Plan on buying a Polarizer...

Rapala46 · Jan 17, 2006

I have 2 Sigma lenses both with 58mm lens cap sizes, and i think it is time for me to buy a polarizer, because i take a LOT of water pictures. This will be my first time buying accessories for my camera, and therefore will be my first time buying a filter. I have heard that a polarizer is not something to skimp on, so i want to get a good one. I don't know where to start though. I don't know the difference between linear filters and circular filters, and etc.

Does anyone have any recomendations as to which polarizing filter i should buy? If so, could you give me a link? I am prepared to spend around 70 bucks, give or take a twenty, i think? thanks

hammy · Jan 17, 2006

I'm probably no help, but I think the differences between linear and circular are for manual focus and auto focus. May be wrong though.

I got mine used at my local camera store. It's some unheard of brand but it works well..:thumbup:

DIRT · Jan 17, 2006

Circular is for auto focus and linear is for manual focus. just get one off of ebay. You will be fine.

Rapala... you a fishing guy?

woodsac · Jan 17, 2006

I recommend investing in a good filter. Hoya or B+W.

I have a couple of cheapies and the quality doesn't come close to my Hoya. It's a very noticeable difference!

Unimaxium · Jan 17, 2006

I just recently bought a polarizing filter myself. I went for the B+W Kaesemann MRC circular polarizer. It's a very fine piece of glass. I would recommend one of those, although they aren't cheap (the 77mm one I got wass about $165). You can however get cheaper B+W filters if you don't opt for the kaesemann optics or MRC coating.

Linear polarizers have a tendency to mess up auto exposure and auto focus systems in modern cameras. Circular polarizers were made to circumvent this problem. Both types of filters have create the exact same visual effect, it's just that circulars work on the cameras that can't use linears (and they cost more, too). So if you have an AF camera, I would recommend going for a circular polarizer.

Rapala46 · Jan 18, 2006

DIRT said:
Circular is for auto focus and linear is for manual focus. just get one off of ebay. You will be fine.

Rapala... you a fishing guy?

Ok, i will get a circular one off of ebay then, sounds like a good idea.

And yes, Dirt, FISHING IS MY LIFE... haha, really though, i fish every minute i get. thats actually why a lot of my pictures are of water, because i do a lot of photography while i am fishing