Filters and polarizers worth getting?

[Alter_Ego]

Hi
Can anyone recommend a polarizer or filter for a 24mm? I shoot a lot of landscapes but never tried filters (I would if a shop rented one or I if had a friend with one)

 

[HJW]

Yes, go ahead and get a polarizer - a high quality one mind you! Polarizers do what they claim to do, but I don't use them as much as I would like.

 

[480sparky44 43]

If you're shooting digital, make sure you get a circular polarizer.

 

[Mrgiggls]

Pretty much every lens I own get's it's own Hoya HMC UV, if for no other reason than to protect the from element from damage.

 

[pgriz]

However.... a wide-angle takes in enough swat of sky to have a varied polarization pattern over the width of the lens. You might have, for example, maximum extinction on one side and almost no extinction on the opposite side.

 

[tirediron]

Neutral density filters, graduated neutral-density filters and polarizers are a must for landscape photographers. Ensure that you get good quality ones as cheap filters are often worse than none at all. Hoya and Tiffen are decent, B+W, Lee, Singh-Ray and Heliopan are better. As with most things, you get what you pay for. Ensure that you get multi-coated versions.

 

[analog.universe]

However.... a wide-angle takes in enough swat of sky to have a varied polarization pattern over the width of the lens. You might have, for example, maximum extinction on one side and almost no extinction on the opposite side.

This is true, if you're shooting wide angle sky with a polarizer you need to compose for this effect (either around the clouds or tall objects or whatever). It's really not appealing in a smooth featureless sky though. But there are plenty of situations where I like a polarizer on my wide angles that don't involve sky, it's a nice filter to have. Neutral density filters are also cool if you want to do long exposure stuff.

As for which ones to get, B+W is awesome. And make sure you get multicoating to avoid flare.

 

[Garbz]

If you're shooting digital, make sure you get a circular polarizer.

If you're shooting with autofocus make sure you get a circular polarizer.

There's nothing specific to digital here, but phase detection AF screws up when it gets only linearly polarised light.

 

[Ernicus]

So I'm guessing that the cheap Sunpak circular polarizer bought for me at wal-mart isn't a good one to use? Obviously there are better out there, but is it better than not having one?

 

[tirediron]

So I'm guessing that the cheap Sunpak circular polarizer bought for me at wal-mart isn't a good one to use? Obviously there are better out there, but is it better than not having one?

Not in my opinion. I firmly believe that a bad filter is generally worse than no filter at all.

 

[prodigy2k7]

I stopped using cheap filters when I found even more softness on my kit lens with it fitted.