Polarising filter

[PeterD]

Can anyone suggest a good filter to fit the Bigma (86mm dia)? If anyone already uses one on the Bigma, any advice on how to access the filter to rotate it with the lens hood would also be of help. For instance, do I modify the existing hood or buy another?

Thanks

Peter

[Joe stockwell]

sigma will be the best place to get one for the bigma, i think they make one specificaly

joe

[PeterD]

sigma will be the best place to get one for the bigma, i think they make one specificaly

joe

Thanks for the reply Joe. I have got theirs pencilled in but there are a number of others available which are cheaper or more expensive. At the end of the day, you are probably right but I have never used this type of filter and do not want to throw money at a particular filter and later regret it. User comments are probably my best guide and therefore appreciate all comments on this thread.

Peter

[Colin Key]

Peter,

Why do you want to use this sort of filter?

Colin

[PeterD]

Peter,

Why do you want to use this sort of filter?

Colin

Colin, I have been experimenting shooting images with as wide a range of lightness levels as I can. This was the motive for the Cormorant and Little Egret image.
http://surfbirds.com/albums/data/500/medium/Comorants_and_Little_Egret-125108.jpg (http://surfbirds.com/albums/showphoto.php?photo=7103&size=big&cat=&sort=1&ppuser=1130)

This was taken in full sun. The problem is the reflections from the Little Egret cut down the amount of detail. I am hoping that a polarising filter would reduce this. I also take a number of images over the sea and, at time, find there are too many reflections from the water which tend to cause distractions and end up in the bin.

Peter

[Colin Key]

This was taken in full sun. The problem is the reflections from the Little Egret cut down the amount of detail. I am hoping that a polarising filter would reduce this.

Peter

I think that experimenting with varying degrees of under-exposure might be more productive. That would prevent "blowing" the highlights (and hence losing detail) in the egret. You could then selectively "lift" detail from the under-exposed Cormorants using "levels" or something similar.

I have strong views on using any sort of filters: unless you are looking for "special effects" (which is rare or never in bird photography) then filters are a waste of time and simply degrade image quality.

Colin

[PeterD]

I think that experimenting with varying degrees of under-exposure might be more productive. That would prevent "blowing" the highlights (and hence losing detail) in the egret. You could then selectively "lift" detail from the under-exposed Cormorants using "levels" or something similar.

I have strong views on using any sort of filters: unless you are looking for "special effects" (which is rare or never in bird photography) then filters are a waste of time and simply degrade image quality.

Colin

Thanks for your reply Colin. I would be interested in hearing your strong views. As always, I am open minded and can learn a lot from others. i am not considering the polarising filter lightly as it costs quite a bit for an 86mm dia filter. I certainly do not just want to throw money at my hobby and later regret it. The image in this post was taken with a bias for detail in the Egret. I stopped down the exposure 2/3 and lifted the shadows but ended up in a compromise. The middle cormorant chest detail is just not there and the highlights on the Egret are also missing detail. I just thought that if I cut down relections in the Egret that I might have more scope to lift the Cormorants a little more.

Peter