Lens protection when lens cap removed

[nartreb]

First things first: what kind(s) of filter are you thinking of using and why?

 

[Chip]

I'd primarily like to be able to try polarizing and uv filters in the mountains with a decent P&S.

(Edit: Decent P&S, not POS )

 

[nartreb]

What on earth would you use a UV filter for?


I'm not a huge fan of polarizers, but by all means go out and play with one. That kit looks like almost the only practical means of fitting one to your camera. It'll work if you just hold the filter in front of the lens (try not to let light in behind the filter from the side), so if you're hesitating about the kit you can try that first.

 

[Chip]

What on earth would you use a UV filter for?

Well, they basically come with the polarizer filter kits, so it'd be something to try. I don't like the haze you get in mountain pics. I'm not that bright so I tend towards hands on learning.

It'll work if you just hold the filter in front of the lens (try not to let light in behind the filter from the side)...

Good suggestion. I could try that around the yard, but don't think it'd be practical for hiking. I'm a hiker looking to take better photos, not a photographer.

 

[Chip]

for a canon s100 or s95, are these kits standard/normal/advisable if I'm interested in adding a filter ? thanks.

So I spoke to lensmateonline. This kit can be left on the camera when the camera is off and filters can be switched out as needed/wanted. So for about $60 I think this would satisfy my curiosity if I get the s100 (s95 no longer much cheaper).

 

[MichaelJ]

I was taught, and I may be wrong on this, that a polarizer will do little for haze when the sun is high as the light is not polarized sufficiently, that it needs to be early or late in the day when the light is at an angle to the atmosphere that a polarizer will make a difference for haze.

True or apocryphal?

 

[DougPaul]

I was taught, and I may be wrong on this, that a polarizer will do little for haze when the sun is high as the light is not polarized sufficiently, that it needs to be early or late in the day when the light is at an angle to the atmosphere that a polarizer will make a difference for haze.

True or apocryphal?

Scattered light is polarized to a degree which is a function of the angle of scattering--the degree of polarization is maximized at a scattering angle of 90 degrees. (The 3D angle, not just an angle in the 2D horizontal plane.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayleigh_sky_model#Degree_of_polarization This effect can be used to darken the sky. (Polarizers can have other effects than just darkening the sky--eg reducing bright sun reflections as is done by polarizing sunglasses.)

The camera-pointing direction which maximizes the effect depends on the sun angle (and thus the time of day): if the sun is directly overhead then any horizontal direction is best, if the sun is low aiming at 90 degrees to the sun is best. Aiming directly toward or away from the sun will have the least effect.

An easy (and inexpensive) way of evaluating the effect of a polarizer on a scene is to look through a polarizing sunglasses lens and rotate the lens.

FWIW, I've found a polarzier to be be more useful (for darkening the sky in large scenes) out West than in the East.

FWIW 2, polarizers have an uneven effect when used with wide angle lenses (the scattering angle changes too much over the field of view).


Interesting (and hopefully amusing) factoids: A polarizer (sun compass) is used in Arctic/Antarctic navigation to determine the direction of the sun when it is below the horizon. Bees (and presumably some other insects) also use sun polarization to navigate.

Doug

 

[zman]

Lensmate circular polarizer

Chip,

I use the Lensmate circular polarizer on my Canon S90- I find it helps reduce reflected glare/brightness in water scenes, particularly in early AM or late PM light (light is @ right angle to my subject). Sometimes I find it helps reduce bright glare in blue sky shots producing a darker, bluer sky. The adapter mount to the lens is an easy installation and it’s easy to take filters on an off. For me, it’s an inexpensive way to play and learn more about filters and photography

 

[Chip]

Thanks for the help. Apologies to the OP for hyjacking.

I viewed a site like this http://www.tiffen.com/filters.htm?CID=exit&idhbx=tiffen-filters after taking this pic this past weekend (it was MUCH nicer in person);

 

[DougPaul]

I viewed a site like this http://www.tiffen.com/filters.htm?CID=exit&idhbx=tiffen-filters

Here is a similar page from Hoya: http://www.hoyafilter.com/products/hoya/pro1d-04.html

Anything from a manufacturer is likely to mix some marketing in with the info. A couple of other refs that are less likely to suffer from such biases:
* http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/polarizers.shtml
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarizing_filter_(photography)

after taking this pic this past weekend (it was MUCH nicer in person); <pic removed>

It is hard to tell how useful a polarizer would have been from the pic alone--it is much better to try it. (The polarizing sunglasses trick is an easy way to evaluate the effect if you don't have a formal camera filter.) It looks like the sun angle is ~45 degrees (a bit hard to tell from the small pic) which would have limited the effect.

If you get a polarizer for the camera, check to see if you need a circular polarizer. A linear polarizer can interfere the the auto-focus and auto-exposure mechanisms in many modern cameras. Many P&Ses also have a folded optical path (ie use a mirror to bend the path) which could also interact with a linear polarizer.

Doug

 

[Chip]

It is hard to tell how useful a polarizer would have been from the pic alone--it is much better to try it. It looks like the sun angle is ~45 degrees (a bit hard to tell from the small pic) which would have limited the effect.

Doug

You're probably right, it was a pretty shallow angle, less than 45, certainly not 90. I took the following pic and then turned around and took the next one;

 

[DougPaul]

You're probably right, it was a pretty shallow angle, less than 45, certainly not 90. I took the following pic and then turned around and took the next one; <pics snipped>

A pretty dramatic difference... Far more than one would expect from polarization alone.

Mist, haze, clouds, a dirty lens, and/or a low-contrast optical system could be factors in the first pic. It looks like the upper right corner is blown out--perhaps the sun is just out of view and is shining on the lens? (FWIW, I try to shade the lens when it might shine on the lens.)

Doug

 

[Chip]

No settings or lens were changed/cleaned in the the 2 pics above. Literally just turned around and took the 2nd pic. So the sun on the lens blow out is definately a possibility, as is a couple of your other suggestions.

(FWIW, I try to shade the lens when it might shine on the lens.)

Doug

That's a great idea. Never thought about that, but that's why I'm a hit or miss photog !

 

[DougPaul]

No settings or lens were changed/cleaned in the the 2 pics above. Literally just turned around and took the 2nd pic.

That is what I assumed. (However, since you were probably using auto-exposure and auto-focus the aperture and focus could have been different.)

Both the scene and the lighting were very different which may have shown various characteristics of your camera in addition to the explicit differences in scene and lighting.

So the sun on the lens blow out is definately a possibility, as is a couple of your other suggestions.

shade the lens

That's a great idea. Never thought about that, but that's why I'm a hit or miss photog !

Learned that one at my mother's knee... (She was the family photographer and always shaded her lens when needed. It seemed like a worthwhile habit to pic up...)

Doug