Maybe this is old news to everybody here, but I thought it would be worthwhile to show a couple examples of the effect a polarizing filter has when photographing cars.

The image on the left was taken without a polarizer, the image on the right was taken with a polarizer. The difference is obvious (no reflections). I should add that even with a polarizer, you have the option of retaining some or all reflections, you just have to rotate the filter and stop when you like what you see.



Here is an example where I was shooting into the sun and used the polarizer to eliminate glare. In the top, non-polarized photo, the glare washes out the color of the cars. On the bottom, with a polarizer you can see how red the paint really is.



If you have an SLR, getting a polarizer is as simple as going to your local photo store and asking for one (you'll need a circular polarizer if you have an autofocus camera, otherwise an ordinary polarizer does the job). If you have some type of point and shoot, you probably can get a threaded adapter for you lens that will allow you to add a filter.

Happy shooting!

 

I've been playing with my circular polarizing filter but I don't understand how do you know which direction to turn the ring.

 

You just turn the ring until you like what you see. It spins a full 360º. It works best when you're shooting at a 90º angle to the sun (er, I think).

 

You should just be able to tell when you're looking through the eye piece or whatever and just spin the filter. You'll see the difference in colors.

 

hmm quite a bit of difference...

 

Just be aware a polarizer can play havoc with the metering in some cameras. Mostly in film SLR's. Some film SLR's use a mirror with some half silvered slits in the mirror. These cameras in essence polarize the light that passes through the viewing meter and if you also have a polarizing filter on the camera and turned at 90 degrees to the mirror slots, your exposure will be drastically off.

I know the LCD instruments on my boat are polarized, can't read them with my polarized sun glasses. I wonder about camera imaging chips?

 

Digital SLRs definitely work with polarizing filters (the photos were taken with my Canon 10D). I expect higher-end point and shoots will, too.

 

Circular polarizers get around the metering problem. Linear(?) polarizers - the non-circular ones - screw up the metering. It's almost impossible to buy a non-circular polarizer these days.

They're most effective, as stated above, when pointed 90° away from the sun's rays. If yo uwatch through the lens as you turn the polarizer, you can watch the "glare" move from on surface of a car to another, and place it pretty much where you want to to enhance certain curves, for instance.

 

Hrm. that could save me a lot of photoshop time.
How much do these things generally run for?

 

Dirt cheap to insanely expensive.

There's a big range first based on the manufacturer / glass quality. Then there are some "extras" like coatings, some mare "multiple" filters that combine something like a warming filter with the polarizer as one filter (I've got a warming polarizer and I really like it). Some are "slim" so that on a really wide angle lens the filter is less likely to cause vignetting(sp).

So, you can pick one up at Ritz for $15-$20, or go crazy and spend $200 or more depending on size / features / name / etc.

There's no sense in getting a stupid expensive filter for a cheap lens. I ordered the $50 Canon 50mm prime lens and a $80 polarizer in the same order (since the polarizer would also fit on some of my other, better lenses). B&H Photo called me up to ask why I was getting a filter that cost more than the lens.

 

The lens you use does help in deciding what polarizer to get.
A thin filter works better on a wide-angle lens (practically a must when shooting cars) because it'll reduce the amount of vignetting (those dark edges at the corners). A 50mm or beyond would work well with a normal thickness polarizer.

I'm kind of partial to Nikon and B+W filters myself.

-Juan

 

One of the best things in my photo bag, very much recommended!

 

yep mine is my fave bit of kit any good phatographer works arround em i usulay open up a stop depending on the light and film speed (iso for you dig lot) and mine works like a charm

 

[Just posted this info in another thread, but thought it could be useful here too so I'll post again. Apologies if it's a rerun for you.]

For technical details about polarizers and the different types, look here.

A polarizer will only really work under certain circumstances. At mid-day with the sun high in the sky, there is almost no effect at all when using a polarizer. They are easier to use and see the effect of when on a SLR camera; it's hard to see the changes when rotating the lens on a P&S camera's LCD display.

During early light hours or evening light hours, the polarizer will give you maximum strength when the camera is pointed 90 or 270 degrees from the sun. For example, the sun was setting directly over my right shoulder when taking these two photos. Just rotating the filter allowed me to get two completely different looks, yet the photos were taken within <10 minutes of each other (same lighting).

 

I have used the polarizer from my "old" film camera with my digital all auto everything (miss the control) camera. I can't tell that it messes with the auto exposure.

BTW: polarizer filters bring out rainbows.

 

Are you sure you only changed the filter? I've had whites go from warm to cool with a polarizer, but this is extreme!

 

Keep in mind, I was using the polarizer at its extreme with a low sun and shooting at an angle 90 degrees away from the sun. It was dramatic even in my SLR viewfinder.

On the first photo, I actually warmed up the photo in PS ACR to 6500 from the as shot 5000 so I could get the more true to life sunset colors. The second photo I left at temperature 5000 and added a 82A warming filter layer in PS post. Only minor tweeks (brightness/contrast/sat) were made in ACR. Just looking at the reflections in the side panels shows me how much of a difference the polarizer made.

Kurt, are you holding your old film camera's filter over the front of your P&S??? If so, we really need to have a long talk with Santa to bring you some new toys in Dec. (I'll admit I've done that before with very mixed, typically poor results. I'm impressed if you're really pulling that off).

 

I finally remembered I have a polarizer for my normal-wide lens tonight I'll have to get some shots this week.

 

YES... in the best cheapskate tradition! Have to watch the fingertip in the corner is all. I have even used the wide angle adapter from the video camera, just taped on.
But I've been a bad boy, so don't expect anything like a new (real) camera.

 

Hey, the DIY approach can be more rewarding

You only get one for now...
Here is a sample of the photos from this morning.

Feel free to click it for a larger image(and you can rate it and leave comments). This one is in my NAM gallery that has been overdue for a new photo.

 

The other photos form that shoot.

And here are some side by sides that show the effect of a polarizer.





Makes a huge differance on the JB.

 

Indeed. Always nice to see pictures of cars instead of pictures of reflections. You can also use the polarizer to selectively include some reflections to enhance the look of curves.