Alternatives To Circular Polarisers

[Pyre of Fyre]

Hi all,

just wondering if there are any other alternatives to using a circular polariser to achieve the same effects?

POF

 

[marlin]

Can use photoshop to simulate polarizers??

 

[justarius]

You can saturate colours using photoshop, but I'm not too sure about getting rid of reflections and such.

And really, I'm pretty sure its easier to get it right the first time round using aa polariser than spending your time playing with photoshop.

 

[Pyre of Fyre]

Thanks all for the response(s).

I was just wondering what the best way would be to get the equivalent results of a polariser (usually a circular one) if quick shooting is needed, like say in sports photography, weddings et al., where bein there is essential to 'capturing the moment'.

What would photogs in these situations rely on?

POF

 

[mervlam]

Thanks all for the response(s).

I was just wondering what the best way would be to get the equivalent results of a polariser (usually a circular one) if quick shooting is needed, like say in sports photography, weddings et al., where bein there is essential to 'capturing the moment'.

What would photogs in these situations rely on?

POF

why would you want to use a polariser for sports and wedding shot???
polarisers are mainly used for scenery work....

there are no alternatives to polarisers, i.e. no other type of filter can mimic the effects of a polariser.

 

[Pyre of Fyre]

I was thinking that if, say, a shot is needed to take a picture of someone running along a riverbank and you wanted to capture both the runner and the fish that happened to be in the river, wouldn't you need to be able to 'tune' the polariser quick enough to capture both?

Sorry for being difficult, just trying to explore all possibilities here.

POF

 

[mervlam]

now, that's a difficult situation... :sweat:

 

[ST1100]

i'm not a hardcore polariser user; in fact, i rarely use one. My limited experience with polarisers goes like this: the polariser (which is rather expensive) is kept properly in it's plastic case in the camera bag (bcoz i dont wanna scratch it).

In order to get the jogger and fish shot - that's assuming my camera is already up and ready to shoot with the right lens mounted (and i shoot primes) - i need to reach inside the bag, take out the polariser in its case, unscrew the UV filter, screw in the polariser, put the UV filter back into the PL's casing, keep the casing, pick up my camera again, position myself for the right angle to use the polariser, slowly turn the polariser to the desired effect - and then shoot. i'd likely have to wait for the next jogger and fish to appear (at the same time) without moving from my position.

It's also not a good idea to keep the polariser on the camera all the time bcoz it makes the viewfinder really dark (about 1-3 stops i think), and for general photography you can't judge sharpness with your eye when it's that dark.

So i'd have to reverse the whole process of putting the UV back on, unless i'm really hot about the man n fish picture. So you see, using a polariser can be a real pain, and thus not recommended for weddings and sports, unless you have a lot of time to set up a shot.


Maybe they should build a PL that clips on - like the way lens cap does. That would be a lot easier to use.

 

[sumball]

How about using the cokin system? do they have the slot in filter for CP?

Didnt know that we cant use CP on the UV filter cos normally i will just add-on.

thanks!

 

[sulhan]

Hiee...

I personally use a slot in type circular polariser.....from Cokin.....As i normally do landscapes......i basically just need to slot it in when i need to use the CP.......then rotate it accordingly for the neccessary effect....

So far...here in SGP....not many using the slot type polariser....

FYI: If you use a camera with a partial silvered mirror like SLR where metering sensors are located behind this mirror, then a Circular polariser would be needed......else you risk of getting metering error. However, if you use external metering and run on Manual mode....no problem.

So to speak.....using the Linear polariser in a camera like A1 (non mirror) it should not be a problem...wiht its metering....

rgds,
sulhan

 

[justarius]

How about using the cokin system? do they have the slot in filter for CP?

Didnt know that we cant use CP on the UV filter cos normally i will just add-on.

thanks!

You can stack filters, however vignetting might become a problem for wider lens.

 

[mmk]

yes, in fact.... for long term, slot in (cokin or lee) filters are much more cheaper than those mount in type since one filter can be used on many thread... A or P...

:thumbsup: let me know if u are selling urs... ;p

 

[mmk]

So to speak.....using the Linear polariser in a camera like A1 (non mirror) it should not be a problem...wiht its metering....

rgds,
sulhan

However, linear polariser is not menat for AF,.. dun think many ppl here MF a lot....

 

[Pyre of Fyre]

i'm not a hardcore polariser user; in fact, i rarely use one. My limited experience with polarisers goes like this: the polariser (which is rather expensive) is kept properly in it's plastic case in the camera bag (bcoz i dont wanna scratch it).

In order to get the jogger and fish shot - that's assuming my camera is already up and ready to shoot with the right lens mounted (and i shoot primes) - i need to reach inside the bag, take out the polariser in its case, unscrew the UV filter, screw in the polariser, put the UV filter back into the PL's casing, keep the casing, pick up my camera again, position myself for the right angle to use the polariser, slowly turn the polariser to the desired effect - and then shoot. i'd likely have to wait for the next jogger and fish to appear (at the same time) without moving from my position.

It's also not a good idea to keep the polariser on the camera all the time bcoz it makes the viewfinder really dark (about 1-3 stops i think), and for general photography you can't judge sharpness with your eye when it's that dark.

So i'd have to reverse the whole process of putting the UV back on, unless i'm really hot about the man n fish picture. So you see, using a polariser can be a real pain, and thus not recommended for weddings and sports, unless you have a lot of time to set up a shot.


Maybe they should build a PL that clips on - like the way lens cap does. That would be a lot easier to use.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind, when I came up with the thread. Along those lines then, what if (and I won't go so far as to say it was a once-in-a-lifetime photo op) a really good opportunity arose and obviously no one would want to go through the whole rigmarole of rigging the CP. Is there anything else I could do to simulate - maybe not to the entire extent - a similar effect?

POF