Circular Polarizer not working?

[Brighter Day]

I have a Hoya NXT Plus circular polarizer, that I cannot see polarizing the light thru the camera. I have tested the filter at home, and have gotten black while looking at a lamp while wearing polarizing sunglasses. Testing it outside the effect is very subtle and it's tough to tell the darkened sky. I am wondering if there are anytips for working with these. I am mostly working with pale blue skies, wanting to darken it.

 

[480sparky]

You need to adjust the filter so it's at a specific orientation on the camera in relationship with the sun.

 

[Strodav]

So, you are telling me if you look outside at a scene with a blue sky just holding up and looking through your polarizer and rotate it (no sunglasses please), you cannot see much of a change with and without the polarizer. I use a number of different Hoya filters and have never gotten a bad one. Something is definitely wrong. Try looking through a window with glare or reflections. Rotate the filter and the glare / reflections should definitely change. If it doesn't, you live in a place where the laws of physics are different than on the rest of the planet.

 

[JoolsW]

It does help to have really clear bright conditions.

 

[Thiophilos]

Polarizing filters only work on light that is polarized. Blue skies have polarized light, but it is optimal only at certain angles, and not straight toward the sun. Cloudy conditions might not respond at all. Ordinary light reflected off non-metallic surfaces becomes polarized and should work with your filter - but again there are optimal angles, usually around 45 degrees. Shooting straight down into water won't work, nor will a steep angle like you have when driving and looking through polarizers at a distant road. Metallic surfaces won't polarize light, so don't expect to be able to control reflections off chrome bumpers.

 

[VidThreeNorth]

The previous postings are thorough enough so I'll just add a couple of quick notes:

1. A puddle makes a good test target. Look for a reflection of something in the puddle.

2. Turn it s-l-o-w-l-y.

 

[Brighter Day]

So, you are telling me if you look outside at a scene with a blue sky just holding up and looking through your polarizer and rotate it (no sunglasses please), you cannot see much of a change with and without the polarizer. I use a number of different Hoya filters and have never gotten a bad one. Something is definitely wrong. Try looking through a window with glare or reflections. Rotate the filter and the glare / reflections should definitely change. If it doesn't, you live in a place where the laws of physics are different than on the rest of the planet.

If it doesn't I need to negotiate a return.

 

[Brighter Day]

It works fine, it's more subtle than I thought it would be. Outside I get a darkening of the sky some of the time. Some times it doesn't do anything. It's hard to live here without wearing shades. I will have to look for some non-polarized that I can shoot with. The sun is too damn bright.

 

[dxqcanada]

 

[Brighter Day]

Very nice. I will work with that in mind.