PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter Review
So, you’ve decided to add a circular polarizer filter to your camera kit, and you’ve already taken the time to learn how to use it, but you aren’t sure which one to get. Well, if you follow enough photography and videography influencers, you’ve likely heard of a filter company called PolarPro. They offer a range of high quality, solidly built and aesthetically pleasing filters for everything from a normal camera lens to your GoPros and drones. As a leading filter company, PolarPro obviously has a circular polarizer filter for sale. But is a PolarPro Circular Polarizer filter worth it? In this PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter review, we’ll find out.
Build Quality
If you’ve never used or seen a PolarPro filter before, just know that these things are built to last. The PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter is no different.
The filter’s frame is made of brass, providing a very solid feel in your hand when using it. The frame also has small rivets cut into it, allowing you to easily grip it and turn it when out in the field.
PolarPro also says that the glass itself has 16 coating layers to help eliminate scratches and oil buildup. After using the PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter for some time, I can confirm that both the frame and glass are in solid shape.
Aesthetics are a personal thing, however I do think the brass frame and blue-tinted glass makes your camera look pretty cool when this filter is in use!
All in all, the PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter seems like a filter that you can confidently keep in your camera kit for a long time, no matter where your photo adventures take you. This is especially important considering circular polarizer filters are mainly used by landscape photographers, as they are the ones who will inevitably use a filter like this in tough / changing conditions.
Image Quality
Assuming that the circular polarizer filter is being used correctly, I have not seen any image quality issues while using this filter. All of my images have come out sharp with a neutral colour profile. Similarly, I have not seen any areas of my image that are oversaturated, or where the polarization has darkened the highlights too much. I also haven’t seen any vignetting on my images either.
The filter does what it advertises, though. It removes the reflections from things like water and leaves, creating vivid scenes with incredible depth. Rest assured, you will get high quality, polarized landscape photos while using this filter.
Ease of Use
If you know how to use a circular polarizer filter, this filter will be super simple for you to use. The camera threads easily screw onto the end of any lens. In addition, the super durable metal filter case that comes with the filter makes it super easy to throw this in your camera bag and take it literally anywhere without needing to worry about damaging it.
As mentioned above, the brass filter frame feels solid in the hands, and the rivets make it easy to grip the filter and twist it until you reach your desired polarization level. This filter doesn’t have haptic feedback, however, so you may find yourself spinning the circular polarizer filter around and around until you reach a level of polarization that you desire.
Potential Cons
To be honest, the PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter doesn’t have a lot of cons. It is a high quality circular polarizer that will enhance many of your landscape shots. The one thing to consider, however, is its price.
At $129.99 USD, this is not a cheap filter. You will likely be able to find another circular polarizer filter from another brand that works just as well. You will miss out, however, on the build quality and the confidence that you will have the filter for a long time. So, is the PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter worth the extra money for the build quality? I’d say so, just because you won’t need to replace the filter for a long time. But this will come down to each individual’s own budgets and what they deem as reasonable for a filter like this.
Conclusion
The PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter is a well-built filter that provides colour neutral, high quality images. This filter is built to last, and will be a solid companion for any adventure you bring it on. With it’s steep price tag, however, photographers may need to decide whether or not they value durability in their filters, or if they’d prefer to buy a cheaper filter to get the job done.