Polarizers with Electronic Viewfinder Camera

[JerseyT]

My question is specifically about the Olympus E-PL2 with the electronic viewfinder, but I think it would apply to any camera with an electronic viewfinder.  When using a polarizer, it's difficult to determine the effect when the filter is rotated.  The viewfinder tries to adapt automatically to the scene brightness, so the darkening effect of the polarizer is hard to visualize.  I can see a momentary darkening before the brightness control takes effect.  That helps a little.
Have others seen this effect?  Any workarounds or tips?

[stamper]

If you are shooting in aperture priority then look at how the shutter fluctuates. Most polarizers produce a fluctuation of about 2 stops. The slowest shutter speed would equate to the most polarization. And remember to shoot in centre weight and not matrix. Not sure about the nomenclature in Olympus cameras.

[Ken Bennett]

I have definitely seen this effect, and it's kind of annoying. Watching the shutter speed helps. Or just watching the relationship between the tonal values in the viewfinder -- the sky may stay the same as the autoexposure tries to keep up, but the contrast between sky and ground will change. Or hold the polarizer up to your eye first and rotate until you get the effect you want, then check the mark on the outside of the ring, and rotate to that mark once the filter is mounted.

[Clearair]

I know it does not help but before we all get excited by the new electronic viewfinder specs, and the techie reasons where these could solve all sorts of image making issues, I still like to see whats happening when I use a camera.


In short if I can't see an effect, I won't use it.
I feel the same with IS in lenses or body. I can see the smoothing of the image in an IS lens system.

Just silly old me.