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To polarize or not to polarize 70-200 4L


goldwyn_t

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Hi guys,

 

Please bare with me on this (yet another) lens purchasing question.

I've finally saved enough money to get a 70-200 4L zoom. =) Would

you recommend a cir-polarizer for it? i really would like to know if

your experiences with this lens have convinced you to a)use a

polarizer regardless or b)UV protector or c)just count on the front

element. Which polarizer/UV protector would you recommend?

 

I have always counted on a cir-polarizer for my 50mm prime, and have

often made indoor flash photos with it (gasp).

 

Thanks for your comments

Goldwyn

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Goldwyn,

 

WHY ? Don't think about leaving a polarizer on any lens all the time. You are

loseing 1 to 2 stops of light. I do use UV filters for protection (Lots of people

will say the hood is fine, in my experiance it is not).

 

Take care, and take that polarizer off the 50, Scott.

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Hello,

 

I have been using this lens a lot. It is absolutely great.

 

Polarizer filters are for some very specific situation (remove reflection from windows or enhance the blue sky) but I have to say I never use mine. First of all because I find that it gives an artificial look to the images (personal taste!) and then because it takes one to two stops in light and that is a lot.

 

On your 70-200 f4L, just invest on a nice UV filter that you will screw on once and for all. This will give your front element a good protection and it will not affect the quality of your pictures.

 

You can have a polarizer but it will be more often in you camera bag than on you lens.

 

As for recommending a brand for UV filter, I usually go with the Hoya HMC (there are several types of quality, better to take a Multy Coated one to prevent flare). I am sure the other brands such as BW or Helopian have very good products too.

 

Happy Shooting!

Steph-

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I will have to take the other side on this one. I can't agree with any of the posters except Jon (and Stephane, on the recommendation of brands).

 

I find, at least to my eyes, that there are very few natural light scenes that cannot be improved....if even just slightly, with the use of a polarizer. Far from just deepening a blue sky or removing reflections from water, a polarizer also saturates color and improves contrast by removing the least bit of shine off foliage and rocks, even when there is no sky or water in the picture.

 

It takes more time and care, and requires the use of a tripod (at least with slower films), but I use a polarizer wherever possible...even with macro shots.

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Hey thanks guys for the responses. I think it's gonna be a good UV filter for me. None of the color correcting ones though... just a good coated clear UV.

 

The polarizer on the 50? haha. it's been on there for at least 100 shots now. Yeah i loose about 1-2 stops of light, but with the 50 1.4 i can open up to 1.8 and it's still fine indoors lol.

 

Thanks again guys.

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Hi Goldwyn,

 

Your final comment explains it. You stop down to 1.8 from 1.4 not open up,

and your 1.4 becomes a 2.8 letting in one quater of the light your 1.4 would

without your polarizer. Enabeling you to use 100 speed film instead of 400 or

1/60 sec instead of 1/15 etc etc.

 

To Sandy, whilst I agree to each his own but there is no way a ND filter is

appropriate 100% of the time.

 

Take care, Scott.

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