[Rhodes22-list] Circular polarizer

[Michael D. Weisner]

Elle,

I lost the original email about your circular polarizer questions so I have recreated it from the archives as follows:

> I rarely took the circular polarizer off my film camera, and I've used it on & off w/the digital & the 18-200 ( 27-300 digital) lens, but I am dissatisfied with the results....I believe it confuses the sensor...and even playing w/white balance doesn't get as nice a shot as just letting the camera work alone & then maybe tweaking just a bit on PhotoShop.

Circular polarizers should not confuse the white balance since they affect contrast (in theory.)  The biggest drawback to using a polarizer is the loss of two f-stops.  The camera will compensate automatically since you have TTL metering.  This may explain why you have had to open up the lens so much.  Unless you are taking pictures with a lot of unwanted reflection (careful with water, sometimes the reflection is desired, especially when it reduces the contrast of the background), you should not automatically use the polarizer.  Also, be sure to adjust it's setting for the desired effect (min/max compensation, usually adjusted through rotation of the elements.)  You can also change your position with respect to the light source to change the effect or minimize unwanted reflection without the polarizer.

There ain't no such thing as a perfect camera, lens or polarizer.  That is why a good photographer can take beautiful pictures with a snapshot camera and a poor photographer can't seem to take a "keeper" with a fancy Nikon.  Fortunately, you appear to be capable of using the snapshot, just think what you can do with your D80!!  Experiment and never stop trying new stuff.

Mike
s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
Nissequogue River, NY