View Full Version : Circular or standard polarizer?


Dave Allen
July 19th, 2014, 11:07 PM
Ira Tiffen mentioned that it is the camera and sensor that determines whether one needs a circular polarizing filter which is more expensive and required rotational adjustment, or a standard one will work.

I can confirm a circular polarizer works fine when adjusted to maximum effectiveness.

Can anyone confirm a regular polarizing filter works really well on their FS700?

Tim Kolb
July 20th, 2014, 03:41 PM
All polarizers require rotational adjustment to optimize the effect...

A circular polarizer is appropriate for a three chip camera, a normal polarizer should work for a single chip.

Charles Papert
July 21st, 2014, 05:29 AM
There's a certain amount of confusion as to the definition of "circular polarizer" out there. It involves a linear (aka "standard") pola that has an additional layer that further polarizes the light circularly. Both a linear or a circular pola can be round or rectangular or square or whatever. And as Tim noted, all will require physical rotation to cycle through the desired effect.

Dave--apologies if you were already aware of this; consider this information aimed at other readers who may be unclear.

Tim Kolb
July 21st, 2014, 06:49 AM
I was a little lazy on my initial reply...Charles filled in with

The deal with a three chip camera is that the "prism"/mirror system that routes the wavelengths to the appropriate sensors acts as a 'redundant polarizer' (completely knocking out certain wavelengths-colors) depending on the rotation unless some additional rotation is introduced...hence the term "circular".

A camera without a mirror system with a single sensor should be fine with a standard polarizer...but a circular polarizer should work in either case as far as I know.