p.1 #1 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
is there a downside to using a polarizer all the time??
i will be going to zion, antelope, the wave, and grand canyon. and i was wondering if there would be any problem in using a polarizer all the time. i know i woud be losing 1-2 stop of light so i won't be using one at night but during the day.
is it pain in the butt to constantly turn the filter to get the desired effect? (i've never used on before). other than that i'm guessing it can only improve the image by increasing saturation and maybe contrast (correct me if i'm wrong).
p.1 #2 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
you can leave it on, but you'll have to adjust it depending where the sun is... otherwise you could have a section of darker blue sky just centered in the middle (been there)
p.1 #3 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
It is not too hard to adjust it all the time, depending on the configuration of any lens hood you have on. You may end up getting finger prints on it while adjusting, so be prepared to clean it. It is also possible to get so involved in shooting that you just plain forget to adjust it, so it may not be optimized for some shots. You will want it off for low light situations, like inside the Antelopes, so be prepared to remove and install it. And of course for wide angle scenes, the variation of the sky effect from one side to the other can be significant, so that is a time when you may want to remove a polarizer.
You can see the effect you are going to get fairly well, so you can optimize the orientation. Some shots will have little benifit, but for where you are going you will see improvement in a very high percentage of your shots. Distant shots will have a reduction in haze that is dramatic. Close shots will have improvement in color saturation of many parts of a scene.
I know I would never go to the southwest on a photo trip without a high quality polarizer for every filter size of the lenses I take, and I am about to buy a duplicate polarizer and get a second 77mm, so that I can leave one on each of my common lenses I use. But I do not leave them on all the time, just quite a bit of the time.
p.1 #4 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
It increases saturation and contrast only under certain conditions. It will have no effect on colors in doors. It will create weird color patterns in certain plastic windows like aircraft windows.
I don't think it's a good idea to leave it on all the time.
p.1 #5 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
Filters are like anything else, you should only use one when you need it. Especailly with Polarizers if you are going to use one it is well worth it to spend the money to get the very best: Either Heliopan, B+W, or the top of the line Hoya's.
Just remember anything you put in front of the lens has the very real potential to down grade photo quality.
If you are looking to use a polarizer to basically just increase saturation that is easily handled in Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom or your raw processing program of choice.
If you need it to cut glare it's a great tool --along with using your feet to get to a different angle if you can.
For lenses wider than 28mm on a 24x36mm format -- 18mm on APS-C format --- camera you are likely to see uneven darkening across the sky on landscape shots. You may even see some vignetting in the corners.
p.1 #6 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
The loss of light can seem trivial on a sunny day, but quickly become a pain. For example, if you shoot handheld, you'll often need to bump up ISO to mitigate the polarizer... I get an annoying color cast sometimes, which isn't an easy fix, and I often get plagued by over- or enevenly darkened skies. For all these reasons I don't keep the polarizer glued on like I used to, except on my 30/1.4 when I'm fishing.
p.1 #7 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
cwebster wrote:
It increases saturation and contrast only under certain conditions. It will have no effect on colors indoors. It will create weird color patterns in certain plastic windows like aircraft windows.
I don't think it's a good idea to leave it on all the time.
+1. Could also create flare when you aren't looking out for it. Might also cause weird coloration in the sky if not dialed right because you forgot.
p.1 #8 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
cwebster wrote:
It increases saturation and contrast only under certain conditions. It will have no effect on colors in doors. It will create weird color patterns in certain plastic windows like aircraft windows.
I don't think it's a good idea to leave it on all the time.
<Chas>
Agree!
Plus flare, glare, added reflections, bizarre colors when shooting into the sun, and the loss of stops you already mentioned yourself.
Me personally, I don't even use them for landscapes. I mostly only use them when shooting into or across water. The affects they have on landscapes (unless you're shooting through very leafy trees into a bright sky) can be duplicated in PS with very little effort.
p.1 #9 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
thanks for the info guys. i didn't think of the fact that the hood will be on the lens..i guess i'd have to take off the hood, turn the filter then put on the hood again then shoot? what a pain..
p.1 #10 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
I guess it depends on the hood. On my flower hood and my rubber hoods I can reach a finger around and turn the polarizer OK. But I use a REALLY loose polarizer too. There is a risk of missing and leaving a finger print if you're not careful though. Also rubber hoods can collapse if needed - then extended again after.
p.1 #11 · downside to using polarizer all the time?
jaehoppa wrote:
thanks for the info guys. i didn't think of the fact that the hood will be on the lens..i guess i'd have to take off the hood, turn the filter then put on the hood again then shoot? what a pain..
Some put one on only if they need it. I use mine for most everything outdoors, and take it off only if light is an issue. With the lens hoods on the Canon 10-22 and 17-40, after a little practice, I've been able to reach in with a finger and turn the polarizer, and my polarizer is very tight. I shoot landscape, surfing, and outdoor sports. Take it off only if shutter speed is an issue. My polarizer, along with a few ND grads, are ALWAYS stored along with my camera, in whatever pouch I'm using.
After a camera and lens, a polarizer is the first thing I'll ever buy, even before a second lens. I think it's the single most important thing you can do to increase color and saturation in most all outdoor situations, in a way that can never be duplicated in Photoshop.
Check out the many posted examples and writings by outdoor photogs in the Singh Ray blog for a lot of info. I use the Hoya Pro thin version, allowing me to shoot at 17mm without vignetting.
