Polariser?

[D-pearce92]

Evening all

Have bought a polariser to cut reflections on cars and have been told its effective with landscapes but didnt get told why, is this true and if it is what will it do.

Many thanks
Dex

 

[shaylou]

It doesn't know what you are shooting so the effect will be the same. It will cut out glare and it works nicely on clouds, bringing the color out by reducing the reflection.
Keep in mind that they reduce the amount of light by around two full stops.

 

[markmullen]

It can also cut reflections off foliage making it appear more vibrant, and cut reflections on water, ideal for making a foreground interest of rocks and pebbles under the surface of a lake or stream

 

[D-pearce92]

It doesn't know what you are shooting so the effect will be the same. It will cut out glare and it works nicely on clouds, bringing the color out by reducing the reflection.
Keep in mind that they reduce the amount of light by around two full stops.

You say it reduces light, does this mean that i could use it to smooth water with a long exposure, excuse the noobish question im still new to photography.

It can also cut reflections off foliage making it appear more vibrant, and cut reflections on water, ideal for making a foreground interest of rocks and pebbles under the surface of a lake or stream

Thanks, i never thought of using it to cut out reflections in water, will have a go at that.

 

[ziggy©]

You say it reduces light, does this mean that i could use it to smooth water with a long exposure, excuse the noobish question im still new to photography.


Thanks, i never thought of using it to cut out reflections in water, will have a go at that.

Have a look here http://www.polarization.com/water/water.html . There is a Before and After picture of the difference a polarising filter makes when used to block glare on glass.

 

[ziggy©]

There is an example here http://edkphoto.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/three-polarizer-examples/ showing the difference for water reflection.

 

[D-pearce92]

Have a look here http://www.polarization.com/water/water.html . There is a Before and After picture of the difference a polarising filter makes when used to block glare on glass.

There is an example here http://edkphoto.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/three-polarizer-examples/ showing the difference for water reflection.

Thanks Ziggy for the links, it looks it makes quite a difference especially with the trees.

 

[joxang]

Thanks, i never thought of using it to cut out reflections in water, will have a go at that.

This is surely the main reason people get a polariser !

Absolutely essential if you shoot landscapes with any body of water imo. The sky contrast thing is nice, but you can do similar things PP in photoshop. Water transparency you can't add afterwards (obviously).

Example pic shot with polariser:

Without a polariser the sea would be reflecting the sky, instead of showing the underwater reefs.

 

[D-pearce92]

Thanks, thats a cracking pic as well.

 

[andyscott]

it is great for cutting through haze as well

Gives a higher saturation and vibrancy to the photographs.

 

[Psyence33]

1

 

[Craikeybaby]

There are two types of polariser, if you're using a camera with auto focus, you will want a circular polariser.

 

[Ross_Curtis]

Out of interest.
I've been using a linear 105mm pola on my 5D2 for a while now and haven't come across any of AF or exposure problems.
Obviously there must be differences/issues but I do think the differences are exaggerated.

 

[raathistle]

This.

The linear/circular thing is vastly overstated and so few people have actually tried both it becomes an undeniable fact, instead of the slight warning it should be

I use a heliopan linear on my 5d2 and have had no metering/focusing problems ever. True, I'm not trying to use servo focus on racing cars, but I've never seen a hint of a problem

 

[lionofjudah]

It doesn't know what you are shooting so the effect will be the same. It will cut out glare and it works nicely on clouds, bringing the color out by reducing the reflection.
Keep in mind that they reduce the amount of light by around two full stops.

Would I need to change exposure settings to compensate for this 2 stop reduction of light?

 

[mortimerhill]

Would I need to change exposure settings to compensate for this 2 stop reduction of light?

Not if you're using the camera's own TTL metering. You would do if you were using a separate meter, eg a hand held one.

 

[Photodiva]

You have to position yourself so that the sun is in the right position to make it work effectively. When shooting to prevent reflections, it's best if you are at an angle of around 35 degrees to the reflective surface. When shooting skies ensure you shoot at the best angle - for rich blue skies move around so that the sun is at 90 degrees to the subject - anything more or less and the saturation is reduced.

If you use wide angle lenses, make sure you get a low profile polariser. I forgot mine on one holiday, had to buy one at the airport, the only one was a standard rim. Fine on the 24-70 but on the 10-22 got the most awful circular vignette!

 

[markmullen]

If you use wide angle lenses, make sure you get a low profile polariser. I forgot mine on one holiday, had to buy one at the airport, the only one was a standard rim. Fine on the 24-70 but on the 10-22 got the most awful circular vignette!

Also check how your shots look if using a polariser on an ultra wide angle, you can get awful results as the lens takes in so much of the scene that the polarisation effect changes across the shot leaving awful results.

 

[Craikeybaby]

Also check how your shots look if using a polariser on an ultra wide angle, you can get awful results as the lens takes in so much of the scene that the polarisation effect changes across the shot leaving awful results.

What Mark said! I ruined some shots from my trip to Costa Rica by using a polariser with my 17-40 lens.