I started using a threaded polarizer on my M6. I hold the filter close to my eye, rotate until I find the adequate filtering, move it close to the lense & make a mental note of the location of one of three mark I made on the rotating element, then screw it on and rotate to the afformentioned position, meter and shoot. It is actually rather quick and painless, and I find it much easier than using cumbersome Leica's polarizer. Does anyone else use alternates to the Leica polarizing beast?

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), June 06, 2002

Answers

I should mention: Painless when making certain types of shots

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), June 06, 2002.

Why not two filters? One on the lens and the other for viewing.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), June 06, 2002.

Why not a "filterview", or make one yourself from a step-up adaptor? I like the older Leica swing-out (which only fits E39 lenses except the current 50/2 with built-in hood) but I agree the Universal Polarizer is a monstrosity. Mine's destined for the auction block.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 06, 2002.

I was thinking about this same issue recently. What is the easiest way to make a Filterview type set up?

-- Geri Brandimarte (gbrandimarte@hotmail.com), June 06, 2002.

And a second vote for the "Filterview"!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), June 07, 2002.

How about use an SLR?

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), June 07, 2002.

check this out: *

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), June 07, 2002.

Heliopan make excellent polarizer filters with the outer ring calibrated, I thing they come in several types and a wide range of sizes.

To use screw the filter on your lense and make a spot mark on the ring nearest to the camera with typewriter correction fluid at top dead centre.

You can then take the filter off set it up visually noting the calibration number which coincides with your spot mark put the filter back on the camera and away you go

-- Gabriel Shaw (gabriel@gabriel.homechoice.co.uk), June 07, 2002.

I really don't know how you can get away with your system, Anam, since the polarizing changes with even the slightest change in angle of shooting. I don't know about Filterview. To me, it looks even more cumbersome than Leica's flip-up thing. I have the Leica. It's far from being perfect, but it's a bright idea and it works. And, BTW, Jay, mine came with two adaptors: 39 and 46. I use it also on my Contax G2 (forgive me for uttering the six-letter word, ;-).) In the neat zipped pouch, there is room for actually four adaptors so I guess you could order them from Leica. One caveat: as with everything Leica, it's awfully expensive. I bought mine used and stil had to dump like $200.00. Happy dark skies and cool motorcycles everybody.

-- Olivier (olreiche@videotron.ca), June 07, 2002.