Now that I have my 21mm Contax (C/Y) 21mm f2.8 Distagon MMJ lens for usage with my Sony A7r, my Cokin P filters do not cover the new lens. So, I will be breaking out my Lee Foundation Filter Holer and system into usage with an assortment of Lee (including the 4" X 4" Lee Circular Polarizer) and Singh-Ray filters. For my Minolta CLE MC and almost all of Leica R lenses I can use my Cokin P Holder with my Singh-Ray and Lee filters.
I know that many find using a Polarizing filter with 21mm and wider lenses (I have had good success with my 24mm R Leica in the past) very problematic. I would appreciate input and thoughts regarding using a Circular Polarizer with the 21mm Distagton lens and whether you think that it makes sense to use the 4" X 4" Circular Polarizer or purchase another polariizer for usage with the lens.
I will be getting a 10 stop ND filter which I expect to use with the 21mm Distagon and my Leica R and Minolta lenses as well as some additional Lee and Singh-Ray filters to fill in some holes.
naturephoto1 wrote:
I would appreciate input and thoughts regarding using a Circular Polarizer with the 21mm Distagton lens
Rich, I first didn't have polarizer for 21mm "because it's too wide", but that was mistake; removing the undergrowth/tree leaves/etc. glare polarizer works with 21mm as well as any other lens, since it's question of removing the blue/cold glare from sky. However if blue sky is visible I tend not to use polarizer, since I can't stand the uneven sky it generates.
So I use it only on some situations, where I'm "inside" the forest and don't need to show the sky. Well hard to explain but some samples:
This would been horrible if the center/bottom of photo would have had cooler WB due to sky glare, trees mostly block the sky:
Sky visible only as patches, way to hide the uneven sky
Sky glare removed from dead leaves, green trees and water, and sky hidden again by trees
naturephoto1 wrote:
and whether you think that it makes sense to use the 4" X 4" Circular Polarizer or purchase another polariizer for usage with the lens.
Can't comment on this. I moved to ordinary threaded filters in 2003 and never missed the slide in filter system since. I have polarizer for every lens, but ND/IR/etc. special filters only in 67mm and 82mm size and I use those with step-up rings.
Samuli
Jan 27, 2014 at 12:03 AM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
I have a screw in filter that I use with mine and I find that some of the time I can use it even when the sky if visible if I dial down the strength of the polarizer. One advantage of a screw in filter (although there are clear disadvantages) is that the strength of the polarizer can be adjusted using live view to largely prevent the uneven sky. This doesn't work in all circumstances, but I find at golden hour times when the sun is weaker it works fairly well at 21mm.
naturephoto1 wrote:
I know that many find using a Polarizing filter with 21mm and wider lenses (I have had good success with my 24mm R Leica in the past) very problematic. I would appreciate input and thoughts regarding using a Circular Polarizer with the 21mm Distagton lens and whether you think that it makes sense to use the 4" X 4" Circular Polarizer or purchase another polariizer for usage with the lens.
I much prefer using a screw-in CPL. I use a B+W 82mm XS-Pro Kaesemann on the ZF version of the 21/2,8. (I use the same polarizer for most of the rest of my lenses with step up rings.)
Careful use with any CPL filter on any 21mm wide angle lens would be a bit of a challenge, 46mm or 82mm, through gradation. Given that you've bought the C/Y Zeiss 21mm lens I'm sure you've thought about those issues. I haven't bought an 82mm CPL yet as I was trying a smaller 62mm version first and bought a Marumi DHG CPL Super version, and it was outstanding and far cheaper than several other alternates. You may notice that there was a very comprehensive review of CPL filters by LensTip in 2012-13 (http://www.lenstip.com/115.4-article-Polarizing_filters_test_Results_and_summary.html) which may be useful for your decision. I've used a very good 77mm B+W CPL for more than 10 years but I will replace another Marumi shortly as the anti-flaring coating was much improved. At the same time I recently bought a 82mm Fujiyama MC Linear Polariser to make my own variable ND with the above B+W CPL, and worked well. If you have a look at the Fujjyama.jpn.com website you may notice that their filters look very similar to the Marumi products, but both seem to be hard to find in some countries. Regards,
