B+W 58mm Circular Polarizer

by B&W

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000BZL59
• Item model number: 65-062157
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Circular Polarizers - Increase Color Saturation, Reduce Reflections

The images on the left was taken without any filter.
The image on the right was taken using a
B+W Circular Polarizer. Click for larger view.

The images on the left was taken without any filter.
The image on the right was taken using a
B+W Circular Polarizer. Click for larger view.

Highly efficient standard circular polarizing filter for all cameras with beam splitters in the light paths of their TTL exposure meter and with autofocus lenses. Circular polarization has the same pictorial effect as linear polarization, but allows for proper exposure metering and/or autofocus distance settings.

B+W Polarizers increase color saturation and reduce reflections. The neutral gray color and plane parallel polarizer material guarantee optimal image results. High-quality optical glass ensures excellent pictorial quality. The filter factor varies according to how the filter is positioned in relation to the sun. Exposure compensation is about two f-stops.

Linear and circular polarizers both consist of a linear polarizer foil but differ in their construction in the following way. Modern DSLR cameras have a beam-splitting prism that sends part of the incoming light to the meter and part to the viewfinder. The effect is that the light entering the meter is partially polarized by the beam-splitter. A linear polarizer placed on the lens of such a system will act as a second polarizer and block light to the meter by a degree dependent on the angle between the prism and the polarizer on the lens. The result is incorrect exposure/aperture values from the meter. The circular polarizer circumvents this problem through the addition of a 1/4-wave retarder, or delay foil. This ensures that the linearly polarized light is changed into a rotation that appears unpolarized to the meter, resulting in proper exposure/aperture readings.

Uncoated for Greater Effect

The glass of this filter is uncoated. This is common with special effects filters, where coating is either an impossibility or would work against the effect the filter is trying to attain.

Side view of F-Pro Rotating
Mount. Click for larger view.

F-Pro Brass Filter Mount

This filter uses a rotating B+W F-Pro filter mount for added creative options. The mount has a front accessory thread and is made of brass. Compared to the earlier standard mount, the F-Pro mount, introduced in 2001, has become thinner. Now it can be used with wide angle lenses, including most 24mm focal lengths on a full frame body, without vignetting. Another advantage of the F-Pro mount is its modified retaining ring, which is no longer threaded in from the front, but holds the filter glass in place from the back. When removing a filter or lens hood that has been screwed on too tight to the filter, the retaining ring is not at risk of loosening.

Product Description

High Quality German Filters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Polarizer, February 18, 2009

By 

R Gibbons "R Gibbons" (Silicon Valley, California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: B+W 58mm Circular Polarizer (Electronics)

Good product Quality, Well built.

Seems to be Coated, but not Multi Coated on all surfaces (get a strong relfection off the glass). The filters that claimed Multicoating were more expensive. This filter works well, no complaints.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff, August 23, 2007

By 

M. Sebetovsky (Laayoune, Western Sahara, Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: B+W 58mm Circular Polarizer (Electronics)

Really good stuff for the money I invested. I am testing it in the Sahara desert in Africa in harsh condition and in combination with B + W UV filter I purchased too, it is doing well.

2.0 out of 5 stars sticky operation, October 8, 2011

By 

DeeBee - See all my reviews

This review is from: B+W 58mm Circular Polarizer (Electronics)

Received this in short order and it appeared to be in "factory supplied" condition (i.e. unopened). However, the rotation was balky at one point which appeared to be caused by either a grease lump or perhaps some foreign material that had been trapped during factory assembly. I rotated the outer glass several times thinking that perhaps the "grease" would smooth itself out. That effort was unsuccessful so I returned it for credit. Unfortunately, although I received the credit, it did not include my original mailing cost and neither Amazon or the Camera store offered to replace it with a smoothly functioning filter. I offered this option to the camera store, but received no response. In the future, I will only purchase a polarizing filter from a retail store where I can confirm the smooth operation of the filter prior to purchase.