Leica Circular Polarizer...how to use it...?

Showing my ignorance...

I have acquired a E60 Circular Polarizer for my Noctilux...

I have noticed that I can use it on the lens just on its own or even together with the E60 Uva filter,

screwing the Circular Polarizer on top of the UVa filter and viceversa (UVa filter on top of the Polarizer).

What is your advice on using the Polarizer filter, on its own, with the UVa filter (on it or under it) as well, or

just against using it at all...?

I know it helps in reducing flare and vignetting when in very bright light...is that true or do I need to know

something else as well before using it?

Any comments/help much appreciated, I am going to India soon and I am expecting a lot of sunshine

there...

Thanks

From my experience with polarizers-they can be screwed onto other filters underneath them. The problem is that with rangefinders you can't really see the image with filters on the lens. There are a couple of ways around it but none is very elegant. The best I could think of is to use a larger drilled-out step-up ring and then put filter(s) on it. There is quite a bit of discussion on this in the forum. Do a quick search and you'll find some results.

Try it and see if you have vignetting issues. They will likely be worse wide open.

 

Regarding using a 60mm polarizer to get polarizing effects, you'll have to use another one (an el-cheapo, smaller size) as a guide, holding it up and then matching up the dots on the outside of the two filters.

 

The other two ways typically used on RF's are either a swing-out setup (made by Leica) that swivels the filter in front of the lens/finder to see the effect. It only goes up to 49 or 55mm, I think. Or you can buy something like the "Filterview", which was made by PhotoEquip. It's a step-up ring to a 77mm filter that has slots drilled out to see the polarizing effect through. I don't know whether a 60-77 adapter ring is made. The 60mm size is a real oddball size, in general.

 

Skip

1. Polarizers don't reduce flare of vignetting. In fact, they may introduce flare and vignetting.

 

2. Don't stack filters. Unless you like flare, vignetting and sharpness loss.

 

3. If you don't know what it's for, you probably don't need it. But mainly it's for removing glare and increasing color saturation.