What reasons are there to not use a polarized filter?

You know I was just reading some threads here talking about reasons for using a polarized filter and how it improves so many different photos scenarios. So when wouldn't you use one? Why even take it off if it works so well? Minus of course night time shots where the light is already low. Actually would you benefit from using a polarized filter at night?

1. They do reduce the light available (by up to 2 stops). 2. The additional glass can negatively affect image quality (a tiny bit). 3. (quote from David Coleman Photography) "They work best with directional light, ideally at 90° to the sun, and don’t work so well outside a certain range. Shadow detail will be much diminished." 4. Since you rotate one of the elements to get the "right" effect, you will be adjusting that angle on almost every shot.

When not to use one is low light and overcast days.

What reasons are there to not use a polarized filter?

You can't afford it perhaps? It's too dark. It's causing vignetting on your lens....

I see, so my information wasn't 100%. Well it couldn't hurt to ask. Thanks for the info!

I never use a polarizer when I'm taking photos of people and/or when I'm using my flash. Although I could just turn the polarizer to minimize its effect and so it's not really noticeable, as someone above stated, the extra glass does effect the quality of the photo image a bit. So, I just usually take it off when photographing people.

ilh2009ky wrote: I never use a polarizer when I'm taking photos of people and/or when I'm using my flash. Although I could just turn the polarizer to minimize its effect and so it's not really noticeable, as someone above stated, the extra glass does effect the quality of the photo image a bit. So, I just usually take it off when photographing people.

Will you ever use a polarized filter to reduce glare from someone wearing glasses?

Jerry Curtin wrote: I see, so my information wasn't 100%. Well it couldn't hurt to ask. Thanks for the info!

It was a good question.

The main reasons I don't use one all the time are if I can't afford to give up the 2ish stops, and if I'm getting a weird gradation of the polarizing effect. The polarizing effect depends on the location of the camera and the light source. For example if at the wrong angle to the sun you can sometimes see a change in the darkening effect in the sky, one side is dark navy and the other blown out cyan, particularly with wide lenses. I am most often using a pol for it's color effects, so I tend not to use them with BW unless it's a blue skies with clouds shot at the correct angle to the sun to get a good pol effect.

I do often use polarizers on overcast days and when doing outdoor portraits on sunny days. While the polarizing effect on color is not always as dramatic on an overcast day as on a sunny day it can still be significant. I prefer the lush yellow-green foliage looks like polarized vs the shiny, blue-green color it has when un-polarized. It can be harder to see through the viewfinder. I look for the subtle glare on the leaves to disappear.

With the outdoor portraits the 2 stops it eats helps me get down to my flash sync speed at the large apertures I want to use. It's not as effective with the flash, but it still improves colors a bit I think. Also it functions as normal with the parts of the scene lit by natural light. They sell sheets of polarizer film that can be put over flashes and in softboxes so that the polarizing filter will work well with the flash.

Well said. I don't think I've ever taken a photo of someone wearing glasses where I needed to address the glare issue. I'm usually focused on nature photos.

I only use mine when shooting water, landscape or shiny surfaces