High-extinction-ratio linear polarizer

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colohank
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:07 pm
Location: Fruita, Colorado, USA

High-extinction-ratio linear polarizer

Post by colohank »

I'd like to explore cross-polarization photography but can't identify a source for reasonably priced, high-extinction-ratio linear polarizing filters that are threaded for lens attachment. I'm looking for filters with 52mm and 62mm threads. I have plastic polarized sheet material which works, and I've cobbled together a crude 62mm filter by mounting a disk of it between step-up rings, but the threaded linear polarizers with rotating elements that I've been able to find at popular commercial retailers (Tiffen, for example) lack the oomph to achieve full extinction when crossed. They may be suitable for landscape photography, but not for what I want to do with them. Something with a higher than 99% extinction ratio would be nice.

Many years ago, as a geology major in college, I took a year's course in optical crystallography (using a Leitz Dialux Pol microscope), so I'm certainly familiar with the use of cross-polarization as a diagnostic tool.

Lou Jost
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Re: High-extinction-ratio linear polarizer

Post by Lou Jost »

The linear polarizers that come with epi illuminators for microscopes are pretty good.

Scarodactyl
Posts: 1617
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:26 am

Re: High-extinction-ratio linear polarizer

Post by Scarodactyl »

While decent ones are cheap, optical grade high extinction ones are typically more pricey. You might luck out on new old stock edmund optics or thorlabs on eBay.

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