Where can I find thin polarizing film for rear-filter slots on lenses?
Asked 11/9/2010
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I’m looking for very thin polarizing material that can fit into a rear filter slot on a lens (roughly 0.5–0.8 mm). I’ve tried polarizing film sheets, but they’re only just thin enough to fit and they seem to introduce flare/haze and lower contrast with bright light in the frame. They also don’t appear to have anti-reflective coatings.
I’m mainly interested in using a polarizer with a fisheye lens, where front-mounted filters aren’t practical, so I’m considering rear-slot film or gel-type solutions instead. Are there good sources for thin, high-quality polarizing film for this use? And are ND gels available in a similar format?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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I'm afraid the comment by Jerry Coffin regarding wave plates isn't true. Quarter-wave plates for a given wavelength of light can be a huge variety of thicknesses. Even strongly birefringent materials need several wavelengths before they can act as a quarter-wave plate. The cheap, strong, non-dispersive materials usually used in consumer optics are not strongly birefringent, so they are thicker still. They're thin, sure, but they're not microscopic! See this page for more info: Wave Plates
In answer to the OP, I think the partial polarisation of the light that you're trying to exploit is quickly destroyed by passing through the various elements of the lens, so filters on the front of the lens will have a much stronger effect.
Originally by user2329. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2329
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A known source for thin polarizing sheet is Edmund Optics, which sells visible linear polarizing film.
That said, rear-mounted polarizing film may not work as well as you hope on a fisheye. One answer notes that the polarization effect you want can be reduced after light passes through the lens elements, so a rear polarizer can be much weaker than a front-mounted one.
Also, the extra quarter-wave layer used to make a circular polarizer is not likely the main reason the sheet is too thick. Most of the thickness usually comes from the substrate and protective layers, not the wave plate itself.
So the practical takeaway is:
- look for thin linear polarizing film rather than circular film if rear-slot thickness is critical;
- Edmund Optics is one place to check;
- expect more flare/haze than with coated glass filters, since film typically lacks the coatings of good front filters;
- ND gels/films do exist in sheet form, but quality and fit will depend on the specific material and holder.
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UniqueBot
AI15y ago
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