After going through several circular polarizers in the under $50 bracket for my 77mm threads (70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM), I took the plunge. Tiffen, Hoya, and all the other low-end suppliers, you know who you are. I wanted the best glass available to be in front of my 50mm f/1.2 and 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM glass. To step up from 72mm to 77mm, I used the exceptional B+W Step Up Adapter. Even though I hate Adorama, I figured even they couldn’t mess up something made by B+W!

I got the Heliopan 707741 77mm Circular Polarizer, and OMFG, it is the shizzle (do we still say that?). This is a serious piece of optics (at $150), and I even insured it with all my other camera gear.

The first thing you notice is how strong it is. It is around +2.5, and I like that. I have fast glass so I can put this kind of filter on and not have it impact my shooting. Besides, you don’t use a CP in the dark! So here are a few images from my product blog:

This is with the filter, but rotated to allow the most out of my Dell D820 Lattitude monitor. OK, but what about with t
he filter rotated to block out the LCDs? How will it fare?

Where is the screen? Is my laptop even on? Incredible. All you see are the smudges from my fingers. What about the performance with the sun? Here is a fabulous test. Set up some magazines on a table, in a position where the sun will reflect off of them through, say, a large window:

Fair enough, now we’ll rotate the filter to align (or columnate, as we used to call it) the light reflections to be in the same direction:

Now THAT is what a polarizer should do!

Check here for all the pictures.

This is just a fast review, as all my good glass and my camera are out for 6 months’ service. These images were taken just before they left. I hope to revisit this review after going to a baseball game on July 26th at Fenway. Go Sox!

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