Do some polarizers work better than other?

Does a nice CPL cut reflections better and make skies bluer than a cheap one? I bought a cheap CPL just to mess around with but am mildly disappointed with its performance.

I assume that all the countless masses of information about cheap UV filters applies here as well in terms of affecting sharpness, etc.

First question is, why are you disappointed? A lot has to do with the type of lens that you're using it with. For example, on an ultrawide lens, you will get uneven sky effects across the frame (from dark to light) due to lens' field of view. Even "better" filters behave this way on UWA's. Also, are you positioned properly (90-degrees to the sun)?

Yes, a "better" polarizer will yield better results. Higher-end polarizers use better glass, have better polarizing foils, better multicoatings, and sometimes use brass rings instead of aluminum (but not always). They cost a little more up front, but you'll be saving in the long run by not replacing poorer filters. Here's a link for some better filters (B+W, Hoya) at pretty good prices:

http://www.hvstar.net

No, a premium CPL does not polarize any better than a cheapo CPL and will not "cut reflections better and make skies bluer than a cheap one". The amount of polarization is identical. What is different is the construction and the coatings. The coatings will help prevent lens flare and ghosting/internal reflections in difficult lighting conditions. Presented with two images, one made with an expensive CPL and one made with a cheap brand-name polarizer, barring flare or ghosting, few if any (I'd guess 'none') will be able to tell them apart.

Now, I'm not sure under what conditions you tried your new CPL but it won't work very well unless its a bright sunny day. As for making the sky bluer, this depends on the location of the Sun in the sky -- you'll get the maximum effect with the Sun 90 degree from the subject (i.e., the Sun's to your left or right). For reducing reflected glare, you need to slowly turn the CPL until you get the effect you want. It can take a little practice. Buying a $200 CPL will not make the skies bluer or glare less glarier.

this brings me to a question then. i own two pairs of sunglasses. one maui jim, and the others are rayban. and they are polarized. but they do make the skies a little bluer and the greens seem to be greener, and glare is nearly gone completely.

while i know that they are totally different types of things. are they coated the same? and why do you not get the same affect out of a polarized lens cover than you do a pair of maui jims?
shannon

JackProton wrote in post #4065050
No, a premium CPL does not polarize any better than a cheapo CPL and will not "cut reflections better and make skies bluer than a cheap one".

Maybe I wasn't clear...when I said that a better polarizer filter will yield better results, I was speaking in terms of IQ. A higher end filter will not degrade IQ, while an "inferior" filter will.

shannyD wrote in post #4065098
this brings me to a question then. i own two pairs of sunglasses. one maui jim, and the others are rayban. and they are polarized. but they do make the skies a little bluer and the greens seem to be greener, and glare is nearly gone completely.

while i know that they are totally different types of things. are they coated the same? and why do you not get the same affect out of a polarized lens cover than you do a pair of maui jims?

You should be able to get the same effect from a CPL filter as your polarized sunglasses unless you're using the colored lenses. Are your shades lens' colored "Maui Rose", "Neutral Grey" or "HCL Bronze"? I'd expect the neutral grey to be more or less the same as a CPL filter. If not, see if you can take a shot through the sunglasses -- I'd be very curious.

argyle wrote in post #4065158
Maybe I wasn't clear...when I said that a better polarizer filter will yield better results, I was speaking in terms of IQ. A higher end filter will not degrade IQ, while an "inferior" filter will.

Yeah, I figured that's what you'd probably meant though the OP seemed to be asking more about the actual polarization effect.

they are both the natural ones. the rose and gold ones bother me. but there is a big difference in the coloring when you look through your glasses and when you look through your camera even with a high end CPL. its like the colors are flat, and the pictures are darker it seems.

i have played with low end and high end CPLs and not pleased with any of the performance.

i wonder if i can get maui jim or ray ban to make a few filters? ( wishful thinking)

i will take some shots through my sunglasses sometime soon. honestly i never thought of that. but even when your walking through a parking lo and there are oil stains on the floor, they look 3d.. its strange. but i love those glasses, and i hate being without them. but there is something strange. when i have a CPL on my camera and im wearing my glasses, its like they cancel each other out. there is a lot of interference. i dont know. hard to explain.

shannyD wrote in post #4065186
they are both the natural ones. the rose and gold ones bother me. but there is a big difference in the coloring when you look through your glasses and when you look through your camera even with a high end CPL. its like the colors are flat, and the pictures are darker it seems.

My prescription polarized sunglasses have green lenses so, yeah, there's a difference for me. I expect the "neutral" lenses on your sunglasses are probably a bit less neutral than the CPL on your camera. Take a shot through both and compare the color histograms in Photoshop sometime.

Heh. Try shooting with a warmer white balance (shade or cloudy) or a warming filter and see how you like that. I like to shoot with a CPL and red intensifying filter combination -- that really seems to make the colors pop for me.

JackProton wrote in post #4065050
No, a premium CPL does not polarize any better than a cheapo CPL and will not "cut reflections better and make skies bluer than a cheap one".

Hmm! I'm not too sure about that as my cheap hoya CPL makes the skies much darker blue than my VERY expensive B+W kaesemann MRC SLIM Circular Polarizer Filter, then again even though I got the B+W from hkdirect it has such a poor effect I think it may be a fake

Ahhh, nice subject matter and nice answers! I'm looking at the Hoya pro and have actually tried shooting (with fair results) through my wifes polarized black ice iridium O's. One of these days.....

shannyD wrote in post #4065197
i will take some shots through my sunglasses sometime soon. honestly i never thought of that.

Cool. I'd like to see this effect you're talking about.

3D effect, eh? That's curious. I wonder if the left and right lenses are a bit different from each other. Maybe they have slightly different polarizing orientations or slighly different coloring. That would definitely give you a 3D effect. Try this experiment: put on the sunglasses, hold the back of your polarizer up to a light and rotate it -- it should go appear dark at certain point for both of your sunglass lenses then clear for both lenses at the same time. If there's a difference, that would explain the 3D effect.

Yeah, I can't wear my polarized sunglasses while using my camera with or without a CPL filter.

Just in case, try another experiment to make sure you have a circular instead of a linear polarizer -- hold the CPL up to a mirror, when you look through the CPL at the mirror, the reflection of the filter should appear dark when you look through the front but not when you look through back of the CPL.

whiteflyer wrote in post #4065444
Hmm! I'm not too sure about that as my cheap hoya CPL makes the skies much darker blue than my VERY expensive B+W kaesemann MRC SLIM Circular Polarizer Filter, then again even though I got the B+W from hkdirect it has such a poor effect I think it may be a fake

Try cleaning the front of the B+W filter -- dirt, grease, etc. could possibly depolarize the light to an extent. Your filter could have been installed backwards so try the mirror test by holding the CPL up to a mirror -- the reflection of the filter should appear VERY dark in the mirror when looking through the front of the CPL and should not appear dark when looking through the back.

JackProton wrote in post #4066895
Try cleaning the front of the B+W filter -- dirt, grease, etc. could possibly depolarize the light to an extent. Your filter could have been installed backwards so try the mirror test by holding the CPL up to a mirror -- the reflection of the filter should appear VERY dark in the mirror when looking through the back of the CPL and should not appear dark when looking through the front.

So let me get this right :
If I hold my filter up to a mirror and look through the filter from the side that screws on to the lens (side closes to the lens ) then it should look very dark but looking from the front of the filter the side away from the lens it should be light.

Mine is the other way from that