Polarized Filter for Camera (CPL) - 2025-08-12

A CPL stands for Circular Polarizing Lens. You attach it to the front of a camera lens.

It does the following:
*reduces reflections and glare

*enhances colour saturation,

*increases contrast

*particularly on non-metallic surfaces like water or glass, and in skies.

*It works by selectively blocking light waves that are polarized in certain directions, thus minimizing unwanted reflections and allowing for a clearer, more vibrant image.

You can actually rotate the polarizing filter with your hand to adjust the level of polarization. There is no right or wrong way to rotate it, it’s different for every scene.

Above image source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Animation_polariseur_2.gif

Here are some unedited shots that I took with a CPL on my Canon EOS R100, at the NSW Train Museum:

The below shot was taken through a glass window. Without the CPL, you wouldn’t be able to clearly see inside due to the glare and reflection, however the CPL gets rid of this glare and reflection, allowing us to see inside clearly.

You can see more photos that I took from the NSW rail museum with a CPL here

CPL’s are also great for landscape and nature photography. They make the colours “pop” more, especially the sky. They also make the water have less reflections.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarizing_filter_%28photography%29#/media/File:CircularPolarizer.jpg

Image source: https://www.canoncamerageek.com/canon-polarizing-filter.html

*Quick tip: the polarizing filter is most dramatic when the camera is at a 90-degree angle from the sun*

Thanks for reading till the end of this article! I hope you enjoyed it.