Objective lens cover for 15x50 IS? (1 Viewer)

[hinnark]

But is it practical? Afterall, what do you when you turn/point/pan? Re-tune the filter? And you need to do this precisely for two filters!

Rick,

polarizers use to have a twistable frame. So if mounted on a camera/lens or in this case binoculars, the filter can be retuned easily within a second. If you have filters on both tubes of the binoculars it´s no problem to do this for both.

Steve

 

[hinnark]

Hi Steve,

When you screw on additional filters onto the sun shields, don't they make the objective end considerably longer? And is it sturdy considering the shallow threads on the Canon's objectives?

I'm asking, because reading about the dew shields/sun shields and finding out there are threaded ones to have, raised my interest in using these to experiment with 1.7 mag converters screwed onto these. In an older thread I can't find back right now, I discussed the possibility with some other forum members to enhance the magnification of the stabilized big Canons by using converters. Don't know if it will work, but this thread has set me in thinking mode again.

Now, if I could only remember which thread the original idea was on in the first place....

Best regards,

Ronald

Hi Ronald,

the filters are quiet flat, about ~5-7 mm . So they don't make the objective end considerably longer. If you don´t look careful you´ll barely see them mounted on the binoculars. Some manufactorers offer also extra slim filters.
The threads on the Canons are a bit on the short side. So if you screw a filter or a sun shield on the thread make sure that the fit is tight enough to prevent the piece from getting loose and lost.

Both, the sun shields and the filter I use have additional filter (male) threads in front of them where I can attach some cheap standard lens covers. The 58 mm thread is quite common in the world of photography, so any filter can be used on several lenses and cameras as well. IMO polarizers are very useful for nature photography. Step-Up Adapter rings do enlarge the range of application. For example a 55 mm -> 58 mm adapter allows the use of the sun shields and polarizer with the Nikon 50 ED scope, too.

Steve

 

[Kevin Purcell]

For best results one has to twist and adjust the polarizer depending on the sun´s position at the sky. This isn´t possible with polarizing sunglasses.

Though with sunglasses you are optimized for surface scatter blocking horizontally polarized (s-polarized) light which is usually want you want for lake/river/sea watching.

Hiinark: do you use it to darken the sky for observing by picking the right polarization for birds in trees or on wires?

Of course the obligatory: if you have a roof prism scope then you'll want a filter on the front as polarized sunglasses will give you the "wacky" view through the roof prism.

 

[hinnark]

Hiinark: do you use it to darken the sky for observing by picking the right polarization for birds in trees or on wires?

Yes, I do it indeed. Another example is watching circling raptors against the bright sky. The polarizer increases the contrast between bird and the backround and gives a more relaxed view.

Steve

 

[KorHaan]

Hi Ronald,

the filters are quiet flat, about ~5-7 mm . So they don't make the objective end considerably longer. If you don´t look careful you´ll barely see them mounted on the binoculars. Some manufactorers offer also extra slim filters.
The threads on the Canons are a bit on the short side. So if you screw a filter or a sun shield on the thread make sure that the fit is tight enough to prevent the piece from getting loose and lost.

Steve

Thanks, Steve,

That's good advice.

I'll have to see if the converters, once screwed on, won't make the whole construction too unstable to use. I haven't the slightest idea whether this is going to work.

Best regards,

Ronald

 

[Kevin Purcell]

Yes, I do it indeed. Another example is watching circling raptors against the bright sky. The polarizer increases the contrast between bird and the backround and gives a more relaxed view.

Nice idea. I hadn't though about that until you mentioned the problem with sunglasses.

 

[Super Dave]

When looking over the ocean on a bright day would a polizer filter give noticeably better results with reducing glare?

I'm finding a pretty endless supply of filters on the net. Hoya was mentioned. Are there any other brands that are decent quality but not too expensive?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[RJM]

Dave, any 58mm circular or linear polarizer filter will work. A decent one will start around $40 and you will need two. When the mid-day sun is overhead, they will effectively block glare and reflections off the water, cut haze, and oversaturate colors making blue sky bluer (though because the 15/18x50IS are ultra-wide angle I suspect the sky may suffer uneven polarization with the filter on the objective side). When the sun is low or behind you, the polarization effect is minimal if at all.

Again, I strongly suggest inexpensive polarizing sunglasses as a more practical solution but they can also be used just to see if you like the effect before springing for the filters.

 

[hinnark]

When looking over the ocean on a bright day would a polizer filter give noticeably better results with reducing glare?

I'm finding a pretty endless supply of filters on the net. Hoya was mentioned. Are there any other brands that are decent quality but not too expensive?
Thanks,
Dave

First question: Yes it would.
2nd: Well reputed manufactores are Hoya, B+W and Heliopan. I only use one polarizer at one barrel of the binoculars and yet, this helps in such situations you mentioned. I would recommend the purchase of a polarizer only if you want to use it also for photography. If this is the case one has a nice case of synergy or multi-purpose use . One last thing: If you decide to purchase make sure you get one with good multi-coatings. Otherwise the filter can cause some scatter.

Steve

 

[Super Dave]

Thanks for the info on the polarizers. I tried the 15x50 with my polarized sunglasses this morning and it helped significantly with the glare. Wow. My house faces east so the sun rises in my view. The glare is usually too uncomfortable to see all of the view (I shut my eyes and pan past the area with the most glare). With the sunglasses on I could check out the entire view!

I see polarized filters have a darker tint like sunglasses. Do they make some that don't have too much of a tint so they don't darken the view later in the day? In other words, it would be nice to leave them on at all times. I primarly use the binos in the morning before work (glare) and in the late afternoon / evening when I get home. I'm not sure I want to mess around with multiple filters every day.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Kevin Purcell]

I see polarized filters have a darker tint like sunglasses. Do they make some that don't have too much of a tint so they don't darken the view later in the day? In other words, it would be nice to leave them on at all times. I primarly use the binos in the morning before work (glare) and in the late afternoon / evening when I get home. I'm not sure I want to mess around with multiple filters every day.

Polarizers by definition remove 50% of the light i.e. (to oversimplify) the stuff that isn't polarized in the direction of the filter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarizing_filter_(photography)

Although sunglasses sometimes add colorants (e.g. brown polarized sunglasses) photographic filters don't so they come in only one absorbance (adding 1 photographic stop).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarizing_filter_(photography)

 

[RJM]

Well the tint is a light neutral gray and in itself cuts little light but you could rotate or tune the filter to be completely ineffective. Generally though, the whole point of a polarizer is to tune it until the view becomes darkest. BTW, another cool idea is to get some Baader solar film and make a set of filters to watch the Sun during an eclipse. And when it is active you can also make out spots.

 

[Super Dave]

Thanks for the advice. That's a lot of info to absorb.
Dave

 

[hinnark]

Thanks, Steve,

That's good advice.

I'll have to see if the converters, once screwed on, won't make the whole construction too unstable to use. I haven't the slightest idea whether this is going to work.

Best regards,

Ronald

Ronald,

I forgot to mention that I did try something similar with a Raynox macro lens fitted at the thread of the Canon but it didn´t come in focus this way.

Steve