Polarizer filter
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MattKing
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Correct.
You need a circular polarizer if the camera you are using incorporates any beam splitters - used commonly in a lot of in-camera metering systems.
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From what I read it seems like circular is the way to go, but I was just wondering if it is being a vanilla ice cream of the polarizer.
I had one circular that I use with my AF digicam and it doesn't do much when photographing the outside world from a well lit room's window.
My personal observation -- based on about 4 or 5 polarizing filters of each type -- is that the linear filters tend to produce the stronger effect. Of course not every scene benefits from the maximum effect, but you can always dial back the effect if it is too strong.
In other words, I would use a circular polarizer if required by my camera, but if the camera works with a linear filter, then I would choose linear. Unfortunately, once circular filters became a thing, many sellers of filters quit offering linear polarizers, so it's hard to find a new linear polarizer. But they are quite commonly available in places where used photo gear is sold.
In other words, I would use a circular polarizer if required by my camera, but if the camera works with a linear filter, then I would choose linear. Unfortunately, once circular filters became a thing, many sellers of filters quit offering linear polarizers, so it's hard to find a new linear polarizer. But they are quite commonly available in places where used photo gear is sold.
One quirk of circular filters is that they have a front and a back. If I want to pre-visualize a scene withiout actually screwing the filter onto a lens, sometimes I just hold up the filter and look through it, and rotate it to see what happens. If it is a linear filter, it doesn't matter which way I look through it, from the back side or the front. However, a circular filter does not work if you hold it so you are looking through the front side. But maybe everybody already knows that.
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MattKing
Moderator
When circular polarizing filters started to become more common, they were more expensive than the linear ones, which had been the only ones available before.
Who knows how that may affected how the world perceives them!
I remember customers who had bought a new camera (Canon AE-1???) grumbling about having to pay for a new filter as well.
Who knows how that may affected how the world perceives them!
I remember customers who had bought a new camera (Canon AE-1???) grumbling about having to pay for a new filter as well.
I could be wrong (I often am), but I don't believe Vivitar actually makes filters.
The following information was copied from https://www.filterfind.net/Data.html:
“...Various Japan brands” made for many independent importers during the 70‘s, 80’s, 90’s, 00‘s mostly made by Marumi Optical using quality standards: coating, dyed glass and sturdy frames. All listed are in NOS, “very clean” or “like new” condition...Any received with nicks on the frame, scratches, ghosting, worn coatings, hazing from deteriorating foam packaging... are discarded.
Brands include: Asanuma, Camrex, Coastar, CPC Phase 2, Gemko, HCE, Kalcor, Kalt, Kenko, Milo, Osawa, Prinz, PRO, Promaster, Quantaray, Rokunar, Samigon, Toshiba, Toyo Optics, Spiratone, Vivitar...and others"
The filterfind.net website is a very good source for buying used filters.
EDIT: Among all those various brand filters made by Marumi, I'm guessing there will be more differences in the mounting rings than in the actual glass.
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I see bunch of them Vivitars on fleabay but maybe like you said they're just the same filters stamped with different names. So maybe I should go with German filter.
Your choice. I decided the semi-generic Japanese-made filters (like those made by Marumi) are "good enough" for the way I use my 35mm film cameras. Hoya, I think, might be a step up from the semi-generic ones(?) And the German ones are possibly better yet(?)
But if you want to buy a new, linear polarizing filter, then your choices are going to be somewhat limited compared to your options for new:circular or used:linear. Hopefully, you can use a common size?
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Vivitar (formerly known as Ponder & Best) never made anything. They simply stuck their name on things -- a very common practice of distributors, marketers & sellers around the world.
As with most photo gear, polarizers vary in their features. That's what you should look for. Polarizers vary in how thick the rim is (some don't have front filter threads), the type of grip it has for rotating the front (some are rubber, some ribbed metal, some smooth metal), some have index marks (usually white or silver dots), or a pin/tab (for easier rotation).
So don't simply buy because of the brand name -- look at the features (and the price, of course).
Also, some use brass mounts, others aluminum. Like I said, I think the mounts probably vary more than the glass.
I wonder just how many actual manufacturers there were / are that make the glass part? Did even the big name camera manufacturers like Nikon and Canon actually make their filters, or did they have them made by a third party like Hoya or Marumi?
I'm sure plenty of camera & lens companies made their own filters because they made their own glass, such as Pentax (Asahi -- the largest glass maker in Japan), Minolta, Yashica (Tomioka), Hoya, etc. And some of their filters were probably sold under other names, too! But who knows which?
There are lots of thicker polarizers that can be a problem with wider-angled lenses -- that's why some are sold as "THIN", which usually, but not always, means no front filter threads (which has its own drawbacks).
There has been a very detailed test of Pol-Filters some years ago in one of the biggest European photo magazines.
The test was clearly won by the B+W and Heliopan products.
I am using the B+W HTMC KSM Circular high transmission Pol-Filter. The quality is excellent!
Is this the detailed test you saw?
https://www.lenstip.com/115.1-article-Polarizing_filters_test_Introduction.html (Originally posted 2008-12-21 on Optyczne.pl)
It would be great if there were something more recent. I doubt there have been huge advances in polarizing filter technology since 2008, but product lines change over time.
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MattKing
Moderator
The rim quality is quite relevant to how well the filter mounts and comes off the lens, as well as how well the adjustment process works after a lot of use.
In many cases, the difference in quality of the metal parts ends up being more important to the user than what may be miniscule differences in the quality of the glass - particularly since many brands may actually source the same glass.
My old Nikon polarizer has a hard mechanical "stop" that lets you know when you reached the max (or minimum, I forget) of polarizing effect. The stop also helps remove the filter from the lens because you don't have to grab onto the back portion of the filter to unscrew it.
No, it isn't. I was referring to a test published in a printed photo magazine.
The B+W I am using is the current version. And I can highly recommend it.
A circular polarizer is a linear polarizer with an extra layer behind it. The extra layer is called a quarter-wave plate, which converts the linearly polarized light into circularly polarized, to avoid effects in some metering and AF systems that use reflections/beamsplitters/half-silvered surfaces.
The pictorial effect of an LP and a CPL on a scene should be the same if you have the CPL the correct way around. But there can always be differences between filters: the difference between two different LPs may be greater than the difference between the average LP and the average CPL.
The orientation of either kind of PL filter is critical when trying to reduce or enhance reflections and this can be harder to set properly on a non-SLR camera.
The pictorial effect of an LP and a CPL on a scene should be the same if you have the CPL the correct way around. But there can always be differences between filters: the difference between two different LPs may be greater than the difference between the average LP and the average CPL.
The orientation of either kind of PL filter is critical when trying to reduce or enhance reflections and this can be harder to set properly on a non-SLR camera.
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Is this for color photography or just black and white? It does make a difference because lesser quality polarizing filters, just like ND's, tend to affect color beyond just the polarizing effect itself, often with an annoying green cast.
There is also the issue of condensation potentially getting between the elements in humid conditions, which the deluxe sealed B&W Kasseman type prevents.
There is also the issue of condensation potentially getting between the elements in humid conditions, which the deluxe sealed B&W Kasseman type prevents.
Filters can be damaged easily.
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