Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/27

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Polarizing Filter
From: Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 18:52:40 -0300

At 04:51 PM 27/01/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Armed with the good information that I received from this list about
>filters, I went to NYC today to buy circular B + W multi-coated polarized
>filters. The sales clerk at B&H, who was quite helpful, told me that I
>didn't need a circular filter for my R4. I had just read in the Bove manual
>that was the one to use for the R4. I got confused and ended up buying
>neither. The sales clerk said that the circular filters are only needed for
>auto focus cameras.

        The idea of the "circular" polarizer came when lens makers made
their lenses so that the front elements ROTATED as you focused them...thus
tossing a "linear" polarizer out of alignment.

        This is not a problem if your lens has an "internal focusing"
mechanism...ie; the front element does not rotate when focusing.

        A circular polarizer will work on either type of lens.
Some feel that a linear polarizer is better... it's a judgement call, I suspect?

"Sla'inte chugat"
Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>                               
St. John's, Newfoundland. 
- ----------------------------------
TOUCHED BY FIRE; doctors without borders in a third world crisis.
McClelland & Stewart Canada.  ISBN#0-7710-5305-3 
http://www.straylight.ca/touchedbyfire.htm