If you only ever buy one filter, make it a polarising filter. Nigel Atherton explains why, and presents the options for polarising filters If you only ever buy one filter, make it a polarising filter. Want to boost your colour saturation at a stroke, without going near a computer? Buy a polarising filter. Polarising filters work by suppressing reflections that occur on most surfaces. In the right conditions reflections on the surfaces of water and glass will vanish, allowing you to see more clearly through them. But the contrast and colour saturation in your photos dramatically improves too. Blue skies become bluer, clouds stand out more, trees and grass look greener, and all the other colours in your scene seem richer. The transformation happens instantly, before your eyes, and cannot be replicated on a PC. Polarising filters work best on sunny days with the sun at an angle of about 90° to the subject. On grey, overcast days they may have little or no effect.

Types of polarising filter There are two types of polarising filter: linear and circular. This isn’t a reference to the shape of the filter itself – most are round – but to the way in which they polarise the light. For digital cameras you need the (sadly more expensive) circular type. Make up of polarising filters Most polarising filters are comprised of two connected rings that rotate independently of each other. Once you’ve screwed it onto the lens, the front part is rotated until you get the polarising effect you want. You can also get polarisers that slot into filter holders such as those from Cokin and rotate within the holder. Whichever kind you get, they all reduce the light entering the lens by about 1.5 to 2 stops, so you’ll have to compensate accordingly. Choosing a polarising filter When choosing a polarising filter you’ll find a wide disparity of prices, even within the same brand. Hoya, for example, sells a 67mm polariser for under £50, and another for over £100.

What you’re paying for is superior optical glass, anti-reflective coatings, and perhaps superior engineering in the mount. Some boast a thinner profile so they’re less likely to cause vignetting when used with wideangle lenses. Whether these things are worth the extra cost to you is a personal choice. If you use premium quality zoom or prime lenses (such as Canon’s L series optics) it’s probably worth investing in the best polarising filters to go with them; otherwise as long as you stick to one of the main brands listed here, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. Polarising Filter – Top Brands A guide to the main polarising filters to consider The German flair for making top quality optical glass exceeds even their penalty-taking prowess. Made by Schneider, B+W filters aren’t cheap, but feel the weight of that Schott glass (made by Zeiss) and those hefty brass mounts and know you’re getting a quality product. Choose from its basic polariser, its MRC multi-coated filter or its premium Kasemann range, in which the filters are polished plane-parallel and sealed against moisture ingress.

The world’s largest filter manufacturer recommends its Pro 1 Digital series for DSLR users. They feature low-profile, matte black frames housing optical glass which is multi-coated to reduce flare and reflections. There’s also a more basic polariser for about half the price. Beloved of pro landscape photographers everywhere, most Lee filters are hand-made from optical resin and are designed around Lee’s 100mm filter holder. Lee produces two polarisers to fit it: a square 100x100mm filter and a round 105mm diameter one. Border Terrier Puppies For Sale In TexasLee also produces a clip-on polariser for its smaller 75mm system.Carpet Cleaning Machine Vinegar The Heliopan range is very similar to the B+W range: made in Germany using Schott glass, brass mounts and with a Kasemann variant. Teacup Pomeranian Puppies For Sale Va

However, Heliopan filters, which have traditionally been aimed more at the movie industry, are somewhat cheaper. Cokin’s circular polariser is actually circular. It fits into the rear slot of its holder and can be rotated within it. There are four sizes, to fit the A, P, X and Z series holders. Better known in the US than the UK, Tiffen has been making filters for 60 years, and they are widely used in Hollywood. Tiffen’s patented ColorCore technology involves laminating the filter material between sheets of optical glass. The biggest name in independent lenses also produces an EX DG circular polariser. It features a multi-layer coating and a low-profile mount to reduce vignetting. The range extends from 52mm to 105mm. Other brands to consider:This new product is currently available at Introductory Pricing. Please choose the correct filter size for your cameras. If you are unsure about which filter may fit your camera, please download and print our MagFilter System Template page (found here).

With the advent of Digital photography, filters are not often used. The look of many different lens filters can be easily duplicated through image editing software, however there is one filter that Digital Photo or Digital Video has not been able to replace: The Polarizer. (see definition here on Wikipedia)MagFilter used to remove glare from Retail Window. Shot with Sony RX100. Polarizing filters work by cutting the amount of polarized, or reflected light, that reaches the digital sensor. Polarized light can be found everywhere, including reflections on the surface of water, glass, reflecting from the surface of leaves, and even reflect from the soft blue of the sky. Polarized light often makes objects appear shiny. The use of a polarizing filter can reduce this, and will help saturate the colors, particularly in landscapes that contain foliage and a vast blue sky. Polarizers are very important filters and will retain information during image capture that is normally lost and cannot be recovered in post processing.

High end compact cameras like the Sony RX100 or Canon S100 (above) with built in telescoping lenses can capture amazing quality images, but they could still benefit greatly from the use of filters such as Polarizers or Neutral Density Filters. Unfortunately, there has never been a simple, clean, and effective solution to mounting filters on these high end compact cameras - until now. The revolutionary MagFilters provide the most innovative and unobtrusive filter solution to high end compact cameras. A very thin metal ring is first adhered to the front of the camera lens and still allows the lens to expand and retract back into the camera body. The MagFilters quickly connect to the metal ring with strong magnets embedded in the MagFilter body. A grooved bevel design prevents slippage and ensures a secure bond to lock the MagFilter in place. When not in use, the MagFilter can be quickly removed (no cumbersome unthreading involved) and the camera retains it's original compact form factor.

The MagFilter system adds no additional bulk, which we find is an important feature for maintaining the pocket-ability of these small high end compact cameras, especially if you need to fit them back into their OEM travel cases. To use the Polarizer, turn the MagFilter around until the image is corrected. See examples of our MagFilter Polarizer in use below taken with the new Sony RX100 Compact Camera.Used to remove glare from water canal.Used to remove glare from water, tree leaves, and sky.Used to remove glare from tree leaves.Used to remove glare from lake. The MagFilters retain incredible sharpness with high quality Glass Optics Made in Japan encased in an all metal filter body. The metal filter body is designed Black with Red accents to look as good as your high end compact camera, and an anodized coating ensures lasting durability. For convenience, a teardrop neoprene travel pouch with spring clip is provided with each MagFilter purchase. Our 36mm Polarizer MagFilter is perfect for small compact cameras like the Canon Powershot S95/S100, while our 42mm Polarizer Magfilter fits on cameras like the Sony HX9V, Sony HX20V, Sony HX30V, and the popular Sony RX100.