A polarized question

[shadowfox]

Hi All, my name is Will and I've sunk even deeper into the RFF pool...

Yes, it's inevitable, lately I've been more drawn to MF photography because of two reasons:

1. medium format results are sooooo AWESOME !!!! there's no other words for it
2. the budget (yeah, right!) I have for a Leica closely resembles that for a decent MF RF camera

soooo, that being said, I have a sticky issue that may have a great impact on my considerations:

Have you guys used a Polarizer on an MF RF? Can you?

Why? because polarizing filters are the only filter effect that cannot be duplicated digitally (yes, I've looked around and the posers are not even close).

Why no.2? because if I'm going to get an MF RF, I'm taking it to scenic places, which usually involves big blue sky or shimmering expanses of water, which will not be often in my life, so I want the best results.

Any tips, experiences, suggestions? (except telling me to get an MF SLR, please :bang🙂

 

[erikhaugsby]

If you want a polarizer on any RF, Kenko's RF Polarizer is the one to get.
http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/accessories.htm#LabelKRP

 

[Chaser]

You might check out this solution.


http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/accessories.htm#LabelKRP

 

[Bryce]

Short of buying the fancy model mentioned above, you can use any old polarizer on an RF camera. The trouble is that you don't get a preview without looking through the polarizer itself.
The old fashioned way is to put marks around the rim of the filter like you see on the Kenko model. Then remove the filter and hold it in front of the viewfinder, rotating it until you get the effect you like. Then attach it to the lens, rotate it the same as you had in front of the viewfinder and shoot.
Better is to have two handy that are marked the same so you can avoid taking the filter on and off of the lens.
Not all that convenient, really.

 

[shadowfox]

Not convenient, but I think it beats lugging a heavy MF SLR along 🙂

I was thinking that I can use two identical polarizers, the one with a handle sticking out (a'la magnifying glasses) which makes it easy to mark them uniformly. So later it can be used as Bryce have described.

Thanks, guys! this is not so bad after all.

 

[Tarzak]

I hold a polarizer up (on its own) and rotate it until I get the effect that I want and then hold it over then lens, trying to maintain the orientation by eye.

I use a polarizer that is much larger than the lens so my stumpy fingers have less chance of getting in the photo.

When doing this I am either using a tripod or a TLR dangling from my neck. Probably need a third hand if you're using a Rangefinder hand held.

 

[nikon_sam]

Short of buying the fancy model mentioned above, you can use any old polarizer on an RF camera. The trouble is that you don't get a preview without looking through the polarizer itself.
The old fashioned way is to put marks around the rim of the filter like you see on the Kenko model. Then remove the filter and hold it in front of the viewfinder, rotating it until you get the effect you like. Then attach it to the lens, rotate it the same as you had in front of the viewfinder and shoot.
Better is to have two handy that are marked the same so you can avoid taking the filter on and off of the lens.
Not all that convenient, really.

This is all good...but you don't have to hold it in front of the viewfinder, just look through it...like this---> 😉

 

[Bryce]

Sam-
I'm good at overcomplicating the simplest things....
Wonder how I could market that skill?

 

[nikon_sam]

Sam-
I'm good at overcomplicating the simplest things....
Wonder how I could market that skill?

Bryce,
You're too late...Politicians cornered that market years ago...:bang:

 

[shadowfox]

I'm using a Heliopan pol filter with 67mm diameter for my 6x9 RFs. It works like a charm - if you have enough time to analyse the scene.

I'm considering to invest into a smaller one (42mm) with the same marks on the outer ring - the smaller ones are a lot cheaper and should be sufficient to evaluate the rotation setting.

B+W sells complete sets of 2 pol filters - a large and a small one with marks on it - for the Contax G models for some 140 Euros. Maybe they have as well other size combinations that fit your lens?

Your avatar... aargh, you have a 690III... I'm jealous!!! 😡