Camera with polarization

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

Hello, I need some help photographing sunglasses. I have the light box setup. Using a storage container with white fabric lining the outside and white poster board lining the inside. I also have 3 lamps with day lights positioned around the tub. This helps to make a uniform white background for my pics, but I still have the issue of the glare on the lenses even without the flash.

I have a very basic camera that I'm using. I believe it's called a Canon Powershot A40. I can change the settings to adjust many of the things I need to adjust but can not do anything to get rid of the glare. I would like to buy a camera so I can buy a polarization lens, is this possible? And any thoughts on what camera I should purchase from your own personal experience would be helpful as I'm new to the whole camera world. I've always just used a camera for basic everyday activities, nothing fancy. Willing to spend the $ needed to get professional looking pics. Any advice would be soooo appreciated.

480sparky · Jan 10, 2012

Changing the camera settings will do nothing. It's a lighting issue.

Post a sample.

Big Mike · Jan 10, 2012

Even with a polarizing filter, it is unlikely that the reflections will disappear.

The reflections that you're seeing, are a result of the properties of direct reflection that the lenses have. It's all about angles. If you draw an imaginary line (a laser pointer might help to demonstrate) from the camera's lens to the sunglasses lens, it will bounce off at the same angle. The area formed were the line reflects off of the object, is called the 'family of angles'. Any light source in that family of angles, will show up as a reflection. [Imagine that the lenses are perfect mirrors. Anything that you would be able to see in the mirror (from the lens) is inside the family of angles. Anything that can't see in the mirror, is outside the family of angles.]
So, if you can place your light sources (which will include the inside of your light box and the 'floor' of it as well) so that they are outside the family of angles, you can eliminate those reflections.

The trouble is that if you have a rounded surface, it will be almost impossible to get the light sources outside the family of angles. So you will have the reflections anyway. You can work with that, and make them nice looking reflections...or you could maybe edit them out in post.

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

I have been attempting to edit them out as much as possible with Photoshop Elements 10, but it is very time consuming. I have been using the spot healing brush tool.

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

and I can not seem to post a pic for some reason. It won't let me retrieve from my hard drive or as a URL. Even when I just try to post the URL to the image it states it's invalid?? When I try to upload the image I get a red x beside the file name. Why is that? Can I post the link to the page on my website so you can see the image. These images are after I photoshopped them, but you can still see the glare very clearly in the left lens. Working on item 8RX1013.

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

I was able to post it under my gallery on here, but can't post it within my post.

Big Mike · Jan 10, 2012

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

So if I bought a new camera this will not help with the glare? I thought if I bought a camera with some sort of polarization lens this would take care of it, but I am wrong?

riddell · Jan 10, 2012

This is all down to lighting. Though a polarisation lens may be needed, but at the end of the days its not going to help if you don't set the lighting up correctly.

Multi coated lens may again help, but without that lighting setup you are going nowhere.

And there is no easy answer. It take a lot of time and skill to produce commerical grade product photography, and reflective items are particularly tricky. Your best solution really is to employ a professional photographer to do the job.

Paul.
www.photographybyriddell.co.uk

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

Big Mike · Jan 10, 2012

So if I bought a new camera this will not help with the glare? I thought if I bought a camera with some sort of polarization lens this would take care of it, but I am wrong?

Firstly, you could just buy a polarizing filter and hold it in front of your lens. (or maybe get a filter adapter for your camera). You certainly don't need a new camera.

But either way, just using a polarizing filter will not remove the reflections the way you are hoping it would.

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

I know it would be easier to hire a professional, but would really like to learn this myself. I posted a picture above to view. You can see the glare in the left lens. I've moved the lights around quite a bit and worked on my lightbox, but the glare is still there. Just looking for some ideas on what to do is all. I've just about got the pics where I need them to be, minus the glare.

superfly · Jan 10, 2012

Big Mike said:
So if I bought a new camera this will not help with the glare? I thought if I bought a camera with some sort of polarization lens this would take care of it, but I am wrong?

Click to expand...

Firstly, you could just buy a polarizing filter and hold it in front of your lens. (or maybe get a filter adapter for your camera). You certainly don't need a new camera.

But either way, just using a polarizing filter will not remove the reflections the way you are hoping it would.

So in saying this, what DOES the polarized filter do? I didn't think I could buy adapters for my camera...hmmm...I thought it was just too junky of a camera.

480sparky · Jan 10, 2012

superfly said:
So in saying this, what DOES the polarized filter do?......

They reduce reflections.... not eliminates them.

Helen B · Jan 10, 2012

Sparky gave you the answer in the succinct and accurate post #2 - it's a lighting issue.

A polarising filter on a lens can reduce or eliminate reflections, but the effect is angle dependent, because the degree of polarisation of the reflected light is angle dependent. The disadvantage for product photography can be to make surfaces look different from what they really are - ie if the polariser works the surface can appear to be more matte than it really is. You could illuminate the sunglasses with polarised light to begin with, though that is not the way I would approach it.

My approach is to either use the reflections as part of the composition or to light the object so that there are no sources being reflected in the glass - this may involve the use of black flags. ind where the unwanted reflection is coming from and move or cover that source or part of source.