Is a polarizer filter a good thing to have?

My wife and kids indulged my new hobby by getting me a couple of items from the local camera shop for father's day. One of the items they got on the store's recommendation was a 77mm Promaster circular polarizer filter.

My learning curve hasn't gotten to filters yet (other than the UV filter on the lens) but I am thinking of returning it. I like to shot as wide open as I can most of the time, and apparently I would lose up to 2 stops with this filter.

What is the advantage of having this filter? I hesitate to put something in front of the 70-200L that may change the optics. Haven't really noticed any glare or color problems that were not self inflicted.

Any advice appreciated.

RICK

Yes, they're one of the few filters that can't be done digitally in Photoshop. They reduce reflections, which is good for glass, cars, metals, etc, and is good for really sunny days too. It also turns the sky a cool deep blue if you turn it correctly. I'd keep it if I were you.

Circ-pol filter is a useful item to have in your kit. It's used to cut out glare due to polarised light. This might occur in the sky, if you're shooting landscape, or from any reflective surfaces, like metal, glass, or water. You'd generally use it when there is plenty of light to cause the glare, thus losing 2 stops is no big deal. I would only put the filter on if I needed to combat glare, otherwise I just use a lens hood.

I love mine don't know how I lived without one, I have a 62mm one and a step down ring so I can also use it on my 58mm lens. Get one for your largest lens and buy a step down ring for the rest of them. And get one in your budget.

I have a cheapy Sunpak filter and it works great w/ my 18-125mm DC. I know alot of folks harp you have to have a Super-xtra-multicoated-optimized for knats @$$ digital $150.00-250.00 CP filter.

Well, frankly my moto is, if your budget can only support a $50 no name polarizer then get one, it's clearly better then none at all. And I love my cheapy and it's done wonders for me and I love my prints from it.

If I used one everyday I could justify the ubber models, but it comes out once and a while and does it's job quite well IMO. I had no names for years on my manual gear before I realized companies with names made them

I agreed with MrChad, having a less expensive one is way better then not having one at all. Go out and try it out what do you have to loss. Especially with digital, if the shot doesn't comeout as you like it delete it and do it over. I normally just continue to take picture since I carry so many CF with me I could n't be bother to waste time deleting. If anything you might check if it is Multicoated and if possible see if it can be echange for a Hoya, Tiffen, or Sunpack. B+W is little too expensive IMO.

Great filter to have, I like to use mine for nice blue skies, however it pays to not have it in the 'darkest' position with skies, as they tend to look unnatural.

If you shoot sunlight lit scenes, then a polarizer is a must have. It filters out "out of phase" light waves which are typically reflected light. If your budget does not allow you to get a $$$ B+W multi-coated circular polarizer, consider a non-coated linear polarizer that's smaller than your lens opening. I've had success using a 72mm linear polarizing filter on a 82mm opening lens with a step-down adapter ring.

Another must have filter is a "Haze 2" filter if you shoot pictures over water or distant tree lined mountains. Haze 2 filter is a super duper UV filter that removes the blue haze caused by reflected UV light. It is possible to reduce haze in Photoshop. But it's a lot of work and haze 2 filter is relatively cheap.

Just a technical point...
A polarizer won't reduce glare from metallic surfaces, like chrome or polished aluminum. It will reduce glare from painted metal (like vehicles), glass, water and other non-metallic surfaces.

hi Curtis,

There is a picture here that shows the comparison of reflection with coins (I don't know if there is a glass in front or not)

http://www.thkphoto.co​m/products/hoya/pro1d-01.html

Cheers

Upon reading the link I gave above, I have a question. Does anybody know the difference in the filter design and effectiveness of polarizing filters for a digital cameras and non-digital cameras or it is just a marketing claim?

edit: I have found out. the fact that the filter is multicoated is what does it. so their claim that the 'filter is design exclusively for digital cameras' sounds like a marketing trick since any multicoated filter would be as good.

Linear Polarize Filter is not recommended for DSLR. It has to do with focusing Error. I think.

arpi wrote:
There is a picture here that shows the comparison of reflection with coins (I don't know if there is a glass in front or not)http://www.thkphoto.co​m/products/hoya/pro1d-01.html

The web page doesn't explain what filters are used in that image. However, their page describing their circular polarizer uncludes this text: "CIRCULAR PL filters allow you to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water, glass etc."

I just ordered a filter and am waiting for it to arrive, price was $102 shipped

Dan

http://www.thkphoto.co​m/products/hoya/pro1d-04.html

It's definitely a worthwhile filter. I use a polarizer in landscape photography to:

- Deepen the blue of the sky and bring out the detail in clouds

- Remove reflections from the surface of water, which darkens the water and actually lets you see down to the bottom in shallow rivers and streams

- Remove reflected glare on trees and leaves, so that they are a deeper, more saturated green.

Try experimenting with your polarizer in the backyard, point it up at the sky and some trees, and rotate to see the effect you get. It will have its greatest effect on the sky when it is pointed at a 90 degree angle to the sun. And like FlyingPete said, it's easy to overdo the darkening effect on the sky, so it sometimes needs to be used with restraint. With practice you'll learn to "dial in" the amount of polarization you need.

Linear vs Circ. Pol. Filters
CPF: are needed for all SLR's film or digital with TTL metering systems.

Multi-coated: for reducing glare, good for digital or film.