B+W Circ polarising filter problem...with test

Trappe

Trappe

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Rory
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I have recently purchased the B+W circular polarising filter.
Due to the poor weather conditions I have not had any real opportunities to test it out until this morning.
All the images appear to be dull and soft ??
The lens was a Canon 24-70 F2.8. I have checked the lens,filter and the camera for condensation etc and they are fine.

This is an un edited jpeg.

The light was flat but the filter seems to have made matters worse.

4483910654_69e746c2a0_o.jpg
 
I'm no expert but does the position of the sun has to be 90 deg to the filter for best effect?

The sun in this image seems to be in front of you.
 
prjohns said:
I'm no expert but does the position of the sun has to be 90 deg to the filter for best effect?

The sun in this image seems to be in front of you.
Click to expand...

The sun was to my left.

I understand the principle I have been using pol filters for 20 years. It's the dull flat mist effect on the shots using the B+W that concerns me:thumbsdown:

Here is another example. There is no life in the shot.

4483503557_99ef0c9abf_o.jpg


To be honest when and if ever it stops raining I will have to do some test shots with and without.
 
It doesn't look great but all I can say is that both my husband and I have B+W CPL on Nikon & Canon gear and we do not suffer that sort of degradation.
 
Trappe said:
The sun was to my left.

I understand the principle I have been using pol filters for 20 years. It's the dull flat mist effect on the shots using the B+W that concerns me:thumbsdown:

Here is another example. There is no life in the shot.

4483503557_99ef0c9abf_o.jpg


To be honest when and if ever it stops raining I will have to do some test shots with and without.
Click to expand...

Isn't that just a case of crap light and you are expecting miracles from a filter?

Some of the art of photography is knowing when not to take the shot.
 
Not really the right weather for a polarised shot, I'd have thought...you need good, directional light for it have any bearing on skies (unless you're only using it to reduce reflections on non-metallic surfaces or to reduce light-levels in-lieu of an ND filer).
A grey, overcast day isn't really the day for it...IMO...
 
I think it's just the light. In the first shot, the only bright sun is in the distance. Second shot, there is no bright light at all - nothing for the filter to polarise apart from the water.

Try it in decent sun, with and without for comparison. Should be fine. Is it clean? Finger prints are death to image quality.
 
HoppyUK said:
I think it's just the light. In the first shot, the only bright sun is in the distance. Second shot, there is no bright light at all - nothing for the filter to polarise apart from the water.

Try it in decent sun, with and without for comparison. Should be fine. Is it clean? Finger prints are death to image quality.
Click to expand...
Brand new.

I have the lee circ pol as well and when used in flat light conditions it helps bring out the colours. I know a few landscape photographers that keep their polarising filter on for almost 100% of the time. I have seen why and the results are good.

As for the other comments please do not think that I have just started photography . I have a few years experience under my belt and I know something is wrong straight away.

When I opened up these files I was shocked as to how poor they were.
 
OK fair enough - may be helpful to point out previous experience as a lot of members have limited experience despite high post-counts...
Maybe try another photographer's filter and do a side-by-side comparison?
 
Did you try rotating the filter?, the effect changes every 90 degrees.
 
Arkady said:
OK fair enough - may be helpful to point out previous experience as a lot of members have limited experience despite high post-counts...
Maybe try another photographer's filter and do a side-by-side comparison?
Click to expand...

I agree...If you noticed in the string of comments I also have a lee circ pol...The B+W filter cost a few £££ and if they are this bad then it need to go back asap.
 
Trappe said:
I agree...If you noticed in the string of comments I also have a lee circ pol...The B+W filter cost a few £££ and if they are this bad then it need to go back asap.
Click to expand...

I think so too...I have to say those images were proper-poo compared to what they should have been...
 
There have been fake copies of this filter, so just wanted to check it was purchased from a reputable source. Ebay is the worst culprit.

In all honesty, the worst that should happen is the exposure should take a little longer. Certainly no worse than a high quality UV filter.

The genuine ones are quite heavy and are a b****r to clean. I find a lenspen is the only way to really sort them out.

Just some thoughts. I may be barking up the wrong tree like everyone else.

Graham
 
I use one of these shooting into the sun does soften the effect of it but as someone above suggest 90 degrees to the sun works a treat .... also the lens used ... if the end rotates ALWAYS adjust the filter after foucsing
 
Bit of a long shot, but.....I bought a brand new Hoya Cirpol many years ago, and when I opened the packaging the spring clip that held the glass in had come out along with the glass. No pobs, put it back together and carried on with it. I was getting crap results like you and just stopped using it for a long time. When I did start using it again for some strange reason (can't remember why!! ) I held it to the front of the lens instead of screwing it on, but I had it backwards. The difference was amazing!. I took the spring and glass out and reversed the glass and re-assembled. It works fine now. I'm not a scientist, or overly familiar with the dynamics of polarising, but maybe its been put together back to front. Try holding it the wrong way and compare.
Webby
 
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