charles brown Loc: Tennesse

I have two options concerning Cir-Pl Filters Option 1: Use my Nikon brand 62mm Cir-Pl filter and buy two step-down rings (62-58mm & 62-52mm) for my other two lenses. Option 2: buy a Cir-Pl filter for each of the two sizes needed, 58mm and 52mm. Of course, Option #1 would be the cheapest, but is it the best? Have also been told and read that I shouldn't use a Cir-Pl filter on the Nikon 10-20mm lens that I have. Anyone disagree? If so, why?

Thanks for the help?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

On wide angle lenses you get funny skies. They will be darker on one side of the image than the other.
Due to the wider field of view and the angle of the light is different on the left and right.
Depending on the camera, 35mm may be the cut-off. 18mm on my zoom yields this effect.
(Looking for an example...)

18mm with CPL

(Download)

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

It is recommended not to us a CPL wider than 24 or panoramic shots -

You will get banding (light dark light) with wide angle lens - which can be ok in some situations - depends on what you are looking for -

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Step-down rings won’t get the job done!

twowindsbear

Also - you don't want step down rings you want step UP rings.
you want to step UP from a 58mm lens mount to a 62mm filter
and for the 52mm lens mount to the 62mm filter.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I purchased one CP for the largest lens I have. I then purchased several adapter rings to allow the use of the CP with lenses of smaller filter sizes.

Right after that, I purchased a lens with a 95mm filter requirement. I'll be waiting awhile before I purchase a CP for that one.
--Bob

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

yep you are right.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

You can use the CPL on your wide angle, but the wider the view the pronounced the effect will be in both saturation and vignetting. Just be prepared to crop heavily.

leftj Loc: Texas

Well that's just silly. Totally worthless response.

Geegee Loc: Peterborough, Ont.

So is it OK to use a CPL on a 10-20mm wide angle lens for glare reduction if no sky is involved?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Then why use a CPL on a wide angle???

leftj Loc: Texas

That's a question you need to answer for yourself.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

OF COURSE it's OK to use a C-Pol on as wide a lens as you like!

Depending on where the sun is located at the time, whether the sky is clear blue or there are some clouds, it may or may not cause a noticeably uneven effect.



And even if it does occur, it's not necessarily a bad thing.



You can see in your viewfinder when the uneven effect is occurring, and decide for yourself whether to take the shot or not.



In fact, I tend to use C-Pol on wide lenses far more than often than on telephotos. That's because I like to use wide lenses for scenic shots and those are the type of photo where I find the filter most useful. I very rarely used telephotos for scenic shots.

I would recommend buying the correct size filter for each lens. If you use a step ring to fit an oversize filter, you very likely won't be able to use the lens hood... and lens hoods are important.

However, maybe you don't need a C-Pol for all your lenses. Or, maybe you can prioritize and first just buy them in the size or sizes where you're most likely to use one... And can wait and buy the less likely to use one later.

In fact, I do have step rings... but I only use them to be able to stack my different size filters for easy storage off my lenses. I don't use them on my lenses at all because I nearly always use a lens hood... ESPECIALLY whenever I'm using a filter (which the hood helps protect from damage and oblique light that can cause flare).

I agree that when shooting multiple shots for a panorama a C-Pol that's causing uneven effects can be a problem and might need to be avoided.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jayd Loc: Central Florida, East coast

Not reading the entire string I would get the filter and use the rings while it may be an issue on a wide lens and the color banding with a CPL its the way to go when you get into neutral density filters and save money they're also