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Polarizer Filter
Ambrola
Registered Users Posts: 232 Major grins
I am realativley new to landscape photography, and would like to know if these filters are worth the expence? I have a 12-24mm Nikon lens that I was thinking about buying one of these for, but they are expencive! Are they worth the money?
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A polarizer is most effective when employed at a 90 degree angle to the rays of the sun. As that angle is reduced, so also is the effect of the filter. Used properly, the circular polarizer is one of the most useful filters available.
Yes, they're the most useful filter you can buy for landscape photography, and their effects cannot be simulated in post-processing.
For me they generally serve two purposes, at maximum strength, they will reduce glare and (generally) increase saturation, useful for waterfalls, foliage, etc.. Secondly, at minimum strength, they will increase glare and enhance reflections (and rainbows). While their greatest effect is 90 degrees from the primary light source, light tends to bounce around, so even with backlit scenes (such as a sunset at a beach) they can have an effect on the foreground.
Most will tell you they make the "skies bluer" - but I almost never use them for that (in fact, with a wide angle lens, at full strength, they will make the sky worse, you'll have one dark patch surrounded by light patches).
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Jimmy Buffet
And I agree, you really need good Graduated Neutral Density filters AND Cir polarizer for Landscapes. GND's have made a HUGE difference. B&H sells a Cokin Z kit, which you just have to buy various rings for your lenses... instead of worrying about several different filters depending on your lens you're using... Comes with the holder, bag and I think ND2, ND4 and ND8 GND..
Figured it out, found a picture...
The Z-Pro (for those interested) uses a round filter for circ-polarizer for Z-Pro holder. So you can rotate it as needed while not disturbing a GND that is in the holder in front of the CP. So, I guess paying $300 for a CP is worth it if I want to continue to use my GND at the same time... Plus I get a single CP for all the lenses I have Cokin Z Pro adapter rings for... I always think Z-Pro and 4x6 so that's why this confused me...
Now to find someone that has them in Stock. Adorama and B&H are both out.
When you are using one for glare, rotate the filter slowly (I go clockwise, because if it is not screwed on hard, you can loosen it going counterclockwise, and if it screwed on hard, it can be very hard to get off) to find the point where the reduction of glare is greatest.
For skies: they do increase the intensity of blue skies. If you are not sure you want it, shoot both ways.
Be careful around water, because sometimes you DO want the reflection. Here is one that I think I posted here before, which I deliberately shot without a CPL:
I took these images 4 years ago when I first got my circular polarizer. Comp leaves a lot to be desired but you can definitely see what it can do:
With:
Without:
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
B&H Sells a great COkin Z kit with the 3 GND filters + holder for $200. Buying them seperate would be a $300 expense. I think it includes a ND2, ND4, ND8 and you can stack 3 in the holder. I'm going this way for the future because my lenses are such varied sizes, from 58mm (50/1.4 and 85/1.8) to 82mm (16-35) it doesn't make sense for me to buy multiples of the same filter and an adapter ring from 82->58 just isn't available.
Links (if you're interested) - B&H
Adorama
Just so I got this right, I want a (Circular Polarizer)?
Would this one be the one???
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/116782-REG/Hoya_A72CRPL_72mm_Circular_Polarizer_HMC.html
After reading the reviews on this filter, I am concerned??
One that has been multi-coated is preferable to one that hasn't been. Hoya is a quality name in filters. I personally use Nikon or B+W filters, but any top brand should work well for you.
The vignetting issue, brought out in the reviews of the Hoya filter, highlight a situation that can arise with any polarizer ( as well as other type filters ) when used on a very wide or ultra-wide lens. Most manufacturers sell a special slim version of their filters so that this problem will be mitigated. I don't know if Hoya offers this slim version....I know B+W does.
Tom
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/10887-REG/B_W_66_045619_72mm_Kaeseman_Circular_Polarizing.html
If I can bring my modest contribution to this forum I must say that I agree with all comments, polarizer filter are, almost, necessary when shooting outdoor and wet surfaces like rivers, lakes, oceans however, based on my personal experience it is necessary to play a few times with your camera settings if you do not want your images "super-saturated" and impossible to correct with pp.
When I use the polarizer I must be very careful to set my D200 on soft color to get nicely saturated colors.
Just a thought.
brancaleone
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/129975-REG/Hoya_X72CRPL_72mm_Circular_Polarizer_Super.html
I am frankly not sure how big the difference is between HMC and S-HMC Hoya filters. I have some of each. Maybe someone else here can clarify this. Lately, I have been buying S-HMC, figuring that if I am buying good glass, I should stick the best in front of it.
Re the reviews: I went back and looked at the reviews of the HMC on B&H. The first two negative reviews indicated that (1) the person found it hard to get on, and (2) it had less effect than the buyer expected. As far as I know, there is nothing that makes Hoya filters unusually hard to get on. The threads on the end of the lens are very fine, and you have to be careful with any screw-on filter. Re the second: those of us old enough to remember linear polarizers know that circular polarizers (which are all you can use on modern cameras) do show much less effect of rotation than the old ones. I can't imagine that other brands would be much different in this respect.
Hoya Green series - no multicoating, made in philipines
Hoya Standard - 2 layers, made in japan
Hoya HMC - allows ~97% of light to pass through (not sure how many layer coating), made in japan
Hoya Super HMC - 12 layer multi coating, allows 99.7% of light to pass