The cheapest, fastest way to learn POLARIZERS!

[Canon Fan]

I have known the effects and used polarizer filters for quite some. However it recently occured to me that there is an insanely cheap and easy way for anyone to EASILY see first hand what these filters can do for you without actually buying one.

Recently I bout these "Polarized" sunglasses for $9 US at a re-fueling station because I could not find my regular ones at home. It was bright and sunny and my eyes are sensitive to bright light.

Without knowing it I picked out these polarized ones and immeadiately noticed something increadible as I walked out the door wearing my new shades.

The greens were greener, the sky was darker, the clouds were SO dramatic it wasn't even funny and my black truck looked really strange. WOW I thought this kicks butt, bigtime. On a side note you do look a little weird to other people around you always tilting your head from one side to the other to "vary the degree of effect" on your new found world!

I had never thought of sunglasses as a learning tool before that day (I had also never owned a pair of polarized sunglasses like this before). However I now see almost everyday new uses for a PL filter that I would have never even thought of or tried before.

My simple advice to anyone with ANY questions about polarizing filters is to pick up a pair of polorized sunglasses and look around, at everything for a day or so. You will learn quickly

 

[ThatCameraThingy]

Amazing , isn't ??

I have been wearing polarized glasses for the past 8 years , and i Flatly decline to wear anything else.


Take a look through your camera viewfinder while wearing the glasses. I suspect that the Mirror is polarized in a way to ???

Hanno

 

[darin3200]

I bought a pair and spent the next few days tilting my head one way...then the other...the back again. I like how you can see clouds that you normally wouldn't be able to see and how much glare is reduced.

 

[Big Mike]

I have custom clip-on sunglasses, I've noticed something weird. If I look through the viewfinder with my circular polarizer on the lens, I can clearly see that half of the image is dimer. I did not see this with my last pair of glasses/clip-ons.

Also, with my new glasses & clip-ons, I see dotted patterns on the windows of newer cars, usually on the back window.

I think it has to do with the lack of special coatings that I didn't get on the new ones, that I had on the old ones.

 

[Unimaxium]

I have custom clip-on sunglasses, I've noticed something weird. If I look through the viewfinder with my circular polarizer on the lens, I can clearly see that half of the image is dimer. I did not see this with my last pair of glasses/clip-ons.

Also, with my new glasses & clip-ons, I see dotted patterns on the windows of newer cars, usually on the back window.

I think it has to do with the lack of special coatings that I didn't get on the new ones, that I had on the old ones.

Actually, that's a direct result of their polarization. At least the car window thing is. I have three pairs of polarized sunglasses and two pairs of unpolarized, and all the polarized ones create very strange patterns in certain types of glass, and especially in car windows. Sometimes it's a dotted pattern, sometimes it's a criss-cross pattern, depending on the window. Chances are that your old clip-ons weren't polarized while your new ones are.

 

[Canon Fan]

Yep I get the same thing. Mainly in rear window glass. Look at an old 70's musclecar with original glass in it and you will often see the same "blochy" pattern that you do now, but without a polarizer. It's something with the way the glass in made and ages over time. I suspect in the new glass it has something to do with the laminating process used during construction.

Another bummer though is that my car has "Heads UP" display. Meaning that my speed and warning lights as well as turn signal indicators are projected onto the windsheild as I drive so you don't have to look down at the guages. Unfortunately wearing these sunglasses makes it impossible to see because they filter out the "reflected" display!

 

[iSellJerseyShore]

Sounds pretty funny but I think its a pretty good idea what you came up with... Or shall I say stumbled upon?

I guess i'll have to pick myself up sone new sunglasses since all the pairs I presently own are not polarized..


Creative Thinking - Excellent TIP!!



-iSellJerseyShore

 

[thebeginning]

you could probably make your own polarizer with two polarized sunglass lenses.

I've also done the sunglasses exercise, it's a good idea.