Circular polarizer - hmmmmmmmmmm

Hello,

A few months back, I bought a no-brand CPF for both my 58mm and 70mm lenses. While I do see some real impact of using the filter overall, I do not see how turning the filter really makes a difference. I can see how the picture's quality/lights etc change as I turn it, but then the photo turns out the same no matter where the filter is turned. I tested several CPF positions on the same object and could not detect significant differences...

Am I doing somwthing wrong or do the filters not function well? DO I keep the filters or invest in brand-ones? It is strange since I can really see the overall impact of the CPF as compared to photos without....please help solve my dilemma!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Zsolt

I'm not sure what your problem is. What direction are you shooting in relation to the sun? You should be at a 90 degree angle to it for maximum effectiveness. When I rotate mine, I see a big difference in where the polarization goes, i.e. the skies or a body of water (lake).

Here is what I meant: I took several photos of the same object while turning the CPF. While I was able to see the difference with the turns in the viewfinder, the actuall photo did not show those differences; the photos all looked pretty much the same...

As AJ noted - you have to shoot when the sun is at 90 degrres from the direction of your lens. See here for more details and example diagrams.

While the effects of a polarizer may be most notable when used 90° from the sun they can still be useful at just about any angle.

Very interesting site!

If i have a 70-200, and shooting outside, and sports, would you reccomend using a CPF?

surfologist wrote in post #2099165
Very interesting site!

If i have a 70-200, and shooting outside, and sports, would you reccomend using a CPF?

If you shoot around sun & water together you should have one.

With circular polorizer

Maybe the no-brand CP is a POS? If you are anything but head on into the sun or have it behind your back, you should see an obvious difference in the view finder and in print.

Shaun

What about getting mulit coated one- Is it worth the upgrade? What will the coat do anyway?

zzpethe wrote in post #2097343
Hello,

A few months back, I bought a no-brand CPF for both my 58mm and 70mm lenses. While I do see some real impact of using the filter overall, I do not see how turning the filter really makes a difference. I can see how the picture's quality/lights etc change as I turn it, but then the photo turns out the same no matter where the filter is turned. I tested several CPF positions on the same object and could not detect significant differences...

Am I doing somwthing wrong or do the filters not function well? DO I keep the filters or invest in brand-ones? It is strange since I can really see the overall impact of the CPF as compared to photos without....please help solve my dilemma!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Zsolt

you REALLY need to post some examples so we can SEE your problem

You WON"T see much difference with a CP filter if there is little or no sun and/or if you are not shooting 90% to the sun and if there are little or no reflective surfaces in your shot

You will notice a difference with multicoated filers as long as you know what it is you are looking for. At the moment you do not, so there is no point in shelling out for new filters until you have got the hang of the cheap version

It very much depends on what the subject matter of your shots is. CP cut down of the reflected light.

Suggest trying some test shots, for instance a landscape with blue sky. Position the sun at 90 deg. and take several short with the CPF at different degrees of rotation (e.g. 0, 20, 45, 70 and 9o etc). CPF also cut out the reflections from the surface of water or glass windows. Try taking a photo of a reflection on a loch/lake with the CPF in different positions.

The following image was taken on an over cast day, but without the CPF the rocks at the bottom of the river were not visible due to the reflections on the water's surface.

If you can see a diffence through the viewfinder you should see the same difference in the final image. It doesn't make sense otherwise, unless you're using a compact camera.

surfologist wrote in post #2099584
What about getting mulit coated one- Is it worth the upgrade? What will the coat do anyway?

Stops glare.
Cheaper polarisers are known to give off glare in certain instances (though not always)... I've got a few multi-coated Hoya CPLs and I've never ever noticed glare in whatever my shooting conditions..
Takes off about 3 stops of light though, so be warned...

It's 2 stops. I've never found this to be a problem at 400ISO, shooting landscapes at f8 in bright conditions.

curiousgeorge wrote in post #2100598
It's 2 stops.

Not always. My CPLs sometimes drop 2 stops, mostly drop 3.