPL is the "beast", not the lens. You lose that light (more or less) regardless of lens.

Good thread on making variable ND at http://www.thephotofor​um.com …e-variable-nd-filter.html. It may not be as simple as one would think. Helen B on the link seems to be knowledgeable.

Or this thread...http://petapixel.com …e-neutral-density-filter/

John from PA wrote in post #16309745
David, that is the nature of the beast, meaning the CPL is the "beast", not the lens. You lose that light (more or less) regardless of lens.

In contrast to wildlife and sport photography, the need to maximize shutter speed typically isn't as important with other photo genres (landscapes, architecture, street photography, etc.) where shorter lenses are used. However, wildlife and sport photography - where super-telephotos are most typically employed - often require maximizing shutter speed, and that is where the CPL can do more harm than good. It is the combination of super-telephoto + CPL + wildlife/sport photography that is the "beast". I hope that better explains where I am coming from in my post above.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16309699
...Watching reflections almost disappear on a wider lens with a CPL, like a 35mm, can result in a dramatic change to the image, but so far I haven't seen a similar dramatic results on the 500mm with the drop-in CPL. Thus far I just see subtle reflection reduction; even when my POV is more optimally positioned from the sun....

Really? I wonder why that is. Do you think it may be because the polarizer is situated at the back of the lens rather than the front?

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #16309657
I have often used a CPL in my 500mm when I am forced to shoot in harsher light towards the mid day, and on the water to help remove glare, or any time the sky is going to be a strong feature of the image,.

That said, without a CPL the optics of the 500mm seem to render blue skies with puffy white clouds better than any other lens I own.

I'd say if your not using CPLs much now, don't jump in @ $260.00 just to have it in your bag. See first if you ever find you miss it.

I shopped around a bit and it is only $240 in the U.S. but about $350 in Canada! I know I'm being a bit cheap, but I will wait until my next trip to the U.S. and pick one up then.

David Arbogast wrote in post #16309699
I recently got the Canon drop-in CPL for my 500mm to cut reflections. Watching reflections almost disappear on a wider lens with a CPL, like a 35mm, can result in a dramatic change to the image, but so far I haven't seen a similar dramatic results on the 500mm with the drop-in CPL. Thus far I just see subtle reflection reduction; even when my POV is more optimally positioned from the sun. Still I'm glad I got one.

The one thing I don't like about using a CPL with the 500mm is that you lose a stop or two of light. No problem on a sunny day with shorter lenses, but it's a bigger deal when I'm trying to keep my shutter speeds real high.

Congrats on the new 200-400L. That is a specatularly awesome lens.

Thank you. I've been wanting more reach for some time. I'm not a professional so I feel it would be a bit gluttonous to own more than one super telephoto. I hope I don't regret not buying the 400mm f/2.8. I've been very busy and the weather has sucked but from the few test shots I've taken, I am very impressed. I'm a bit of a pixel peeper too.

I tried to find the CPL in Canada, but got a bit confused with the information I received from Henrys. At B&H and Adorama, they have the model, #52WII which is listed as http://www.adorama.com​/CA52CPLD2.html. I emailed Henrys and they told me the following link was the same except that I had to supply my own filter (http://www.henrys.com …EW-FLTR-HOLDER-W-FLT.aspx).

The filter holder from Adorama looks like it has a dial for adjusting the CPL, but the one from Henrys does not. Henrys explained that once you put a CPL in the drop-in holder, it would be exactly the same.

If anyone has experience with these things, I would appreciate the help in clarifying the different holders.

SunTsu wrote in post #16320238
I tried to find the CPL in Canada, but got a bit confused with the information I received from Henrys. At B&H and Adorama, they have the model, #52WII which is listed as http://www.adorama.com​/CA52CPLD2.html. I emailed Henrys and they told me the following link was the same except that I had to supply my own filter (http://www.henrys.com …EW-FLTR-HOLDER-W-FLT.aspx).

The filter holder from Adorama looks like it has a dial for adjusting the CPL, but the one from Henrys does not. Henrys explained that once you put a CPL in the drop-in holder, it would be exactly the same.

If anyone has experience with these things, I would appreciate the help in clarifying the different holders.

The information from Henry's is wrong! Their link is to the screw-in filter holder which does not work with a polarizing filter because you would not have any way to turn the polarizer.

The only polarizer that will work is the one in the link from B&H or Adorama. It has the wheel on the top so that you can turn the polarizer. It is the only drop-in polarizer that will work with your 200-400 or any of thew supertelephoto lenses.

Bearmann wrote in post #16319716
Really? I wonder why that is. Do you think it may be because the polarizer is situated at the back of the lens rather than the front?

Would make zero difference.

OK. I was guessing that perhaps after going through the lens elements, that there was less light in the horizontal plane to be blocked by the polarizer. Do you have a theory to explain it? Do you think the Canon brand polarizer is just less efficient than other brands?

When I had 500mm f4 I never felt the need but then I usually shot later in the evenings or early mornings.

here is one earlier in the evening and I see no issues without CPL.