The CPL or circular polarizing linear filter is essential for landscape shoots – lessening reflections as well as providing contrast and color a bit boost. The best CPL is the ideal way of reducing pesky reflections and improves the tones in your images or pictures. Investing in the best CPLs means that haze and glare in the shots will be lessened, allowing you to take clearer images.
Our Top Best CPL Filters?
Do you want to know the best CPL lens filters available out there? Here is a detailed review of the best circular polarize lens available on the market today. Make sure to know the features of each product in order to determine which one will meet your needs.
Best Overall CPL Filters: Hoya 77mm NXT Plus Circular Polarizer
Pleasing photographs are the ideal angle and its tone intensity, and they must be free from mist and fog. Do you want a high quality image? This best CPL is ideal for you.
State-of-the-art Hoya 77mm NXT Plus CPL is from a reliable and dependable company. This circular polarizing lens filter is the ideal buddy to obtain a fog-free image. These CPL lenses capture the look of reflection and the frown in each picture or photo. Also, it positions the light, which results in ideal intensity as well as sharp details.
You’ll love this CPL as this is ideal for the digital camera as well as autofocus lenses. Hoya 77mm filter will arrange the light direction leading to absorption of light of about 93 to 95 percent. Because of the thin construction, you may find it hard to eliminate at the end of the lens. Not like other CPLs, this one leads to the bumpy distribution of a polarized structure in the photo. When utilizing an automatic focus camera, you’ll see that the core portion of the photo is the only portion that is polarized, and other parts appear blurred.
Pros
- The filter is non-coated
- The filter is also heat resistant
- It is able to absorb about 93 to 95 percent of light.
Cons
- Hard to remove or eliminate
- Thin structure
- This is prone to dust and dirt
- Waterproof top-coat for easy cleaning
- Hoya polished clear glass
- 10-layers of HMC multi-coatings
- 1.72 filter factor
- Low-profile aluminum frame
Best CPL Filter for the Money: 67mm Circular Polarizers Filter
Are you experiencing dull images or pictures? This 67MM Circular Polarizers Filter will save you as well as offer you strong as well as better and improved color. This state-of-the-art filter will assist you in improving the contrast within the photo.
The K&F CPL is an extremely popular ultra slip frame that has a 4mm thickness. Not like other products available out there, this one has the capability to lessen reflection as well as glare. This amazing filter is just well-suited or attuned with 67mm camera lenses.
This state-of-the-art circular polarizer filter is able to correct the foggy white appearance in a photo. What is more, it also assists in improving contrast providing a strong and clear color of a picture. This circular polarizing lens filter is the ideal gear for outdoor photoshoots as it gets rid of over-reflection.
Some problems seen are that it is very tight to focus and adjust. This also affects the detail of the image, and its obvious the small modification in the fierce look.
Pros
- It comes with an ultra-slim frame
- This is a water-repellant filter, so you can use it when raining or near the pool
- It lessens light reflection
Cons
- This circular polarizing lens filter is hard to eliminate
- Get stuck easily
- Ultra-slim frame, only 5.3 mm thickness. CNC-non slips pattern helps install and remove the filter easily. Double side 28 multi-layer coatings hydrophobic, anti-oil, anti-dust, anti-soil, scratch-resistant.
- Ultra-slim rim profile to avoid vignetting on wide-angle lenses, while maintaining rotation capabilities to adjust polarization levels. Extra tough lightweight aluminum-magnesium alloy frame ensuring great durability and jamming prevention.
- Circular CPL filters allow you to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water, glass, etc. Also can enhance the color and contrast. Often be used to increase the contrast and saturation in blue skies and white clouds.
- NOTE: This filter is compatible with all 67mm lenses. Please verify your camera's lens thread size before ordering. Your camera's lens thread size will be marked somewhere on the lens barrel or printed underneath your lens cap. This number is always preceded by a "Ø" (diameter) symbol. For example, Ø67= 67mm lens thread size.
- New and old packages are sent randomly
Best Cheap CPL Filters: Tiffen 77CP 77mm Circular Polarizer
For a budget solution, you cannot do well then this Tiffen 77CP 77MM Circular Polarizer is a good example of the best yet reasonably priced CPL filter. While it generates respectable outcomes, the general quality isn’t as good as other models. This CPL falls short in representing specific wavelengths, and you’ll need to try with your white balance setting in order to acquire the best and desired results.
This amazing filter also comes with a small amount of saturation to pictures that can be a smart thing. On the other hand, it is also able to show vignetting on a wide angle lens. Basically, if this is the first or initial foray into a circular polarized filter lens, then this is a perfect choice.
Pros
- This is ideal to use for outdoor photography
- It also deepens the concentration of blue skies
- Lessens as well as gets rid of glare
Cons
- This filter makes lots of flares to the point where you’ve just been able to utilize it when there are no light sources other than from behind.
- Essential for outdoor photography
- Deepens intensity of blue skies
- Reduces or eliminates glare
- 67 millimeter diameter
- Circular construction
AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Lens
If you like to level up from static one film polarizer, this one is perfect. This is the perfect and most excellent circular polarizer lens filter. With the capability to enhance the quality as well as a detail of the image or picture, this high-tech filter from AmazonBasics will assists you in producing high quality and most excellent images that you cannot get from other CPLs available on the market.
State-of-the-art AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Lens measures 77mm and is ideal for outdoors utilizing the auto-focus as well as the non-auto focus camera. This is your reliable multi-coated CPL filter, which reduces blurred as well as smoky look in your picture or image.
