CPL filters

Ptyler22

TPF Noob!
Joined
May 23, 2008
Messages
789
Reaction score
0
Location
Massachusetts
Website
www.harvardpress.com
Can others edit my Photos
Photos NOT OK to edit
I just went out and bought a $55 Hoya circular polarizer and I was excited to use it so when I got home I put it on and went out to take a couple tester pics to see how they look. However I was disappointed when looking at them, they didn't look a lot different than with the filter turned off. Are there different strengths of polarizers? Do different brands tend to have different strengths?
I'll post some of the shots in a couple minutes.

Thanks
-Tyler
 
Not turned 1/320
IMG_1410-1.jpg


Turned 1/200
IMG_1409.jpg
 
Last edited:
I know the pictures suck, I was just trying to take a quick shot of some glass because you can see the difference, and it was coooold so I didn't want to spend much time outside.
 
With a circular polarizer you can turn it to various spots for the best picture quality. I'd say to try it on a landscape shot with some sky to really experience its overall effects.
 
I tried taking pictures to the sky, which was blue today with a few clouds, and it didn't make much difference there either.
I was messing around with turning it the whole time, and it's pretty much like "on" or "off", it doesn't fade in too much, or vice versa.
 
Looks like your shooting in a fairly shady area in that pic .... might be worth trying where yu have a lot of glare, cars can be quite good to test it with. I found it good at a car museum under glaring aritificial light. Without the filter it lost all the colour as it was just a glare. Also good if your shooting strong blue skies and emerald greens.As far as im aware there is no variation on strengths, i may be wrong. Mine is a hoya and seems to work fine
 
i shot this with a CP filter, it deepened the blue bits and makes the water almost see through instead of reflective
DSC_0103.jpg
 
Looks like your shooting in a fairly shady area in that pic .... might be worth trying where yu have a lot of glare, cars can be quite good to test it with. I found it good at a car museum under glaring aritificial light. Without the filter it lost all the colour as it was just a glare. Also good if your shooting strong blue skies and emerald greens.As far as im aware there is no variation on strengths, i may be wrong. Mine is a hoya and seems to work fine

Ok, good news, my main subject is cars, I guess I might just have to wait until the spring and see how well it works
 
Sometimes it's really hard to tell if it's turned on or off, and sometimes it's partially on and part of the picture is polarized and some isn't. Is there some way of indicating whether it's "on" or "off", using the notch in the ring? I went out again today, parked the car in the sun, and was once again very disappointed, and starting to wonder if it's worth the $57.
 
Sometimes it's really hard to tell if it's turned on or off, and sometimes it's partially on and part of the picture is polarized and some isn't. Is there some way of indicating whether it's "on" or "off", using the notch in the ring? I went out again today, parked the car in the sun, and was once again very disappointed, and starting to wonder if it's worth the $57.

OK there is no "on" or "off" with a CPL. With a CPL you will notice the difference. Look for the reflection vs the non reflection in the windows of cars and watch for the sky to get more blue. You may not notice a huge difference but there will be one. I have a sample I can show you if your interested.
 
Hey not to hijack your thread.... but I am noticing a bout 1 and 2/3's of a stop difference between it turn, and not turnd.. are you seeing this much of a differnce as well?
-H
 
Hey not to hijack your thread.... but I am noticing a bout 1 and 2/3's of a stop difference between it turn, and not turnd.. are you seeing this much of a differnce as well?
-H

Yes I am, when it's turned, I put it two shutter speeds slower, like in my example it was 1/320 and 1/200
 
a polarizing filter will only filter out reflections that are from a certain angle. For example when looking a the sky, they will be most effective at 90 degrees to the sun. When looking at reflections off metal or glass, they will not be very effective if the reflection is from nearly right behind you or next to you, it will be more effective if the reflection makes a larger angle of incidence with the reflecting surface. You shouldn't expect the filter to work the same on all reflections, try moving around the car to different angles if it doesn't work particularly well in one place.
 
I guess mine is "working properly" then. It does the same thing as the samples Puyjapin posted. The only thing that is weird is in the first set of pictures, the windshield clearly has the glare cut away almost completely, but look at the windows on the house behind it, when the filter was not turned, there is no reflection, but when it was turned, it looks like a mirror, kinda did the opposite, but this might be the sorta thing that Eldrich was talking about with the different angles. The second set of pictures really show how these polarizers shine.

Not turned
IMG_1440.jpg

Turned
IMG_1441.jpg



Not turned
IMG_1472.jpg

Turned
IMG_1471.jpg
 

Most reactions

Back
Top