Polarizers

[Debz77]

Hi,

I need to buy a polarizer and wondered if anyone could recommend a particular brand. My budget isn't that big and i've been looking at Hoya (screw in). I've seen great variations in price which i think relates to the coating of the glass. I'm guessing the more coatings the better the quality. Can anyone confirm this and offer any feedback?

Many thanks.

[beejaybee]

My budget isn't that big and i've been looking at Hoya (screw in). I've seen great variations in price which i think relates to the coating of the glass. I'm guessing the more coatings the better the quality.

The thin mount is worth paying extra for, too, especially if you plan to use the filter on a wide angle lens.

Go for the Hoya Pro-1 D, or the B+W MRC slimline, you're wasting money if you buy cheap carp. You get flat glass (not guaranteed with some budget brands), good coatings and a slimline mount. And the filter works well, too, again some budget brands don't work very well.

Remember that you need a circular polarizing filter (not linear) for modern auto-exposure, auto-focus cameras - linear polarizers may confuse the automatics.

[Debz77]

Thanks for the advice.

[Debz77]

Hi again,

I took your advice and bought the Hoya polarizer. However when I used it for the first time a number of my images had vinetting. Have you or anybody else experienced this with a screw on polarizer?

Thanks.

[Manofolympus]

If you got one with a deep mount then it might well cause vignetting with wide angle lenses. The effect will be worse on large apertures i.e. stopping down will reduce it.

[frank1]

Polarizers are not fulling effective on wide angle lenses and are probably a waste of money if your only going to use it as such.

[Debz77]

That's probably explains why some images have it and others don't.

Thanks.

[daft_biker]

You can also get uneven polarisation if using wide lenses. Wide views and polarisers take a bit of care...see how wide you can go before it bothers you.

[Debz77]

Yes, i'll have to experiment.

Thanks everyone.

[frank1]

You can get step down rings depending on the size of the filter and at the long end of a wide angle zoom it's fine.

[kulten]

Polarizers are not fulling effective on wide angle lenses and are probably a waste of money if your only going to use it as such.

I disagree with the opinion that it is wasting money. Just the whole meaning is that to know how to use this filter, and to learn it.

Almost all the pictures that you see on my site http://www.marcinbera.com/blog/portfolio/ I captured using a Sigma 10-20 and polarizing filter Marumi Super DHG with bilateral screw which is important when you want it mounted on a holder, eg for ND Graduated filters.