M9-Universal Polarizer

[david berry]

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Has anyone had any experience with using the universal polarizer with the M9

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[lars_bergquist]

I have. It works as advertised, but it is big and fiddly, and I sold it. I am using a plain but good quality (B+W Käsemann) linear polarizer, with a mark added on the rotary ring to indicate direction of polarization. Works like a charm and takes upp ittle space in a Billingham Small Hadley bag.

 

Its use is of course predicated on me knowing what the thing does at different orientations. I do.

 

The old man from the Age of the POOLN

[jaapv]

Yes- but the lumpiness depends on the lens it is used on. For instance on a Summilux 50 it looks rather like a normal lens hood. On the Elmar-M 50 extended it looks rather ridiculous. I find it a practical accessory and use it regularly.

[rob_w]

I have it and use it -- but only when I must because it is fiddly as others have said.

 

Interesting though that polarizer effects on things like reflection off leaves, windows, water surfaces cannot be matched in digital PP. At least, not as far as I know. Makes the polarizer still a requirement in the digital age, when so many other types of filter are now redundant.

 

Cheers

 

Robert

[ljj]

If you look at www.leicagoodies.com and go to STEPS, you'll see a way to use a normal circular polarizer, and actually control/see the polarizing effect. It's very expensive, so I had an engineer friend machine a 58-77mm step-up ring to be like the STEPS, and then I have 39-46mm, 46-52mm, 52-55mm, 55-58mm and 43-46mm step-up rings (buy on ebay from China), so almost all my lenses work. The only lens which won't is a CV 15mm with a built in hood. Total cost about £15.

[tdtaylor]

If you look at www.leicagoodies.com and go to STEPS, you'll see a way to use a normal circular polarizer, and actually control/see the polarizing effect. It's very expensive, so I had an engineer friend machine a 58-77mm step-up ring to be like the STEPS, and then I have 39-46mm, 46-52mm, 52-55mm, 55-58mm and 43-46mm step-up rings (buy on ebay from China), so almost all my lenses work. The only lens which won't is a CV 15mm with a built in hood. Total cost about £15.

 

Here's an alternative to Leicagoodies, and a little cheaper and lighter.

 

Accessories from PhotoEquip

[lars_bergquist]

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I do never actually look through the filter. I know exactly what it does at different orientations -- that's really not difficult. This way I can work fast.

 

The old man from the Age of the POOLN

[jaapv]

Here's an alternative to Leicagoodies, and a little cheaper and lighter.

 

Accessories from PhotoEquip

Even cheaper to make it yourself.. Sorry for the grotty shot...

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[andalus]

I bought a B&W pol but would be pleased if someone could tell me how to mut the magical mark on the rotating part step by step so as to use it like the gentleman in earlier post does, without having to look thru filter.

[tdtaylor]

Even cheaper to make it yourself.. Sorry for the grotty shot...

 

Looks good. I often use my 70-200 with an SLR, so using my expensive 77mm polarizer and NDs is appealing. A 46-77 step up is less than $10 dollars. I have a very complete woodworking shop and often work in aluminum, but am not sure how you would make such a regular notch. If I could find out, I would make one 39-77 and one 46-77 and call it a day.

 

Any thought appreciated.

 

edit- seeing the light- drill a hole, and use a router table with a bit with a bushing to trace the mounting ring.

[jaapv]

I just did it freehand.Ten minutes.

[tdtaylor]

I just did it freehand.Ten minutes.

 

Freehand with what? I have my ideas, but I am curious.

 

Thanks

[jaapv]

A Kavo dental technicians' handpiece with a hard-steel bit, but a Dremel would do just as nicely.

[lars_bergquist]

I bought a B&W pol but would be pleased if someone could tell me how to mut the magical mark on the rotating part step by step so as to use it like the gentleman in earlier post does, without having to look thru filter.

All right, here we go again. You must first ascertain the direction of polarization. The easiest way to do that is to observe reflected skylight in a pane of glass (stand at c.25 degrees from the plane of the pane, for best effect). Now rotate the filter until the reflection is at a minimum. If the pane was a vertical windowpane, mark the rotating ring at 9 or 3 o'clock. If horizontal, mark it at 12 or 6 o'clock. Make the mark permanent any way you like (I used an engraving point on a Dremel tool).

 

Now, if you want to extinguish or modify reflexes, again orient the filter so that the mark points at 90 degrees from the reflecting surface. E.g. water: 12 'o clock. The same if you want to intensify colours on foliage: they are contaminated by reflected skylight on mostly horizontal surfaces, so the case is similar to water. Want to darken the sky? Point the mark in the direction of the sun. Experiment a bit when holding the filter, and you will soon understand how the filter works. Then you can just slap it on, orient it right, and off you go.

 

Now the filter does not just absorb polarized light, but much other light too. A pola filter can in fact double as a c. 1.5 x neutral density filter! If you meter the exposure through the filter, the resulting exposure will normally be somewhat over. This will destroy expecially a shot with a darkened sky. Bracket, or set exposure without the filter, then adding some 1 1/3 of a stop.

 

The old man from the Age of Mr. Land