How to use a polarizer in difficult conditions

Shiny

You know the days when there is an overcast sky
and no windows/reflective surfaces or night time?

Well here is a way to easily set your polarizer during
these situations.

Here is the final result to give you an idea what I am
aiming for:



Now I will show you how i made the markings.

I used tiny strips of masking tape so that the
polarizer ring could still turn easily.

I then aimed the camera out the window to find
the max and min polarization.

Below are 2 images which indicate both:


Minimum polarization^^

Maximum polarization^^

You then simply use these 2 images to mark the
masking tape on your lens.

Max ploarizaion is not normally recommended as
it begins to make colors (especially sky) look
unrealistic.

But at least now you can know where you stand.:)

Fajitas!

Nice idea Shiny!

Tbh though, I hardly ever use a polarizer these days.

Shiny

Really?

I almost always have one on my wide lens.

But then again I am a landscape/sunset/sky
freak.:rolleyes:

I find that it makes the AF hunt alot, but that
could be just me....

Fajitas!

I found out a way of using curves in CS2 to pretty much work the same as a polarizer

Shiny

Backwards C curve in the blue channel ?

elven

The polariser seems to darken my lens far too much, and I might just have to use the dreaded tripod...aaargh! *runs away in terror*

I used to use it all the time though, had a tricky time sometimes figuring out what the maximum polarisation point was - that's a handy tip.

If you take it off and put it back on does it stay in the same place though? Does it work for different lenses?

Fajitas!

Shiny wrote:

Backwards C curve in the blue channel ?

In the blue channel, I'm decreasing input and increasing output, and in the red and greens I'm decreasing output and increasing input, followed by some quick playing about with the saturation of your magenta's in hue/saturation.

Shiny

It definately works if you take it on/off as it is the outer ring
that controls the intensity.

I have not tried it on different lens's as they are all different
sizes for me:(.

Although I assume there would be no difference.

I agree with your about the darkening, happens to me too.

elven

I used to use it on my sigma 28-80mm which was 55mm diameter (I think), and had a step down ring to use it on the 50 f1.8 at 52mm diameter and the canon 80-200mm zoom, also 52mm - works just dandy. They gave me the step down ring forfree in my old favourite camera shop in glasgow when I bought the zoom lens... ah, good old quiggs

Shiny

elven wrote:

I used to use it on my sigma 28-80mm which was 55mm diameter (I think), and had a step down ring to use it on the 50 f1.8 at 52mm diameter and the canon 80-200mm zoom, also 52mm - works just dandy.

Interesting.

*Strokes Chin*

magicbastarder

Shiny wrote:

I almost always have one on my wide lens.

But then again I am a landscape/sunset/sky
freak.:rolleyes:

do you not find that you have to be very wary with a polariser on a wide angle lens when taking photos with blue sky in the frame?

Shiny

When I say wide angle I mean 17mm.
I cant afford to get a 10-20mm .....yet.

In terms of the blue sky, I dont really understand
what you mean.

The effect on the sky was one of the main reasons that
I got that filter, so that it would be a nice deep blue and
the edges of the clouds would be more defined.

I know that if you go too far the sky starts to look black
and weird but I usually go for a punchy blue.

magicbastarder

what i'm getting at is that since the effect on the sky varies with angular distance from the sun (pointing the lens either directly towards or away from the sun removes the effect, and 90 degrees either side is where it's at its maximum), and you've got a wide lens which covers a large area of sky, the effect of the polariser varies across the frame, and you get an unnatural gradient or blotchiness in the colour of the sky.