Filters CPL for RF100-300

[David Stallard]

After a real 'rookie error' at the last race meeting where I didn't factor in the sun position I ended up with a lot of shots with the windscreen's blown out completely - after 16 years I have taken the plunge and bought a CPL filter for the RF100-300 - a 112mm monster . . . . still not sure how or if it will work as expected but time will tell - no racing for a couple of weeks.

So question for the guys that do use a CPL. . . . .do they work and what should I be prepared for? guessing I need to add a few stops?

 

[MikeZ]

David, polarizers work well but must be oriented 90 degrees to the sun for maximum effectiveness, meaning that the sun must be on your left or right-hand side. With the sun behind or in front of you there will be little effect, regarding glare, from the polarizer. Nevertheless, most photographs taken outdoors will benefit from a polarizer as colors seem to pop and contrast seems heightened. As far as exposure, most polarizers at their max polarization add about 2 stops to the exposure. Fortunately, in-camera light meters automatically account for the light loss, so whatever your camera suggests for an exposure will be correct.

I'm sure that there are smarter minds than mine on this board, so perhaps a better explanation is on the way.

 

[Only RF]

Personally I've never used them with my telephoto lenses. The CPL should tell you how many stops you need to add. If you are blowing out shots without using a CPL, Exposure Simulation will show what things will look like when viewing using the EVF or LCD. I also have the histogram running in the upper right hand corner.

 

[David Stallard]

Tried one on my 24-70 and can see what it does - did the water reflection test at the estuary. One thing I have noticed with the 100-300 though. . . will have to remove the lens hood to adjust it as no 'opening' on the hood. . . . I can see me never using the CPL on this lens, just moving position (as I have done for the last 16 years lol) bit of a waste of £160 but lesson learned I guess - uhuh ;-)

 

[David Stallard]

Tried it at the track on Saturday on the 100-300, fiddly as have to remove lens hood to orientate it - did work for the most part but not sure I would use it a lot (after 16 years without using one it's tricky to change lol)
Did show a bit of weirdness on some of the 'race glass' - kinda petrol sheen if you know what I mean

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But others were fine - guess that's a trade off for using the polariser huh!

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[ShipleyNW]

This is an interesting experiment. I've never shot any kind of action with a polarizer, at least on purpose. But I have spent whole summers where the polarizer never came off.

A polarizer only lets in light waves coming from straight in front of you and blocks light waves coming in from an angle, like reflections and haze. Don't listen to me about that part. I don't know how it works. But you can see it when you twist the filter. If you're shooting static stuff you just dial it in until you get what you're looking for. Make reflections go away, put some contrast in the sky.

But with motorsports, holy moly. You got all kinds of shiny surfaces coming at you from a zillion different angles, moving through the light. I'd be interested in seeing the burst that #11 car came through. See what happens to the glass and the hood and the headlights as it turned from straight at you to perpendicular.

You can probably still dial in a good general-purpose polarizer alignment. Maybe spend the first lap with the hood off and just watch what happens when you twist the filter as the cars come through. Find an alignment that looks pretty good, pop your hood back on and shoot that way while you and the sun are at that end of the track. The thing about polarizers is that the worst that can happen is nothing. A polarizer does its job or it doesn't, but it never hurts, except that it steals some neutral density light.

So play with it. You can be the guy who figured out how and tells us all how to do it, or just uses that knowledge to stand apart in the craft and make some money. Jeez, 112mm? Those don't grow on trees.