Cubanphoto

All of a sudden the glass came of the rings! It is a B+W CPL.
My question is: can the glass be mounted either way or is there a front and back? And if there is how to know?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Do you have a receipt, where you can return for a replacement? Maybe look on the B+W website.

Cubanphoto

It is a couple of years old. I imagine it is past the return date.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I suspect they stand by their products forever. Have a look.

Cubanphoto

Ok. Thanks

ChristianHJensen

I have had a B+W filter do the same - sent it back and they fixed it for free

jcboy3

There is a proper way to mount the glass. Hold it up to a LCD TV or computer screen and rotate it; the screen will go dark or black if the glass is oriented properly. That is the direction the camera should look through the filter.

My B+W filters are held in place with a retaining ring; not sure how it is attached because on some filters I have it screws in but I'm not sure how that ring is locked in on the B+W filter. But you can probably glue/expoxy the glass back in. Just be sure it is oriented properly as determined above.

ChristianHJensen

I don't think it is a good idea for you to give out advice - you clearly have limited knowledge about the subject at hand

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

What?? He actually got it right. By orientation he meant front vs. back. Even if glued to the ring, the twisting orientation doesnt matter because the ring it is attached to will turn. Will a factory repair or replace beat an FIY, of course.

JR69 Loc: Wolverine Michigan

I have a B&W CPL that was a couple of years old with little use and it became very difficult to turn. When ordering a few items from B&H I mentioned it to the guy. He said that it would be only warranted for 2 years. Not knowing where the receipt was, I ordered another.

jcboy3

In what way?

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

OUCH

MrPhotog

Often these are held into the mount with a nearly circular wire. Sometimes one of the ends of these retaining wires will snag on something, and they will pop out. (In many years, that has happened once to me. ) If this is the manner in which your filter was made, if you return the filter and mount to the manufacturer they’ll likely repair it for no charge.

In other cases the filter is glued into the mount or attached in another manner. Again, if you return the parts you have, they’ll likely repair it for no charge, or a small fee.

There is no front or back to a CPL, or most other filters. (diffraction gratings are a notable exception) It works the same in either direction.

With polarising filters there is an up-and-down orientation, which can be changed to a left-to-right orientation by rotating it up to 90 degrees. Keep going to a 180 degree rotation and it is the same as 0 degrees.

Polarizing filters are made in a mount which allows the filter to be rotated in a full circle so that you can match ( or oppose) the orientation of the polarizing material with the orientation of a polarized light source, or a reflection of polarized light.

At one time polarizing filters had a mark indicating the orientation of the filter material. This was marginally useful in trying to set up a lighting arrangement so all the sources were aligned, or when using two polarizers as a variable neutral density filter. If you can’t find such a mark on the rotating bezel, or you have never needed to use it. then the filter can go back in without any concern for orientation. You’ll just rotate it to get the effect you would want.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Anyone who tries this will see the difference. I used an old linear filter but the same thing should happen with a circular filter.

The odd thing is that, if it is facing the wrong way, it does not make the screen go black but it seems to affect the temperature - blue/yellow balance.

That could be an expensive filter. Sending it back to B+W seems like a better solution. It will only cost you a little postage and no super glue.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Mr photog...yes there is a difference front to back. Take one, look through it and see for yourself. This is not true for linear filters.