For many landscape and street photographers, a polarizing filter is a must-have accessory for instantly adding contrast. You can use these filters to pop colors into a scene, cut reflections when shooting water, and reduce overall glare in your shot. Polarizing filters also help product photographers reduce reflections and glare on their subjects. These versatile filters are simply a fantastic addition to any camera kit.

What Does a Polarizing Filter Do?

A polarizing filter for your camera lens helps you achieve clear, high-contrast photographs in highly reflective situations. Polarizers reduce glare, enhance color saturation and contrast, and combat reflections caused by light bouncing from water, windows, and other reflective surfaces.

Polarizing filters work by blocking lightwaves that bounce at certain angles. Most polarizing filters feature a rotating element so you can increase or reduce the effect depending on the scene and your personal preferences.

Linear vs Circular Polarizing Filter

Circular polarizers are the best option for digital photography and situations when your camera performs light metering through the lens. Linear polarizers are typically used with older film cameras.

When to Use a Polarizing Filter

You can use a polarizing filter any time you want to reduce glare or reflections with a few key considerations.

Location of the Light Source

Polarizing filters work best when the lighting source is directly overhead. For example, polarizers are very effective in bright, midday sun because the light source is at a 90-degree angle to the horizon.

When the light source isn’t directly overhead, your polarizer can cause an extreme vignette or darkened corner of the frame.

Winter, Water, and Windows

Polarizers are very effective for snowy landscapes, shooting through water, or shooting through windows.

Should I Use a Polarizing Filter for Sunsets?

Polarizing filters bring out the colors at sunset, reduce glare, and increase the contrast of your photos. That said, polarizing filters can cause some strange vignetting effects when the light source isn’t directly overhead. You may need to rotate the polarizer until you’re happy with the results.

Circular vs Linear Polarizing Filters

Polarizers are available in two main formats: circular and linear. Only circular polarizers are compatible with digital cameras. A circular polarizer will allow the camera’s auto-focus and internal metering to function normally, reducing reflections and glare, while Linear polarizers are better suited to manual-focusing film cameras.

Is a UV Filter the Same as a Polarizing Filter?

UV filters and polarizing filters for your camera lens are two entirely different filters with different functions and results. UV filters block ultraviolet light from reaching the camera sensor while polarizing filters reduce glare, block reflections, and increase contrast and color saturation.

Modern digital cameras don’t need UV filters, but they still effectively protect your lens from dings and impacts. You can use polarizing filters and UV filters at the same time, but stacking filters can cause vignetting in your images.

How to Determine the Right Filter Size

To determine what size filter you need for your lens, look for this symbol: ? (ex. 72?). This refers to the size filter in millimeters that your lens requires. Some lenses have the symbol on the bottom of the lens barrel, while others show it on the front element of the lens. You can also invest in a rectangular filter system that works across many different-sized lenses.

Can You Leave a Polarizing Filter on All the Time?

A polarizing filter won’t hurt your camera if you leave it on all the time, but its applications are limited, so it’s usually best to remove the filter between uses. For example, polarizers work best in bright, midday light, so when you’re shooting indoors, you should remove your polarizing filter.

Consider carrying your polarizer in a case or pouch so you can attach it to the lens specifically when you need it for highly reflective situations.

Coatings Count

Many pola filters use high-tech coatings to help cut reflections and improve visual quality, with some coatings repelling dust and fingerprint grease. Traditionally, a single-coated filter is better than a non-coated filter. However, a multi-coated filter is the best option of all, offering the most protection.

Filters Aren’t the Weakest Link in Your Kit

Filters aren’t some mere cost-cutting trick. It’s important to invest in a filter that fits the overall quality of your lenses, especially if you plan to use it often. Browse our collection of filters from top brands like Tiffen, Polar Pro, and Heliopan.