bruce freed

Suggestions, please, on good warming polarizer filters. I've seen prices range from about $20 for a set from Polaroid to over $200 at B&H photo. I want a good warming polarizer but don't want to spend a fortune.

Bruce

bruce freed

drmike99 Loc: Fairfield Connecticut

What is a “warming” polarizer? What is a “set” of polarizers?

fetzler Loc: North West PA

Why you want a warming polarizer for digital photography? Use a normal polarizer and adjust the color temperature during exposure or post processing. Super easy with raw file.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I have a couple from Singh Ray and I'm very happy with them ( but they are on the upper side of your range)!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

I agree. If you use a warming filter, then you are stuck with the amount of warming you get. Doing it in post you can vary the amount of warming, or even warm just the skin tones if you want.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Bill_de Loc: US

Moose's Filter is a warming polarizer made by Hoya for Moose Peterson. Years ago I had them on several lenses.

As already mentioned, unless you are using film there isn't much need for the warming feature.

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Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Unless you shoot raw, then you can assign any value to color and white balance, despite having used a warming filter.

It's probably cheaper to use a ColorChecker Passport and use the warming tiles to dial in the right amount of warmth.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I assume you are using a digital camera.

If you use auto white balance, it will cancel out any warming effect of the filter.

If you use a custom white balance, it will cancel out any warming effect of the filter, too... OR, if you use a Warm Card or similar to bias the WB, you can get the same effect with any filter... doesn't need to be a "warming" type of polarizer. https://www.vortexmediastore.com/pages/warmcards-white-balance-system

If you use any of the WB presets, the filter will have some effect, but those presets are just rough guesses... at best... anyway.

If you shoot RAW... the software you use will "honor" the color temp and tint the camera generated with whatever white balance and/or filter was used, but it's completely changeable if you wish.

While they were useful with film, IMO "warming" polarizers are a waste of money with digital.

The best bang for your buck are B+W XS-Pro or F-Pro Circular Polarizers (which aren't warming type). They are top quality for the price of other brand mid-grade C-Pols. Both B+W series use German Schott glass in brass frames, with fine "Kaesemann" foils, and with edge sealing for weather resistance. Both also are "High Transmissive" type, which are somewhat lighter and don't "cost" as much light lost to the filter, allowing approx. 1/2 to 1 stop more light to pass through than a "standard" CPL does. The F-Pro are standard frames (still pretty slim), and have 8-layer MRC multi-coatings. The slightly more expensive XS-Pro use slim frames that might be needed on ultrawide lenses and have 16-layer "Nano MRC" multi-coatings that are a bit more oil, dust and scratch resistant, and are easier to clean. In 77mm size, for example, compare the cost of the B+W with a couple other brands that have pretty much identical materials and specifications:

77mm B+W F-Pro Kaesemann MRC CPL............... $89.85.
77mm B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann MRC Nanon CPL... $95.50.
77mm Breakthrough Photography X4 C-Pol......... $149.00.
77mm Heliopan SH-PMC C-Pol........................... $146.29.
77mm Heliopan Slim SH-PMC C-Pol.................... $220.79.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

No, not really. This may have been true with slide film, but not with digital. One can always make adjustments to the warming with the color temperature slider during editing.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Warming polarizers were more useful in film days. It's better to add warmth in post now. The polarizing function in a filter is irreplaceable though even with digital. BTW, Those filter prices seem exorbitant for what they do.