[Lloyd_Christmas]

Hi,

I love using circular polarizer when shooting in bright conditions.
The colors really pop! Also the sky is nice and dark.

These work best when the sun coming from indirect angle (i.e. not from in front or behind the camera).
I have found shooting wide angle that CPL gives sky that may be half dark, half not so dark.
Perhaps CPL and wide angle shots are not workable unless literally at a right angle to the sun.

Do you guys use CPL on wider angle lenses in a way with better results?

Thanks...

[AstroDave]

Perhaps CPL and wide angle shots are not workable unless literally at a right angle to the sun.

That's about it! Scattered light (what makes the sky blue and adds some overall haziness to many photos) is most polarized when viewed at right angles from the direction of the scattering light source. Since a really wide angle lens has a field of view of more than 90 degrees, the images made with it will cover angles with such orthogonal scattering (the most highy polarized) to angles that are directly toward, or opposite to/away from, the light source - the least polarized.

It's just physics / there's no free lunch!

By the way, CPL has nothing to do with it - any polarization filter will show the same effects.

[jatrax]

Do you guys use CPL on wider angle lenses in a way with better results?

Nope. I once ruined an entire day of shooting inside Crater Lake after hiking down to the water by using a CP on a wide angle lens. Never again. I won't use one on anything shorter than maybe 40mm.

[Roadboat24]

Circular Polarizers can be useful on wide angle lenses as long as the sky is not involved

[biz-engineer]

Circular polarizers work with wide angle lenses in blue skies at the condition to take two exposures: one exposure in the morning and one exposure in the afternoon after the sun has moved from East to West, overlay afternoon exposure on top of morning exposure to get a more uniform blue skies.

[ChristianRock]

I try not to use one when shooting wide, but most of the time I don't shoot ultrawide. I dislike wide angle distortion.

With 20mm or so (APS-C), I find it's not a problem to use it. I recently used one with my DA 21 in bright sun but wasn't very happy with the results but that probably didn't have anything to do with the polarizer - the light just wasn't good.

Polarizers are invaluable. I have one for basically every filter size, though I need a better 58mm now that I'm using my DA 18-50 a lot (and the one I have is a Tiffen - the effect is way too strong, doesn't look natural). I love my B+W Kaesemann on my DA*16-50mm.

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I try not to use one when shooting wide, but most of the time I don't shoot ultrawide. I dislike wide angle distortion.

With 20mm or so (APS-C), I find it's not a problem to use it. I recently used one with my DA 21 in bright sun but wasn't very happy with the results but that probably didn't have anything to do with the polarizer - the light just wasn't good.

Polarizers are invaluable. I have one for basically every filter size, though I need a better 58mm now that I'm using my DA 18-50 a lot (and the one I have is a Tiffen - the effect is way too strong, doesn't look natural). I love my B+W Kaesemann on my DA*16-50mm.

I do like to use CPL sometimes to remove glare from leaves or water too.
Black sky? Well I guess for wider angles what you see is what you get eh?

[Bob 256]

No problems with ultra-wides and polarizers with the sky as long as you shoot at nighttime

Just didn't want to repeat what has been said. You can use wide angles during the daytime with polarizers but you need to be very careful not to include the polarized and non-polarized sections of the sky in a single shot. There are certain angles, depending on the time of the day, in which you can get away with it, but for me personally, it's just too much to worry about so if I have a wide angle lens on and am shooting any scene that includes the sky, no polarizer.(ditto of Roadboat24). Then if I need a darker sky, it can be done in post processing.

[sergysergy]

I do like to use CPL sometimes to remove glare from leaves or water too.

That is how I use them. Not for skies. Too uneven.

[Bruce Clark]

Also beware variable ND filters with wide angle lenses. These things are 2 polarizers and can create a darkened cross with WA lenses.

[Digitalis]

There are some who like the look of polarized skies with lenses wider than 28mm* each to his own. For me it is a very relative and subjective matter, for the most part I think why so many people dislike it is the uneven polarization of the skies draws attention to the fact that a polarizer was used. Polarizers don't always have to be turned up to 11, sometimes you can use them as a 2stop ND to reduce the exposure just enough to blur moving water. As for variable ND filters - IMO best to avoid them altogether due to their compromises.


* on full format that is, or anything wider than 18mm on APS-C. As the fov gets wider, the uneven polarization of the skies become more apparent.

[Fogel70]

I basically stopped using polarizing filters, as it is so easy to overuse the polarizing effect, and because of the above mentioned problem with wide angles.
I tend to prefer to increase saturation of the sky in post processing instead. Where it is easier to have full control of the end result.

[ThorSanchez]

Nope. I once ruined an entire day of shooting inside Crater Lake after hiking down to the water by using a CP on a wide angle lens. Never again. I won't use one on anything shorter than maybe 40mm.

I ruined some shots in Iceland by putting the polarizer on the 15mm LTD. The one here of Stykkisholmur is after much work in post to try to minimize the effect on the sky.

[Sakura]

I ruined some shots in Iceland by putting the polarizer on the 15mm LTD. The one here of Stykkisholmur is after much work in post to try to minimize the effect on the sky.

Make me curious at the original image.

[ThorSanchez]

Make me curious at the original image.

This is minimally processed and the original crop.