polarizer when & when not to

[kgreen]

hi, i'm trying to understand this filter a little better. i read that it can decrease light, & not to use it on your camera all the time. there are times you would not want the filter on your camera such as low light.. but can dramaticly change the way photo's look if used in the correct situation. so is it a good rule of thumb to be an out door only filter & on sunny days, not overcast or shade? i tried mine out yesterday looking at foliage against a white cloud filled blue sky. i could really see a diffrence. without the filter the clouds seemed to blend into the sky, but with the filter the blue sky & clouds had more defination. it really made the clouds "pop" through the blue sky. i was curious as to what the experts thought. thanks so much!

 

[msummers]

There's a good post on polarizers here:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/polarizers.shtml

 

[photo_chick]

Polarizers block the light rays from reflected and not direct light. They can help you shoot into water, through windows, take shots of people with glasses on and can give you bluer skies (light bounces around off the moisture in the atmosphere) But if you don't have a lot of strong light bouncing back at you they might not help that much. It really depends on what you want to do on when to use them.

 

[alloyd1170]

They also come in handy when visiting an aquarium and you want to get a shot of the life on the other side of the glass.

 

[topdog]

With the filter, I think you have to shoot it 90 degrees from the sunlight direction to achieve the best result.

 

[boBQuincy]

No polarizer

Polarizer

Now then, why *wouldn't* we use one (as long as there is enough light)?

 

[kgreen]

boBQuincy, Thanks so much for the photo's!! being told & then actually seeing it makes it all clear. everything is more defined! I appreciate the photo's thank you!!

 

[manning]

Been awhile since I useed one, but if I remember right you lose about 2 fstops.