This amazing filter lessens the reflection as well as generates an amazing tone in the picture. You’ll not worry that the image will look dull as this CPL filter from AmazonBasics has a huge part in enhancing the image’s vibrant as well as saturation.
This amazing filter might generate brownish color as well as darken the quality of the image when not utilized appropriately. What is more, out of focus in the picture can also be visible if not attached or linked properly.
Pros
- Gets rid of the reflection and glare in the picture or photo
- This also improves the color
- This is the most admired polarizer available on the market today
Cons
- This generates dark spots
- Limited to 77 mm diameter
- Circular polarizer--one of the most popular special-effect filters
- Deepens the intensity of blue skies; reduces or eliminates glare
- Multi-coating reduces reflection
- Ideal for outdoor photography; for use with auto-focus and non-auto-focus cameras
- Measures 52mm in diameter
What to Look for in CPL Filters?
Prior to knowing the factors to consider when choosing a CPL filter, let us get to know more about the CPL filter.
What is a CPL Filter?
A lot of popularizing filters photographers use at this point are circular that usually means there’s firstly a linear polarizer on the façade of every filter, with a quarter-wave plate that changes to circularly polarized light that works effectively with groundbreaking autofocus systems. It is likely to utilize a linearly polarized filter on its own; however, some picture sensors that utilize a low pass might not work too.
Coupling two kinds of polarizing filters as one means the filter is able to turn to make diverse levels of effect. Also, you can tell a CPL filter from a LPL, as you can just view the effect when looking in the back of the circular polarizing filter. However, photographers are more fascinated by the usefulness and applications, with perhaps a dab of technicality.
Using Circular Polarized Filters or CPL
All non-metallic things can reflect light that can be polarized, offering unnecessary reflections and glare. A circular polarizing filter fundamentally soaks up all the unnecessary light, and you can rotate it to adjust the effect. So, meaning reflection from glossy surfaces like glass, water as well as glistening skin can be reduced to a greater extent and, at the same time, improve the natural tone and definition of objects.
Circular Polarized Filters are widely preferred by landscape photographers because they are able to filter out polarized light from bright skies, bringing out the tone at the same time, bringing out the definition in clouds as well as the landscape. While it is totally possible to darken parts of a picture in post-editing, full light polarization is not recorded during the exposure so meaning it is down to a circular polarizing filter to do the task right.
So, here are the things to look for in a CPL filter:
Diameter
Diameter is perhaps the most and essential factor to consider when choosing a circular polarizing filter. It is important to choose the right diameter in order to fit the size of your camera lens perfectly. So, make sure to check the size of your camera lens first. The diameter is shown on the top in millimeters. Common sizes of the camera lens are as follows:
- 16mm
- 35mm
- 50mm
- 55mm
- 65mm
- 77mm
- 82mm
- 100mm
- 300mm
In theory, the polarizing filter of the right diameter must fit all. We say theory as there’s an approach to keep away from needing to purchase a filer for every size of the lens that can be extremely costly and expensive if you have four or five camera lenses.
Basically, when you have many different sizes of lenses, you are able to purchase an adapter ring to make the filter suit them all. Pick a polarizing filter that fits the biggest of your camera lenses. Then, purchase an adapter that lessens the size, enabling you to utilize the filter on a small lens.
Brand
Are you thinking about which brand to buy or pick? This is a vital factor that you have to consider when picking a circular polarizing filter. There are many brands that stand out from the rest and that all landscape photographers agree are the most excellent on the market:
- Hoya
- Lee
- Heliopan
- Cokin
However, other brands also exist, like Marumi or Hama. Keep in mind that if you have Nikon lenses, Canon Lenses, or Zeiss Lenses, all CPLs can be attached to them. Also, you must know that even the popular brands of cameras have made their filters, too. The Nikon polarizing filter and Canon polarizing filter, although few people choose to utilize them.
Thickness
Thickness is also one vital factor to consider when picking a circular polarizing filter. At this point, there are two kinds to select from, slim and normal. A thin model is almost mandatory for a wide angle lens, and the aperture of the diaphragm utilized while taking the pictures, you’ll see more or less vignetting on the sides of the pictures. When it comes to aperture, if you regularly use a big aperture, you will see more vignetting appear.
The Budget
This is considered a sensitive aspect for many people. But don’t skimp on the superiority of the circular polarizing filter at the risk of humiliating the pictures. CPLs are available at different prices. It all depends on the factors such as diameter, brand, and quality.
To know how to pick a polarizing filter, you have to collect lots of information regarding the types of filters available on the market today. It is important to make a comparison to come with the best and most superb choice. Listed above are just some of the best circular polarizing filters that you can buy online.
Conclusion
By now, you are already aware of the best circular polarizer lens filters are. As a newbie in photography, it is fine to ask questions with regards to what camera you’ll purchase or the accessories you want to improve the quality of your image. Constant learning is what photography requires. Besides, what you’ve learned from the mentor, do the research and study to know more about the techniques and styles in photography.
There are a lot of circular polarizing filters on hand today, and each one has its own imperfection and flaws. You have to look through the online world to know what the best product is and the worst one is. You also need to review videos to see the functions and differences. And from there, you will have a idea of what CPL you’re going to pay for. You have to put additional effort, time and dedicate yourself to know and totally be familiar with what CPLs will meet and suit your needs and interest.