Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

vesivus · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:41 pm

I also find that if you forget (oops) to remove the polarizer when you're using any flash, you'll get somewhat random effects (depending on the angle of the 'flash' light and the rotation of the polarizing filter on your lens).

Basically, if you're using your flash (esp. indoors), take off the polarizer.

:)

John

ingvars · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 14

I have polarizer always on when outdoors. Exception is low light conditions. It doesn’t do much good on cloudy days, but to avoid getting dust on lens and reverse side of the filter, I tend to leave it on. UV filters are better to be avoided – that’s true, but not everybody has such luxury. As nature photographer living close to the ocean and desert, I never ever take my lens out of my bag without a protecting filter. Near the ocean it takes about couple minutes for lens or filter to be covered with fine mist of salt crystals. Small clay and sand dust particles will cover you lens in windy conditions. Blower wouldn’t help you with salt crystals and sticky microscopic sand particles. When cleaning they may in fact scratch your lens coating (if not visibly then at least at the microscopic level). And if you have to clean your lens after every photo session …well I better clean filter than lens. But again many nature photographers in less harsh environment would never need any protection for their lens. For some people recommendation is never use any filter just for protection, for other it will be way around. It might be wrong, but I tend to have my polarizer on most of the time (for polarising effect or protection). If you don’t want polarising effect - just rotate it until effect disappears. If there is not enough light – take it off. In a bright sunny day, I like polariser’s effect on tree leaves especially those which tend to glare (eucalyptus for example). It is definitely not just sky or water reflection – polariser may change appearance of every object in your image.

But everybody is different and there is no single correct answer, but I don’t think it is wrong to have polariser on most of the time when outdoors.

I would suggest B+W filters only. Hoya filters (even HD) are optically not bad, but much more difficult to clean and almost impossible to clean properly when on a field.

kb7rut · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 3

If some of these photographers have enough money not to worry about taking care of their lenses, they may choose not to have a front filter on. For the rest of us it is highly reccomended to use one. If you are in a studio you may get away without one, but if you ever need to clean your front lens element you may want to seriously consider a filter such as a UV. It is true that the UV reducing effects of the filter are redundant and un-needed, but it offers protection. I personally use Nikon NC filters (NC stands for Neutral Color) it dosn't change any of the light characteristics, yet offers protection from dust, moisture, bumps, sctatches, etc, and best of all, it is high quality nikon glass.

zhushmanson · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 8

mantonis · Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 82 Location: Greece

what about skylight filters?

kane513 · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:11 pm

Another question... Anyone use a polarizer in the studio to avoid reflections on things like wine glasses, or light bulbs that you are shooting? I have trouble with reflections on things like that..

kenny123 · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:19 am

gudellaphoto · Joined: 11 Sep 2006 Posts: 1151 Location: Hungary

I agree that keeping an UV filter on your lens all the time is crazy. Use lenshood and put back the lenscap when not shooting.
But there are some situations when I like the protection that the filter gives. Some was mentioned above. Shooting in rain, snowstorms, near the sea/ocean where the waves are crushing the rocks and the air is full of salt, when the strong wind carries lots of dust or ice particles, etc...
Or shooting on concerts it's unavoidable to get smudges on your lens (or uv filter) from the crowd.
So 98% of times i don't put on the UV but there are some cases when i find it useful.
If you never shoot in those conditions you may never need it at all.

stasvolik · Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 925 Location: Vancouver, BC

A short summary of filters needed for digital shooters (those that cannot be replaced in PP): http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=29592761 . And the whole discussion is very interesting/useful, IMHO.

mauijon · Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 4275 Location: Maui, Hawaii

Toss the UV filter. If you MUST have a protective glass on the front, use a good quality 81A filter. This at least does something good for the image, and it counteracts some of the blue added by some polarisers.

rinder99 · Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:22 pm

triceratops · Joined: 15 Nov 2006 Posts: 7856 Location: The other Nevada

rinder99 · Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:59 am