Polarising filter for a newbie

Sam B

Sam B

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Sam
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Hi all,

Right, I've only had a DSLR for a week or two so still know relatively little about photography. However, I've been geeking it up on Youtube and fancy experimenting a little with a polarising filter, although they seem to vary quite a lot in price.

Can anyone recommend me a decent polarising filter which doesn't break the bank? - I don't want to buy tat but equally, I don't want to pay pro/expert kit prices for something going on an entry-level DSLR; is their a decent enough filter out there for the amateur? Similarly, does a magnifying / macro filter set exist which strikes a happy medium between price and quality?

If it makes any odds, I have a Nikon D5300 with the Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II kit lens.

Cheers, Sam
 
The Hoya Pro 1 polarisers are good for the money (can be picked up for around £20)

Just make sure you buy from a reputable dealer or Amazon direct as there are a lot of fakes about.
 
Make sure you get a Circular Polariser NOT a Linear one!
 
chuckles said:
Make sure you get a Circular Polariser NOT a Linear one!
Click to expand...

That's good advice - but when I switched from film to digital (about 355 years ago it seems !!!) my old linear one still worked fine; then I swapped cameras and it still worked fine - but the current wisdom defo recommends a Circular one if at all

I say 'if at all' as I sold mine years ago (probably 170 ish years ago) because when I finally started to use it with wideangle lenses it caused an odd effect across the image. This is because the true polariser effect only works best in a relatively narrow range and on a wideangle you may see no effect at either edge and a deep blue in the middle when photographing skies, which looks kinda daft

If you buy one for £20 though its not much of a loss if you find you don't like it, or just use it for images taken nearer the 55mm end of your lens and it'll be fine

Dave
 
DG Phototraining said:
That's good advice - but when I switched from film to digital (about 355 years ago it seems !!!) my old linear one still worked fine; then I swapped cameras and it still worked fine - but the current wisdom defo recommends a Circular one if at all

I say 'if at all' as I sold mine years ago (probably 170 ish years ago) because when I finally started to use it with wideangle lenses it caused an odd effect across the image. This is because the true polariser effect only works best in a relatively narrow range and on a wideangle you may see no effect at either edge and a deep blue in the middle when photographing skies, which looks kinda daft

If you buy one for £20 though its not much of a loss if you find you don't like it, or just use it for images taken nearer the 55mm end of your lens and it'll be fine

Dave
Click to expand...

Linear Polarisers mess with metering in some cases but almost always they affect Auto-Focus processing.

Haha... you mean like this?

DSC_1682 by Barry Cant, on Flickr
 
chuckles said:
Linear Polarisers mess with metering in some cases but almost always they affect Auto-Focus processing.

Haha... you mean like this?
Click to expand...

I know they are supposed to mess with metering, but in my first 2 digi cameras they were fine :)

I'd ALWAYS recommend circular ones though

And (re the photo) yes - just like that :D

Dave
 
Wissel said:
The Hoya Pro 1 polarisers are good for the money (can be picked up for around £20)

Just make sure you buy from a reputable dealer or Amazon direct as there are a lot of fakes about.
Click to expand...
Where can you get Pro 1's for £20??

Edit - just looked at Amazon, wow, these have come down in price since I last bought one, my 77 mm cost me over £60!
 
Last edited:
Hi,

Thank you all for your replies; so I'm looking at a 'Hoya Pro 1 circular polarising filter', right? Does Hoya make magnification and macro filters too or would you suggest another brand? I assume both the polarising and macro stuff are made from proper glass?
 
Marumi has a good reputation, Hoya is better known. I think you could buy either with confidence.

"Does Hoya make magnification and macro filters?" Do you mean close up lenses that fit over the camera lens (like a filter)?
 
DG Phototraining said:
That's good advice - but when I switched from film to digital (about 355 years ago it seems !!!) my old linear one still worked fine; then I swapped cameras and it still worked fine - but the current wisdom defo recommends a Circular one if at all

I say 'if at all' as I sold mine years ago (probably 170 ish years ago) because when I finally started to use it with wideangle lenses it caused an odd effect across the image. This is because the true polariser effect only works best in a relatively narrow range and on a wideangle you may see no effect at either edge and a deep blue in the middle when photographing skies, which looks kinda daft

If you buy one for £20 though its not much of a loss if you find you don't like it, or just use it for images taken nearer the 55mm end of your lens and it'll be fine

Dave
Click to expand...

This has been a problem on some of my landscape shots, it's quite annoying.
 
hollis_f said:
I doubt it. These 'filters' are, almost without exception, complete and utter carp.
Click to expand...

Really? In what way? - I was under the impression they're just a magnifying glass that fits over the end of your existing camera lens?

My friend is a photographer (the guy mentioned in one of my other threads) and he showed me his 'DIY' macro lens which one of his friends made him; it was one of the inner (?) glass parts of a broken camera lens (sourced off eBay) fitted within the outer ring of a cheap lens protector - I've seen some of the pictures he's taken with this and they all look pretty good. Sadly I'm not that skilled yet to be making DIY stuff but thought there must be some be some good filters out there? I mean, there's not much to them.

Regards, Sam
 
Sam, don't bother messing around with DIY solutions and close up lenses. If you want to try macro photography without buying a dedicated lens, get a reversing ring or a set of extension tubes and use your kit lens with it/them. These are reasonably inexpensive and you'll get good results if you practice.
 
I'll second the Raynox. I used to get fab shots from this when used with my 85mm. It's optically suburb. I still sometimes use it attached to my dedicated macro lens for added magnification.
 
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