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Author Topic: Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters  (Read 7971 times)

Killer Angel

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« on: January 11, 2007, 06:55:24 am »

Could anyone out there please suggest to me a very good brand of polarizing and neutral density filter for my Canon 24-70 F2.8L and 70-200 F2.8L IS lenses?
THANKS.

Killer Angel
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francois

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2007, 07:29:45 am »

Quote
Could anyone out there please suggest to me a very good brand of polarizing and neutral density filter for my Canon 24-70 F2.8L and 70-200 F2.8L IS lenses?
THANKS.

Killer Angel
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=95065\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Try Singh-Ray, B + W and Heliopan (no specific order in that list). Note that these filters are expensive but with lenses such as your 24-70 and 70-200, cutting on quality filters is not something you want to do.
For polarizers, be sure to get circular polarizers and not linear filters.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2007, 07:31:23 am by francois »
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Francois

Paul Sumi

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2007, 10:32:21 am »

Quote
Try Singh-Ray, B + W and Heliopan (no specific order in that list). Note that these filters are expensive but with lenses such as your 24-70 and 70-200, cutting on quality filters is not something you want to do.
For polarizers, be sure to get circular polarizers and not linear filters.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=95068\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I agree with Francois' recommendations.  I'd like to note that Singh-Ray has what they call a LB (lighter and brighter) warming polarizer.  It lets in 2/3rds of a stop more light than the typical CP and also adds a little warmth to the shadows (which can go blue-ish).

The advantages are a brighter viewfinder and somewhat faster shutter speeds.  The disadvantages are you can't get as slow a shutter speed (if you are using the CP as a neutral density filter substitute) and, of course, it is quite expensive.

Paul
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Coke

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2007, 09:38:55 pm »

Why not B&W? B&W makes their "Kaesemann" Polfilters from
Schott Glass, the same thing Zeiss lenses were (are?) made
off. They are also sealed against dust and moisture, have a
brass mount (means it doesnt stick on your lens like the cheap
aluminum ones from hoya etc) and are very (very) scratch resistant.
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Killer Angel

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2007, 04:46:51 am »

In regards to the BX Kaeserman polarizer filters,they come in 2 versions,regular glass filters and slim glass filters.Which among the 2 would you advice that I get?
THANKS.

Killer Angel

PS.In regards to UV Multicoated filters for protection of the front glass of my lenses,what brand would you suggest that I get?
THANKS.
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francois

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2007, 07:47:59 am »

Quote
In regards to the BX Kaeserman polarizer filters,they come in 2 versions,regular glass filters and slim glass filters.Which among the 2 would you advice that I get?
THANKS.

Killer Angel

PS.In regards to UV Multicoated filters for protection of the front glass of my lenses,what brand would you suggest that I get?
THANKS.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Well, slim glass filter or wide-angle slim filter is for use with - you already guessed - wide-angle lenses. If you are using a full frame camera such as a Canon 5D or 1Ds, you'll probalby need one of these from 24mm (or even 26mm) and wider lenses. The drawback is that slim filters don't have front threads and therefore you cannot attach conventional lens caps.

See photo below to see the difference...
You also may want to read [a href=\"http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11142&mode=linear]this discussion[/url] as well as this one.

I usually don't use filters for protection except when weather/conditions are really bad (sand, sea spray etc.). Try to stay with a good brand (B&W and others mentionned above) but I have a friend who claims that Hoya HMC (???) is OK.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2007, 08:34:20 am by francois »
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Francois

Coke

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2007, 09:17:05 am »

Quote
PS.In regards to UV Multicoated filters for protection of the front glass of my lenses,what brand would you suggest that I get?
THANKS.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=95429\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You can get very good ones from B&W but if you
stay with the top brands mentioned somewhere
above you can't really go wrong. I think the
priceings is also very similar across brands.

One more thing about B&W, if you buy a filter
with "F-Pro" mount it means the filter has a
brass mount. To my knowledge all MRC filters
have that from B&W.
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bjanes

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2007, 11:41:02 am »

Quote
Well, slim glass filter or wide-angle slim filter is for use with - you already guessed - wide-angle lenses. If you are using a full frame camera such as a Canon 5D or 1Ds, you'll probalby need one of these from 24mm (or even 26mm) and wider lenses. The drawback is that slim filters don't have front threads and therefore you cannot attach conventional lens caps.

See photo below to see the difference...
You also may want to read this discussion as well as this one.

I usually don't use filters for protection except when weather/conditions are really bad (sand, sea spray etc.). Try to stay with a good brand (B&W and others mentionned above) but I have a friend who claims that Hoya HMC (???) is OK.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=95439\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

When I first started out in photography with my Nikon F, all the common lenses were 52 mm diameter and I needed only one set of filters for all my lenses, but now with zoom lenses and many telephotos, one has to have other diameters such as 67 and 77 mm. To some extent one can use adapters to reduce the thread size of the filter, but the reverse may cause vignetting.

Also, the thin filters are necessary with some wide angle lenses to avoid vignetting, and this may apple to some wide to tele zooms. These thin filters are more expensive. I have a a regular 67 mm B + W filter for my 18-70 mm Nikkor DX and it seems to work OK (the lens has vignetting wide open anyway).

It really looks strange to have a 77 mm filter on a 52 mm filter diameter lens, but it does work.

Bill
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francois

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2007, 11:51:29 am »

Quote
...
It really looks strange to have a 77 mm filter on a 52 mm filter diameter lens, but it does work.
...
The only problem is that using a hood is often impossible... I must admit that I use 77mm filters and adapter rings for the smaller diameters.
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Francois

Paul Kay

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2007, 12:28:42 pm »

I find B&W to be pretty damage resistant too - my other filters (mentioning no names) seem to mark especially as I shoot around the marine environment a lot, and the salt laden air means that I do use filters for protection and I do have to clean them (selvyt cloths are great). Since switching to B&W I've found that filters are cleanable and don't mark as much.
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Shaula

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Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2007, 06:35:31 pm »

Unless you add/take off your filters between every shot, be careful to read the features of the filters before you order.  I ordered a thin circular polarizer for my 77's and it turned out that (on this one) you could not put a lens cap on it, and I was restricted to using the cheap plastic covering that was prone to falling off.
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richardalois

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Re: Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2011, 03:58:48 pm »

Any advice on what strength of nd filter to use?
london photographer
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wolfnowl

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Re: Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #12 on: June 19, 2011, 05:31:03 pm »

As an ND filter simply limits the amount of light coming into the camera (rather like using a lower ISO), the strength depends on the base ISO of the camera, f/stop range of the lens, the amount of light you're shooting in, the type of subject you're shooting and the effect you're looking for.

Mike.
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Scott O.

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Re: Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2011, 08:04:55 pm »

Many good brands, but I prefer Singh-Ray.  They make a variable neutral density filter with a built in polarizer.  I find that most often when I use a ND filter I also need a polarizer (moving water) and having a combo eliminates the need to stack.

phlai

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Re: Polarizing And Neutral Density Filters
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2011, 11:03:57 pm »

Any advice on what strength of nd filter to use?
london photographer

B+W ND1000 allows more red light to pass through, so the image turn a little bit red in some report.

You can read the transmission % chart in their web site.
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