Hello everyone,

Absolute, complete, champion noob here. I bought the Canon 16-35mm f2.8 II lens last week and while I was at it, asked the guy to give me a circular polarizer so that when I take a picture once a year of the sky, I can capture the clouds and all.

What he gave me is a B+W filter which has a rotating ring and NDX (W) written on it. What it does is that it reduces light in the entire frame. Is that what a circular polarizer is supposed to do or is it an ND filter that I have gotten by mistake? The packaging has Digital MRC nano XS-Pro written on it too :s

Attaching a picture and looking forward to guidance.

Many thanks!

your image did not show up

this is a B+W XS-Pro Circular Polarizer multicoated

XS-Pro- the series
C-POL- circular polarizer
MRC nano- multicoated nano type
in this case KSM- Käsemann-Type filter edge sealed against moisture infiltration of the foil layer

Hey SJMS,

Thank you for the reply. I tried attaching a picture but the site isn't letting me do that :s

By the way, that is a very good filter as is you lens.
Best wishes.

Thank you!

How do I attach a picture here?

1) Either post the photo on smugmug, photobucket, etc. and link to it. Free.

2) Enable image upload and send the photo direct from your computer. Cost: 25 bucks annually. This also enables posting on the Buy & Sell boards.

Welcome to Fred Miranda.

I just remembered a really quick test. Look through the filter and rotate it. At some point your LCD monitor will go nearly black when you look through the end that mounts on the lens. Turn it around, and you will see a slight color shift in the monitor.

Phew! Thank you for the tip. So here it is.

the NDX looks to be variable Neutral Density filter not a Circular Polarizer.

the variable ND filter uses polarization to vary the amount of light coming through the filter. it does not polarize the light itself to enhance.

from your original inquiry this is not what you want. you want one similar to what my image describes. you option to not get the edge sealing or Käsemann-Type

the way to see is simple. take the filter out and rotate it from min to max while holding the back (threaded side). if it goes from light to dark it is a Vari ND

if doing the same thing inside you home results in little to no result it is a CP depending on your lighting.

Damn! Should I keep this or return it? Since it didn't cost much (around US$80), will it be a better idea to keep it for some outdoor video shoot?

consider that the multicoated VND version I have cost about $170 and you do video it might be to your advantage to keep it.

Thank you!

Shahab wrote:
Damn! Should I keep this or return it? Since it didn't cost much (around US$80), will it be a better idea to keep it for some outdoor video shoot?
If it cost $80, you either got a hell of a deal, the salesperson screwed up and gave you a much more expensive item, or you have been ripped off buying a counterfeit product.

I bought an 82mm variable ND heliopan filter last year for close to $400, which is a slim mount similar to the B+W xs pro filters. The B+W tent to be a bit cheaper than Heliopan. When I was looking for an alternative to Singh-ray for a vari-nd filter, heliopan, some fader filters and some Chinese knock-offs were the only options, so unless this filter is a new offering from B+w it may not actually be a b+w filter. If it is I'd keep it, because if it is an actual legit b+w xs pro vari-nd filter, you got one hell of a deal.

For my 16-35L, TSE 24L and 24-70L, I also picked up the 82mm b+w xs pro Kaiseman filter listed above . The cheapest I've seen that filter is aroun $120 from the Hong Kong retailer. Maxsaver.net

Heliopan pricing is simply non competitive (boutique mentality) and there are those that think they are something really special and are willing to pay that price. I haven't seen a physical difference in their product to warrant it so they are not on my list of purchasable items. I say this after using a CPL of theirs for 3 months. there is nothing new there under the sun. I actually prefer the Tiffen HT and I use that mostly vs my B+W

sjms wrote:
Heliopan pricing is simply non competitive (boutique mentality) and there are those that think they are something really special and are willing to pay that price. I haven't seen a physical difference in their product to warrant it so they are not on my list of purchasable items. I say this after using a CPL of theirs for 3 months. there is nothing new there under the sun. I actually prefer the Tiffen HT and I use that mostly vs my B+W
I normally go with B+W, myself, but in looking for a thinner mount in a 82mm vari nd filter, as an alternative to the bulky Singh-ray, heliopan and fader filters made for video (don't remember the brands), were the only options I found. Since than Kenko apparently makes a vari-nd filter. However, this is the first I've heard of a B+W version and I'm surprised that it would be cheaper than their xs-pro Kaiseman polarizer (which is a great filter - I have both the 77mm and the 82mm sizes).

I do have to say I've been very happy with how wide I've been able to go with the heliopan, in comparison to the Singh-ray. Cost wise. The two are about the same, but in addition to being able to shoot wider, I liked the etched scale on the heliopan.

I use the Tiffen. the 77mm is made for wide angle and is actually about 80mm on the inlet side.

Shahab wrote:
Damn! Should I keep this or return it? Since it didn't cost much (around US$80), will it be a better idea to keep it for some outdoor video shoot?

Eh, either way. It doesn't do the same thing as a CPL filter. If I remember right it uses two linear polarizers in cross-polarization to reduce the amount of light transmission through the two planes. They are fairly expensive with even the cheapest one I've been able to find in the bargain no-name listings being about what you paid for that.

If you need a CPL then you have to buy another filter. The one you have is great for ND shooting. At 8 stops like that with the aperture also set to 32 or so you can shoot the surface of the Sun - if I'm not mistaken! It's also good for lengthening exposure time in order to get moving people to disappear from a shot or to blur flowing water - etc. Fun stuff.