Like I'm a 5-year-old, what do I need to know about polarizers?

DavidBeier

DavidBeier

Veteran
Back when I was taking my 16mm film production courses, I was only introduced to polarizers and something you'd use to get rid of reflections on glass, metal, ect. Now hear people telling me that polarizers can greatly help outdoor footage with my HVX (or a DVX).

How exactly do polarizers work? How exactly do they affect the image aside from getting rid of reflections? What kind would be good for the HVX (basic size and specifications)? How would I attatch one to the lense and where is the more detailed information on how to operate them?

Thanks.



Oh, and I know there will be at least a few jokes about how awful my film school was for not teaching me this and what a retard I am for asking so just try to make them funny.
 
A polarizer is quite simple.

It refracts light (glare) from surfaces; glass, leaves, grass, metal, asphalt, clothes, hair ..

Glare is made up billions and billions of light beams bouncing off of these materials; think of a flashlight being shined in a mirror and the beam smacking you in the face ....

The filter bends (refracts) this instance away from you as the light passes though the filter-lens.

You don't operate one you just put the filter on; either through a mattebox (preferable)or a screw on.

I shoot with a polarizing filter for all exterior shots; but remember, a polarizer can be used to 'see-though' car windshields or other glass panes so, sometimes the siutation may not call for one at all.
 
Thanks for the info. How big a deal is it to screw one on without a mattebox (the cheapest matteboxes for the HVX are arond $900 which is too much)? Will it work well with just a plain old HVX? Also can anyone recommend a decent one for under $150? Thanks again.
 
Thanks guys. I appreciate all the help. One last question that just occured to me (really appreciate everyone's patients), I know the polizer will of course cut the light but it's not going to soften the image like an 35mm adapter would is it?
 
John_Hudson said:
You don't operate one you just put the filter on; either through a mattebox (preferable)or a screw on.
Click to expand...

You do operate a polarizer by rotating it, which varies the polarization effect. A polarizer has the maximum effect when you are shooting 90 degrees from the sun.

From the Tiffen literature:
"Area of sky most effectively polarized with a Circular Polarizer:
Point your index finger at the sun. With your thumb extended at a right angle (90°), rotate it around the axis of the index finger. It will point out the band of deepest blue from horizon to horizon."
 
Think of it this way: While color filters select by color (use a red and it removes some or all of the other colors) a polarizer is SELECTIVE for the ANGLE of the light.

A polarizer is often cited for "removing" glare or reflections. But you can also use it to select FOR those glares and reflections.

You want to emphasize that late afternoon blinding sun? Select FOR the glare through the windshield using a polarizer.

Want to eliminate the late afternoon blinding sun? Select AGAINST the glare (so you can see clearly through the windshield) using a polarizer.

Same with deep blue skies: You can select for the rich blue... but you can also select for a hazy washed out sky as well. Depending on the mood you are creating, you may want either.

I think most photographers, myself included, forget that we can also to polarizers for the anti-effect.

Operation is simple: Most polarizers are on rotating mounts. Spin it round til you have the effect you want.
 
Not gonna soften the image nearly as much as a 35mm, probably no one could ever tell.
Lots of people get by with cheapo ones on the DVX, but might be a good idea to spring for a quality brand for HD.

And I'll throw my caveman definition onto the mini-wikipedia we've got going here:
[voice=caveman voice]
Jack turn polarizer - sky get more blue or less blue.
Jack turn polarizer - Jack see through restaurant window to shoot subject, see the fish in shallow water instead of glare on surface, or not see through a window behind my subject if the interior reflection of the room is more intersting (and Jack hide real good) / can see through the window to get nice shallow DOF way down the road through the window behind my subject if that better. Also need one if shooting with car mount through car window.[/end voice]

So ... bluer sky.
And with glass and water you increase or eliminate glare.

I have a polarizer and a UV filter for the stock lens and all of my 35mm lenses, the rest can be done in post.
 
^
When you put it like that, I'm sold. I've tended to avoid color filters with the HVX since the 4:2:2 color space (along with the in camera settings) usually meant I could get the affect i wanted without using them. This however seems like something that would be harder to achieve in post.
 
tnle2 said:
You do operate a polarizer by rotating it, which varies the polarization effect. A polarizer has the maximum effect when you are shooting 90 degrees from the sun.

From the Tiffen literature:
"Area of sky most effectively polarized with a Circular Polarizer:
Point your index finger at the sun. With your thumb extended at a right angle (90°), rotate it around the axis of the index finger. It will point out the band of deepest blue from horizon to horizon."
Click to expand...

Operating ?

Okay!
 
:smiley_uplol, or you can just turn it until it looks right.

DavidBeier said:
^
When you put it like that, I'm sold. I've tended to avoid color filters with the HVX since the 4:2:2 color space (along with the in camera settings) usually meant I could get the affect i wanted without using them. This however seems like something that would be harder to achieve in post.
Click to expand...
yepper
impossible in post because either you have recorded glare or not, or the subject behiind it or not or the sky or not (with the possible exception of the sky being replaceable in post to a certain degree), but this is less about tweaking and more about flipping a switch almost where information set "A" or set "B" is recorded and that's that in post.
 
haha, I guess so!
I heard that's how Tony Scott gets all his stylized looks in camera BTW ... by "operating" the polarizer :grin:
(Nside jk)
 
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Jack Daniel Stanley said:
haha, I guess so!
I heard that's how Tony Scott gets all his stylized looks in camera BTW ... by "operating" the polarizer :grin:
Click to expand...
I think they've got a special guy to do that. After they've done it for a while they can work their way up to focus puller. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
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Blaine said:
I think they've got a special guy to do that. After they've done it for a while they can work their way up to focus puller. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Click to expand...
\\

Totally


FP is like the most absurd credit

FOCK
 
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