Lens filters are a fantastic accessory for any photographer who wishes to add an extra dimension to their shots. Each have a plethora of different uses and can produce a variety of different effects depending on the type. Indeed, in the past I have used many filters from different brands whether to protect my lens, cut out flare or to produce various creative effects. Manfrotto have recently released their own line of filters including a Circular Polarizing (CP) filters. These come in a variety of different aperture sizes and are all standard screw on filters designed to fit mainstream lenses.

I was excited to test these on assignment in Yosemite National Park, California; an area where a combination of fantastic light and dramatic vistas makes landscape photography a dream. In this article, I want to share some of my experiences and also explain a little about what exactly a CP filter does and how it can be used to help you create better images.
All of the Manfrotto Circular Polarizing filters come with neat and easily accessible plastic carrying cases to keep them safe and more importantly, dust and scratch free. One things that could have been done for improvement was for the cases to be marked with the size of each filter in case you are carrying more than one at a time. However, I easily fixed this by just jotting down the size of each filter with a Black Sharpie on each plastic case to avoid any confusion.

The filters easily screwed onto my 24-70mm, 70-200mm and 50mm Nikon lenses respectively with no problems. They were nice and tight and easy to interchange if needed. I have had problems with some filters in the past; they can often fall off when maneuvering the camera around either handheld or on a tripod and subsequently damage or at worse smash. However, this didn’t seem to be the case with the Manfrotto filters which, fitted snugly onto each of my lenses by simply screwing them onto the front element.
So what does a Circular Polarizer do? If you are not aware, these filters help add more ‘pop’ to your images making colours appear more bold and vibrant. This is primarily because they block certain light waves reaching the lens the filter cuts out unwanted reflections and glare and changes the way that your camera sees lights. Subsequently, natural colours show through with a greater depth and vivacity resulting in more striking and powerful images (see example photos).

This difference with regards to boldness in colour is also exemplified in the two photographs below of the cliff face of El Capitan – one with and one without the filter. It is clear how the sky has turned from a pale blue to a more deep and vibrant hue and also how the filter has cut out reflections meaning the green foliage appears more vibrant.
The two photographs are taken at slightly different shutter speeds, as you do have to always remember that a polarizing filter does change the exposure needed for a shot. Every time the filter is placed over the lens, it is comparable to placing a pair of sunglasses in front of our lens and thus makes the photo appear darker. Therefore, less light gets to the sensor. For this reason, I usually had to adjust between one or two stops to account for putting the filter on. For these two shots, I could change my shutter speed as I had my camera firmly fixed on a tripod. However, I could have alternatively have pushed my ISO up to achieve the same similar exposure once the filter was screwed on if I did not have a tripod to hand or if there were more moving subjects in the image.

Both these photographs were taken with a Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 lens. The photograph on the left is taken without the Circular Polarizing filter and the photograph on the right is with the filter added. The difference is clearly evident

I took countless test shots around Yosemite throughout its vast mountains and sweeping valleys both with and without the filter to really assess the difference that the filter can make. When looking at them retrospectively, it became more and more apparent how by simply screwing this small, lightweight filter onto your lens, you can add a whole extra dimension to your shots and really make them jump of the page; it almost felt like cheating when looking at the richness and deepness in colour that the filter added and the improved image quality that I was getting. This is especially noticeable on bright, sunny days where reflections are everywhere and often unwanted; the CP filter does a great job of removing these and in the process making everything appear far richer. Using the filter also saved me enormous amounts of time in post-production and meant that tweaks that I would usually have to make on the computer could now be easily achieved in camera. I am a firm believer in trying to get as much right in camera rather than relying on software, although it does obviously have its uses in contemporary photography and for particular projects and this filter proved to be a real time saver which is really helpful with my digital workflow.
A circularizing polarizing filter also helps to darken skies (not to be confused with a Neutral Density (ND) filter) as it helps the richness of the blues come out in the skies. This allows white clouds to pop in contrast to the darker sky; this can also be useful at sunsets if you don’t have a ND filter to hand. However, Manfrotto do also now stock a very good selection of these as well if you want to try them. However, I will leave the explanation of their benefits for a future article.

These Two Photos Taken from the amazing scenic outlook of Tunnel View looking down into the Yosemite Valley clearly shows how adding a CP filter can efficiently and effortlessly darken a blue sky.

Further, one of the other very handy features of a Circular Polarizing filter is its ability to suppress glare when taking shots of water whether it be a calm stream, placid lake or raging sea. This is especially poignant in the presence of bright sunlight that can cause glare and unwanted reflections; we do not always have the luxury of shooting at golden hour or when the sun is at a lower, more desirable angle. For example, in this shot taken in the Yosemite Valley in the middle of the day you can see how using the filter has all but eliminated the glare from the river and allowed the water to take on more of a translucent, crystal clear appearance whilst allowing other colours in the photograph to show through with greater saturation.

The CP filter also meant I could use a slightly slower shutter speed when shooting. As the filter reduces the amount of light getting to the sensor, utilizing a a slower shutter speed meant I had the flexibility to shoot a couple of stops darker than without it being screwed on. The result can be seen in this picture where the water looks calm and smooth. A tripod is essential to achieve such a shot because of the longer shutter speed needed.

Lastly, an added benefit of a Circular Polarizing filter (like any filter) is it provides your lens with an extra layer of protection should for some reason you drop your camera out of your hand or off a tripod; it is far better to scratch, damage or even smash a filter than your expensive glass behind it!!
Therefore, overall I was extremely satisfied with these CP filters and now carry them in a small side compartment of my camera bag on all shoots just in case I need them (which has been frequent!!). Indeed, if your someone who likes your images to be big, bold and colourful then I would definitely recommend exploring the option of using these often neglected but extremely useful filters.