# My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cicala



## Canon Rumors Guy (Sep 16, 2017)

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Roger over at Lensrentals.com has written a nice piece about circular polarizers.</p>
<p><em>My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cicala</em></p>
<p>So, a while back I wrote <a href="https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/06/the-comprehensive-ranking-of-the-major-uv-filters-on-the-market/">a not quite complete article on UV filters</a>. To do that, I had to buy new testing equipment and learn to test filters. This was not what I wanted to do when I grew up. But somebody has to do it, and I did get to buy new toys.</p>
<p>More importantly, Tyler (Who handles the purchasing) asked me why, many years ago, I chose the <a href="http://www.pntra.com/t/TUJGRktHSkJGRk5HSklCRkpOSkVN?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lensrentals.com%2Fsearch%3Ffilters%3D%257B%2522checked%2522%253A%257B%2522Item%2BType%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Accessory%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%252C%2522Accessory%2BType%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Filter%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%252C%2522Filter%2BStyle%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Circular%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%252C%2522Filter%2BType%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Polarizing%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%257D%252C%2522range_for_range%2522%253A%257B%257D%252C%2522range_for_value%2522%253A%257B%257D%257D%26reload_filters%3Dtrue%26q%3D%26sort_by%3Dpopularity">Circular Polarizing filters</a> that Lensrentals stocked. A better person than me would have confessed that I’ve never known the first thing about Circular Polarizers; that I just bought the most expensive to be our ‘best’ and the cheapest to be our ‘basic.’ But instead, I just said, “Well, we should do some scientific-type testing and a more thorough evaluation now.”</p>
<p>Like a metaphor for my life, the results ended up being the opposite of what I expected. I thought if we found tons of differences testing simple clear and UV filters, there would be many more differences in more complex polarizing filters. So today, instead of showing you amazing differences between the various brands, I’ll just save you some money on your next CP filter purchase. That should work out for both of us: you save money, I get a shorter blog post.</p>
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<p>I should mention our methodology has improved somewhat since we did our first filter article. I used a red laser to measure transmission then, and several people made the very reasonable suggestion that a green laser might be a better choice, being in the middle of the spectrum and all. Other people said I should get a spectrometer and measure the entire spectrum. So I did both of those things.</p>
<p>This should give you some hints about me as a person. If someone asks me to test a lens at a different aperture, I have a screaming fit about testing taking up a few hours of my time. Someone suggests I spend $15,000 on new equipment, and I’m like, “Yeah, great idea, that would be cool to have.”</p>

<p>Finally, I had no intention of testing every polarizing filter on the market. I did what I usually do; bought the ones B&H Photo had in stock in 77mm size. So we’re going to compare, in no particular order, except alphabetical, with the current price for a 77mm:</p>
<ul>
<li>B&W XS-Pro High-Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC-Nano         $102</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pntra.com/t/TUJGRktHSkJGRk5HSklCRkpOSkVN?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lensrentals.com%2Fsearch%3Ffilters%3D%257B%2522checked%2522%253A%257B%2522Brand%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Heliopan%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%252C%2522Item%2BType%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Accessory%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%252C%2522Filter%2BType%2522%253A%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522string_values%2522%252C%2522selected%2522%253A%255B%257B%2522id%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522values%2522%253A%255B%2522Polarizing%2522%255D%257D%255D%257D%257D%252C%2522range_for_range%2522%253A%257B%257D%252C%2522range_for_value%2522%253A%257B%257D%257D%26reload_filters%3Dtrue%26q%3DHeliopan%2BCircular%2BPolarizer%2B%26sort_by%3Dpopularity">Heliopan Circular Polarizer</a>                                                                          $200</li>
<li>Marumi EXUS Circular Polarizer Filter                                                     $140</li>
<li>Sigma Water Repellent Circular Polarizing Filter                                   $150</li>
<li>Tiffen Ultra Pol Circular Polarizing Filter                                                 $103</li>
<li>Zeiss T* Circular Polarizing Filter                                                               $180</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>So, About the Polarizing Part</strong></p>
<p>If you’re thinking about buying a circular polarizing filter, you probably want to know which ones polarize the best and which ones the worst, right? I know I did. Now we could have just gone outside and taken pictures in the bright sun and said this one’s good and that one’s bad. But we never do anything simple when we can complicate the crap out of it.</p>
<p>So what we did was take our laser transmission set up and modified it a bit. Primarily, this shines a laser into a power meter and gets a reading. Then we can stick mostly transparent stuff in the beam and see how much it reduces the power reaching the meter. Excellent lasers are almost entirely polarized, but I have a budget, and that budget didn’t include (much to my sorrow) $10,000 for the lab-grade, steel-melting laser I wanted. I got a little 5-<em>m</em>watt green (530 nm) diode laser.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.pjtra.com/t/TUJGRktHSkJGRk5HSklCRkpOSkVN?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lensrentals.com%2Fblog%2F2017%2F09%2Fmy-not-nearly-complete-but-rather-entertaining-circular-polarizer-filter-article%2F">Read the rest of the article at Lensrentals.com</a></strong></p>
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## Jack Douglas (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

Very much appreciated.

Jack


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## eli452 (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*



Jack Douglas said:


> Very much appreciated.
> 
> Jack


NOT AT ALL! The guy just ruined all the golden rules of GAS buyers on the forum! Buy brand name and buy expensive gear, It's the only way for a good photo!


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## BeenThere (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

Very entertaining and informative read from someone who has a serious bent toward geekiness. 
I'll admit to some of those same tendencies.


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## AlanF (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

I buy Marumi as a rule. They are understated, on the less expensive side and whatever they do is close to the best.


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## Click (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

Craig, thank you for sharing, and thanks to Roger for his excellent work.


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## Chaitanya (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*



AlanF said:


> I buy Marumi as a rule. They are understated, on the less expensive side and whatever they do is close to the best.


Marumi's aren't particularly easy to procure and atleast the one used for the article is quite a bit expensive.


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## GammyKnee (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

Interesting stuff! 

But unless I missed it, Roger's article didn't directly address things like flare resistance & CA, ease of cleaning, mechanical characteristics (grip for easy removal, easy of turning etc) so there's still room for thinking that more expensive is automatically better


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 16, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

I expected him to compare the $100 plus filters with something like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Circular-Polarizer-Lens-77/dp/B00XNMYJKO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1505601852&sr=8-4&keywords=77mm+polarizing+filter

If it works, then there would be some real money saving. It goes for $15.99


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## SecureGSM (Sep 17, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

I bought Marumi CPL in 82mm size 2 years ago slightly used for A$20.00 to replace my HOYA CPL 
the outcomes: Marumi lets about 1/2 stop of light more into the lens and causes evidently less colour cast.





AlanF said:


> I buy Marumi as a rule. They are understated, on the less expensive side and whatever they do is close to the best.


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## midluk (Sep 18, 2017)

*Re: My Not Nearly Complete, But Rather Entertaining, Circular Polarizer Filter Article by Roger Cica*

Too bad they didn't test for the "Circular" in CPL. We now know that all filters do a good job selecting only one polarity at the input. But it would also be interesting to see how much residual linear polarization the output has. The output of a CPL should be circular polarized but not linearly polarized.
So they should put a linear polarizing filter behind the tested CPL and see if there is any change in total transmission between different orientations of the linear polarizer.


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