Depending on their orientation, polarizing filters or shorter polarizers allow the reduction, elimination or enhancement of light reflections on electrically insulating surfaces. They also make possible intensifying the color of a blue sky and enhancing color saturation in landscape photography (for further information about light polarization as well as design and effect of polarization filters see HR Digital Circular Polarizing Filter).

The Rodenstock Polarizing Filters, designed for analog color and b&w photography, but suitable also for digital photography, are available as linear polarizing filters or as circular polarizing filter.

Linear polarizing filters are the cheaper alternative due to their simple design, which does not mean that these lenses are less effective in terms of reducing or enhancing reflections and intensifying colors. However, their application is only possible with cameras which do not have a polarizing beam splitter in their optical light path, e.g. in front of the AF sensor or the TTL light meter cell. Therefore they cannot be used with most SLR cameras, especially those with auto-focus (see manual!), while they are ideal for the use with analog view finder and adjustable technical cameras.

The Rodenstock Linear Polarizing Filter is available with a standard mount in sizes from 39 mm to 86 mm. It is fitted with a female thread at the front side and a male thread of the same size at the rear. So an additional filter or a lens hood can be fixed.

Circular polarizing filters are provided with an additional optically effective element (quarter-wave plate) behind the polarizing film, which makes the polarization plane behind the filter “rotate”. Thus these more expensive polarizers are suited for all kinds of cameras, even for those fitted with a polarizing beam splitter. Their effect (avoiding or enhancing of reflection, intensification of color saturation) and application area are fully identical to those of linear polarizing filters.

The Rodenstock Circular Polarizing Filter is available with a single-layer coating and a standard mount in sizes from 27 mm to 37 mm as well as with a slimline mount in sizes from 39 mm to 86 mm. The very thin slimline mount, which can be used also with extreme wide-angle lenses without vignetting, has no front female thread.

Image examples:

Without Linear Polarizer:
The diffuse blue sky light is reflected more or less strongly from the surfaces of almost all objects. This is the reason why a bluish gray fog is usually superimposed on the actual colors outdoors.

With Linear Polarizer:
The polarizing filter darkens the sky so that the clouds have more “depth” and it eliminates the polarized bluish fog to provide maximum color saturation for a more impressive image.

Circular Polarizers:
Polarizer direction ||: A polarizer orientation for eliminating reflections on vertical surfaces enhances reflections on horizontal surfaces.

Circular Polarizers:
Polarizer direction = : The polarizer has been rotated 90° for a much better result without the blue cast from the sky on the motor hood.