Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: mrc on February 18, 2011, 10:29:49 am

Title: Avoiding uneven polarization with wide-angle lenses
Post by: mrc on February 18, 2011, 10:29:49 am

Hello - I have been using a circular polarizer on a 24mm lens (full-frame digital body) for most of my outdoor shots for the past year or so.  I primarily photograph architecture and the occasional landscape.  The filter has definitely improved some photos, but others have fallen victim to uneven polarization in the sky, with part of it noticeably darker.  I know that many recommend avoiding CP filters on wide angle lenses entirely, but the reduction of reflections can be very useful especially with architecture.  So, I have some questions:

-What do you do to reduce reflections but avoid uneven polarization at wide angles? 
-Do graduated neutral density filters help any for buildings, or do they end up looking unnatural?
-If a CP filter is turned so that it has the minimum effect, is it any different than having no filter at all? 
-Or, would I be better off with no filter?

Thanks for any advice!

Title: Re: Avoiding uneven polarization with wide-angle lenses
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on February 18, 2011, 12:45:08 pm

Given that your subject is stationary, I would do several shots: one with full polarization (to reduce/eliminate reflections), one without, and one with polarization effect half-way, then combine them in post-processing.

Title: Re: Avoiding uneven polarization with wide-angle lenses
Post by: francois on February 19, 2011, 05:18:17 am

Quote from: Slobodan Blagojevic on February 18, 2011, 12:45:08 pm

Given that your subject is stationary, I would do several shots: one with full polarization (to reduce/eliminate reflections), one without, and one with polarization effect half-way, then combine them in post-processing.

That's the way I'm using polarizers on wide angle. Post-processing in Photoshop to remove the uneven polarized effect is extremely difficult and time consuming.

Title: Re: Avoiding uneven polarization with wide-angle lenses
Post by: Sigi on February 19, 2011, 06:21:39 am

Hello,
it is is all about personal taste but I like the uneven sky:)

Siegfried

Title: Re: Avoiding uneven polarization with wide-angle lenses
Post by: ErikKaffehr on February 19, 2011, 10:41:21 am

Hi,

The problem with polarizers on wide angles is not the polarizer or the wide angles but the sky it self. Polarization varies with angle to sun.

Best regards
Erik

Quote from: mrc on February 18, 2011, 10:29:49 am

Hello - I have been using a circular polarizer on a 24mm lens (full-frame digital body) for most of my outdoor shots for the past year or so.  I primarily photograph architecture and the occasional landscape.  The filter has definitely improved some photos, but others have fallen victim to uneven polarization in the sky, with part of it noticeably darker.  I know that many recommend avoiding CP filters on wide angle lenses entirely, but the reduction of reflections can be very useful especially with architecture.  So, I have some questions:

-What do you do to reduce reflections but avoid uneven polarization at wide angles? 
-Do graduated neutral density filters help any for buildings, or do they end up looking unnatural?
-If a CP filter is turned so that it has the minimum effect, is it any different than having no filter at all? 
-Or, would I be better off with no filter?

Thanks for any advice!