How to use a polarizer / CPL with the M11

[Alexander108]

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I have used CPLs for many years. First with my Canon 5D IV, then R, R5. A few days ago I did some photography during a walk with my new M11. Nice sunshine and moisture where the CPL should be perfect for saturated colors.

However, I found it incredible difficult so see the effect in the Visoflex 2 or the Live view. I turned and turned and not much changed on the EVF.  The only way to get a hint that polarizing works was that exposure went a bit down. This was about Autumn Leaves (not Keith Jarrett).

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M11, Summicron 50mm, just a test sample when I got the new M11. 

BTW I am fully aware that CPL only works with the sun at an (ideal) 90° angle.

If you are using a CPL on a regular basis in nature or elsewhere, how do you properly judge the effect? Or is it as hard for you with the Visoflex 2 / Live view as I experience it?

Thank you!

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[Kiwimac]

There’s a special Leica adapter that allows you to set the effect using the rangefinder and then swing it down to be in front of the lens. 
 

It’s expensive though. The part number is 13356 I think. 

[250swb]

If you don't have the Leica adapter make some registration marks (scratches, paint, etc.) around the edge of the filter, look through it and rotate until you get the effect you want, note the mark nearest top dead centre, screw the filter on the lens and set the same mark top dead centre. It doesn't take too long once you get used to it. You also get magnetic filters which speeds things up. 

Edited Saturday at 09:45 AM by 250swb

[fenykepesz]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Alexander108:

If you are using a CPL on a regular basis in nature or elsewhere, how do you properly judge the effect? Or is it as hard for you with the Visoflex 2 / Live view as I experience it?

i used on my non-SLR film cameras circular polarizer filters (CPL) by Heliopan of various sizes that had marks on them, just as @250swb suggests.  i first held the filter in front of my eye, looked for the best polarization angle, then screwed it onto the camera lens and set again the angle i determined before.  it's a bit cumbersome. an CPL adapter as @Kiwimac suggests, would help to speed things up of course. 

today, as i use an m11d, the CPL procedures would be just the same as on analog film cameras.

Edited Saturday at 11:54 AM by fenykepesz

[Alexander108]

Thank you all. This is almost embarrassing. So simple. And I do have a magnetic CPL that makes matters so easy. 

Well, thank you for your eye-opening comments.

[jaapv]

https://www.leicastoreamsterdam.nl/leica-universal-polarizing-filter-m.html

[FlashGordonPhotography]

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1. You don’t need.a CPL. A linear polariser works just as well and can usually have a stronger polarising effect. CPL’s are only required for AF cameras that have mirror boxes.

2. You can set a CPL to be used with no need to look through it. The maximum polarising effect is always at the same orientation to the sun. To set up take your filter out on a bright sunny day and face 90 degrees to the suns path across the sky. Look through the filter and rotate to maximum polarisation. Mark the filter ring at the point where the ring faces (points to) the sun (not straight up). Now in any conditions if you point that mark at the sun then you have maximum polarisation available. 90 degrees is no polarisation. You can guess the rest after a while.

Polarising filters used to have these marks but since DSLRs they’ve dropped them to save a penny.

Gordon

[Alexander108]

vor 10 Stunden schrieb FlashGordonPhotography:

1. You don’t need.a CPL. A linear polariser works just as well and can usually have a stronger polarising effect. CPL’s are only required for AF cameras that have mirror boxes.

The only caveat is that it is very difficult to find a reasonably priced linear polarizer. If you look at the stores they are almost all CPL. The CPL is the rule and not the exception, I'd say.

But I fully agree with the rest. Thank you for that.