Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: ivan muller on January 24, 2007, 11:35:41 am

Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ivan muller on January 24, 2007, 11:35:41 am
hi all

In am looking for some polarizer sheet filters to put over my tungsten lights for copy work etc. Any suggestions on a reputable supplier that will mail them to me? What brandname should I look for?

Many thanks
Ivan
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: Shachar on January 24, 2007, 11:52:41 am
Hi Ivan,

I have purchased several years ago polarizer sheets from 3M. try to have a look on their website.

Shachar Kedem
Leaf
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: howiesmith on January 24, 2007, 12:14:17 pm
I have Roscoe gels.  I too got them years ago while at school.  Not cheap as I recall, and they are not very heat resistant, so be careful with hot lights.

Cinelux may also make large polarizer gels.
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: rsmphoto on January 24, 2007, 01:15:03 pm
You should be able to order from this supplier... I've used them many times over the years.

http://www.barbizon.com/home/index.cfm (http://www.barbizon.com/home/index.cfm)
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: Robin Casady on January 24, 2007, 01:30:07 pm
I've purchased them from Calumet in the past.

http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/BR3003.html (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/BR3003.html)

Regards,
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com (http://www.robincasady.com)
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ivan muller on January 29, 2007, 05:33:33 am
Hi
thanks for all the suggestions.I will try them all out.
regards Ivan
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: AndrewDyer on January 29, 2007, 06:12:04 am
Quote
Hi
thanks for all the suggestions.I will try them all out.
regards Ivan
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98059\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Does anyone have some With & Without shots of using a polarizing sheet?
It would be very interesting to see the effectiveness of them...
How much better are they than using a filter on the lens?
And in what situations would you use it instead of a lens filter?
Thanks
Andrew
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: howiesmith on January 29, 2007, 09:26:06 am
Quote
Does anyone have some With & Without shots of using a polarizing sheet?
It would be very interesting to see the effectiveness of them...
How much better are they than using a filter on the lens?
And in what situations would you use it instead of a lens filter?
Thanks
Andrew
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98063\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have no shots to share, but I use both sheets and an on-camera filter together for no glare light when doing copy work with a camera.  The method really works if you want to eliminate all glare from the lights.
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: Jonathan Wienke on January 29, 2007, 10:49:13 am
Quote
Does anyone have some With & Without shots of using a polarizing sheet?
It would be very interesting to see the effectiveness of them...
How much better are they than using a filter on the lens?
And in what situations would you use it instead of a lens filter?

I don't have with/without shots handy, but you're confused. What you do is put polarizer gels on your lighting, and a polarizer on your camera lens. By adjusting the orientation of the polarizers on the lights and the camera, you can pretty much eliminate reflective glares on the product or artwork you're shooting. You need both for best results. A polarizer on the lights alone is useless, and a polarizer on the camera alone helps some, but not as much as doing both.
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: clawery on January 29, 2007, 11:17:29 am
I might try Visual Departure in Riverside, CT (203)698-0880 or Advanced Lighting & Sound Solutions in Manchester, CT (860)643-8401.  I had heard that Rosco had stopped production of their polarizing filter production for some while, but these guys might have some in stock.

Chris Lawery
Sales Manager
Capture Integration
(404)234-5195
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: AndrewDyer on January 29, 2007, 11:40:30 am
Quote
I don't have with/without shots handy, but you're confused. What you do is put polarizer gels on your lighting, and a polarizer on your camera lens. By adjusting the orientation of the polarizers on the lights and the camera, you can pretty much eliminate reflective glares on the product or artwork you're shooting. You need both for best results. A polarizer on the lights alone is useless, and a polarizer on the camera alone helps some, but not as much as doing both.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98091\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Thanks for the clarification Jonathan.
I was wondering if the light sheet by itself would be of any use.
I have seen what can be achieved with a polarizer on the lens but never seen any examples of what is achieved by a polarizer on the lights as well.
It does sound interesting though, so it would be good to see examples of what it can do.
I will have to keep searching on the net.
Regards
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: Robin Casady on January 29, 2007, 03:01:22 pm
I don't have any with/without shots. As others have said, filters on the lights and lens is the way to do it. This was commonly used when photographing cels for animated films since cels are very reflective.

Regards,
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com (http://www.robincasady.com)
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ericstaud on January 29, 2007, 03:47:32 pm
[attachment=1696:attachment]
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ericstaud on January 29, 2007, 04:01:11 pm
Here is more.... don't wear polarized sun glasses while using these, the room might go black and you could knock over your camera

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...hs=&ci=1329&ac= (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&a=169_1753&mnp=0.0&mxp=0.0&cmpsrch=&cltp=&clsgr=&Submit.x=9&Submit.y=9&Submit=Go&shs=&ci=1329&ac=)
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: AndrewDyer on January 29, 2007, 04:27:10 pm
Quote
Here is more.... don't wear polarized sun glasses while using these, the room might go black and you could knock over your camera

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller...hs=&ci=1329&ac= (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&a=169_1753&mnp=0.0&mxp=0.0&cmpsrch=&cltp=&clsgr=&Submit.x=9&Submit.y=9&Submit=Go&shs=&ci=1329&ac=)
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98157\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
 
Thanks for the links Eric.
Amazing how much difference in price between brands there is. Not cheap either way.
Andrew
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ericstaud on January 29, 2007, 04:55:13 pm
I am no expert on copywork, but I think that hard lights are more standard... that is what I use.  Softboxes will rob the image of fine detail that is so nicely revealed by strobe heads with standard reflectors.  This means that you don't need large Polarizers at least, just 10"x10" would do.  They last forever.  Mine are a hand-me down pair at least 15 years old and they still work fine.  There is no other way around using them for lighting some artwork, they do wonders.

I would also use strobe if you are shooting digital.  Digital cameras have a pretty poor response under tungsten lights for critical color work.  It is not like the old days of using tungten film.
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: rsmphoto on January 29, 2007, 06:10:03 pm
Andrew,

This method is called cross-polarizartion and is common practice for many who copy artwork. It's the best way I know of eliminating reflection from light sources, but polarizers seem to never be neutral in color, so a Macbeth color checker is an important tool as well.

Best,

Richard
Title: Polarizer sheet filters
Post by: ericstaud on January 29, 2007, 06:44:03 pm
Quote
Andrew,

This method is called cross-polarizartion and is common practice for many who copy artwork. It's the best way I know of eliminating reflection from light sources, but polarizers seem to never be neutral in color, so a Macbeth color checker is an important tool as well.

Best,

Richard
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98185\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Richard,

Does shooting RAW and gray balancing in the software fix the neutrality of the polarizer 100%, or does other color shifting occur?

For instance, I have been shooting with a P45 that is overly sensative to IR light.  The over the lens 486 IR cut filter removes the IR contamination but it is surprising the range of colors affected by the filter.  The shots have an overall "cooler" look to them even when gray balanced on the same gray card.

Thanks,

Eric