Oster Aktion
Bis zu 10 % Rabatt
10 % Rabatt bis 499,99 €*
5 % Rabatt ab 500,00 €*
Weitere Gutscheincodes
Dealzone Angebote

Polarising Filter

Polarising filter - A practical filter in digital photography


Many photographers today no longer consider the polarising filter, which is still known from the age of analogue photography, to be necessary. After all, there is image processing that makes many contrast and colour optimisations possible even after the fact. Nevertheless, not all effects offered by a polarising filter can be simulated by image processing. This applies, for example, to the polarising filter's ability to soften unwanted reflections. In addition, the polarising filter can make the sky appear bluer and the green of the leaves more saturated, which is not always achieved so well by post-processing the images. Accordingly, polarising filters are still extremely useful in the age of digital photography. But how do they actually work, what should you look out for when using them and how can you find a suitable model? You will find answers to these questions in the lower section of the website.

How do polarising filters work?

Polarising filters are capable of rendering the green plant life or the blue sky in photos particularly rich and bright. In addition, they can minimise reflections on all non-metallic surfaces. This applies to glass panes, for example: instead of photographing your own reflection, you can photograph directly through it thanks to the filter and record what is behind it. The same applies to reflecting water surfaces.

However, it is always important that the object and light source are in an optimal position. Leafy green, clouds and sky blue have the most powerful and dynamic effect when the sun is at a 90-degree angle to the side of your subject. If the sun shines frontally or from behind, the filter effect is much less pronounced. The effect of the polarising filter is possible because only light from one plane of oscillation is allowed to pass through. The remaining light oscillating in all directions is blocked out. In this way, reflections on non-metallic objects can also be reduced.

What types of polarising filters are there?

A distinction can be made between linear and circular polarising filters. The designation indicates how the outgoing light is polarised. However, the actual filtering is always linear polarisation. With circular polarising filters, the only difference is that the linearly polarised light is additionally transformed into circularly polarised light by a ?/4 retardation plate. This means that exposure metering is not disturbed, nor is the operation of the autofocus, which is definitely an advantage. That is why circular filters are also more widespread than the pure linear models.

Special, particularly thin polarising filter variants are called slim filters. They are used to avoid unwanted vignetting that occurs when the filter edge shadows the lens on the side. Such shadows occur with normal polarising filters from a focal length of 16 millimetres on full-frame cameras. With APS-C sensors, this effect only occurs from focal lengths of 11 millimetres and less.

Tips for using the polarising filter

In general, it is advisable to opt for the largest possible filter mount when it comes to polarising filter size. You can then easily cover smaller lens openings by buying matching step-up adapter rings. Polarising filters differ significantly from conventional filters because of their rotating mount. Accordingly, you must first turn the filter to the required position to realise the desired effect. Only in this way can the polarisation grid be ideally adjusted to the current incidence of light. With a reflex camera, you can check the effect of the filter directly in the viewfinder. Turn the filter until the optimum effect is achieved and note the position with the help of the dial presented. After mounting the filter on the lens, you can then adjust it accordingly. Alternatively, it is possible to use the live image mode of the camera to check the filter effect there.

It is usually useful to take polarising filter pictures with a tripod. Then you have the opportunity to set up the subject in the viewfinder at your leisure and position the polarising filter disc correctly. In this way you can avoid any blurring caused by camera shake, which can result from the extended shutter speed. This is because the filtering removes brightness from the photographic situation, so that a longer exposure time is often unavoidable. Normally, the exposure time must be extended by one or two steps. Only in sunlight can you usually do without the use of a tripod without having to accept blurring due to camera shake.


Update 29.03.2024.
Show 1 to 36 (of in total 239 products)
B+W XS-Pro Digital HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 77mm
in stock

B+W XS-Pro Digital HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 77mm

119,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 67
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 67

89,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 82
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 82

129,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 77mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 77mm

115,89 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 72
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 72

99,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 62
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 62

72,69 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 82mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 82mm

144,53 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 77mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 77mm

126,41 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 72mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 72mm

107,21 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 58
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 58

59,90 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 67mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 67mm

97,96 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 49
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 49

61,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Carry Speed Magfilter CPL 42mm
in stock

Carry Speed Magfilter CPL 42mm

33,99 €
VAT incl.excl. Shipping costs
Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 67mm
in stock

Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 67mm

39,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W Polarizing Filter Pol Circular E 77mm F-PRO 1065310
in stock

B+W Polarizing Filter Pol Circular E 77mm F-PRO 1065310

49,16 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 62mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 62mm

80,38 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 55mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 55mm

55,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 72mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 72mm

98,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 62mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 62mm

76,89 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 62mm
in stock

Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 62mm

36,99 €
VAT incl.excl. Shipping costs
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 67mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 67mm

87,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 82mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 82mm

118,85 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 52mm
in stock

Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 52mm

29,99 €
VAT incl.excl. Shipping costs
Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 58mm
in stock

Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 58mm

33,99 €
VAT incl.excl. Shipping costs
Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 77mm
in stock

Hoya UX II Polarizing Filter Circular 77mm

49,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W Basic CPL Polarizing Filter MRC 67mm
in stock

B+W Basic CPL Polarizing Filter MRC 67mm

48,39 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 46
in stock

B+W XS-Pro HTC Polarizing Filter KSM MRC nano 46

61,89 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 52mm 78852
in stock

Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 52mm 78852

85,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hoya HDX Pol-Filter 62mm
in stock

Hoya HDX Pol-Filter 62mm

99,95 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 95mm
in stock

B+W POLFILTER HIGH TRANSMISSON MASTER 95mm

170,23 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 72mm 78872
in stock

Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 72mm 78872

129,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 67mm 78867
in stock

Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 67mm 78867

138,99 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 58mm 78858
in stock

Hama Polarizing filter circular HTMC 58mm 78858

109,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
Hama Polarizing filter circular Wide 82mm HTMC coated 78882
in stock

Hama Polarizing filter circular Wide 82mm HTMC coated 78882

193,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 52mm
in stock

ZEISS T* Polarizing Filter circular 52mm

59,00 €
VAT incl.free shipping
B+W Basic CPL Polarizing Filter MRC 62mm
in stock

B+W Basic CPL Polarizing Filter MRC 62mm

52,89 €
VAT incl.free shipping

Do you have a question for our experts?

Find the answer quickly and easily on our customer service page

The Foto Erhardt Newsletter

Simply subscribe and benefit as a newsletter recipient every week:

Our privacy policys.