4x5.65 Circular Polarizer

[Wesley Forsyth]

Hi everyone,

I recently got a bright tangerine misfit atom matte box and love it!

The only issue is it doesn't have the ability to accept a rota pola - it only accepts 4 x 5.65 filters.
So I'm looking at getting a Schneider 4 x 5.65" Circular True-Pol.

I'm just wondering what the disadvantage of not being able to rotate it is? Currently on my rotating screw in polarizer I always rotate it to get maximum polarizing effect.

So if I mount the 4x5.65 polarizer it should be having it's maximum polarizing effect when the matte box is mounted normally (horizontally) right? That would work perfect for me.

Please let me know if I'm missing something... do you have to rotate it to different angles for different times of the day (sun is in different positions?)

Thanks so much!
Wesley

 

[David Mullen ASC]

You'd need a rotating tray/mattebox.

 

[Nick Gardner]

it only accepts 4 x 5.65 filters

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...6_rota_pola_rota_pola_tray_with_circular.html

Am I missing something? I have one of these that I use in both my MB-19 so I can use 138mm nets, as well as in my tilta clip on which has no rotating trays.

Nick

 

[John David Pope]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...6_rota_pola_rota_pola_tray_with_circular.html

Am I missing something? I have one of these that I use in both my MB-19 so I can use 138mm nets, as well as in my tilta clip on which has no rotating trays.

Nick

I had the same thought. And I too pondered if I was missing something here.

I didn't know 138mm nets existed. Now I do. Interesting.

 

[Nick Gardner]

If one were to be into old weird filters, one might search ebay for 138mm filters as nobody uses them anymore. Then one could have sets of say, antique suede, black nets, white nets, etc, at very reasonable prices. They just occupy your rotating 138mm stage. So you get a rota pola ;-)

Nick

 

[Wesley Forsyth]

B

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...6_rota_pola_rota_pola_tray_with_circular.html

Am I missing something? I have one of these that I use in both my MB-19 so I can use 138mm nets, as well as in my tilta clip on which has no rotating trays.

Nick

This is the mattebox I’m referring to: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1128455-REG/bright_tangerine_b1230_1007_misfit_atom_4_x.html

It doesn’t use traditional filter trays, so a rota pola won’t work with it.

I’m just wondering if the only advantage of a rota pola vs 4x5.65 is being able to reduce the polarization to 1/2, 1/4, strength. I always rotate for full strength polarization anyway.

 

[Nick Gardner]

Ah. Yeah. That's a bit of a problem. You could use a 4x5.6 pola and rotate the matte box. Thats what we did back in olden times with a 4x4 clip on on super speeds on a BL on steadicam. Or depending on lens, you could get a screw in pola and still use the clip on MB.

Nick

 

[joshua csehak]

I just rotate the whole matte box. It looks silly but who cares. On the off-chance I need the eyebrow to be overhead, I have one of these in my case for emergencies: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/825818-REG/Flex_Lens_Shade_A001_Flex_Lens_Shade.html

The big con for me with this matte box is the tilt attachment is a PITA to install/remove, and if you use 4x4 filters you probably want to block light from the sides with paper tape. The Wooden Camera one might be better.

The other con is if you have two filters in, they're pressed against each other, so it's easy to scratch them if they're not perfectly clean.

 

[Satsuki Murashige]

So if I mount the 4x5.65 polarizer it should be having it's maximum polarizing effect when the matte box is mounted normally (horizontally) right?

Unfortunately, no.

do you have to rotate it to different angles for different times of the day (sun is in different positions?)

Yes, the rotation angle will be situationally dependent. Depending on the lenses you are using, it may be more practical to use a screw-in polarizer with your matte box instead of 4x5.65. That way you can still use rods, top flag, and minimize vignetting that might occur when rotating your matte box vertical on wide lenses.

 

[Satsuki Murashige]

I’m just wondering if the only advantage of a rota pola vs 4x5.65 is being able to reduce the polarization to 1/2, 1/4, strength. I always rotate for full strength polarization anyway.

No, the only advantage of a Rota Pola is the ability to work with matte boxes which do not have a rotating filter stage, like the very popular ARRI LMB-5/15/25. If your matte box already has a rotating stage or a bellows with a circular 4.5” or 138mm round stage, then you don’t really need it (though the little gear wheel is convenient for rotating). You can rotate those filters as much as you like. And of course, if your matte box has no stages at all, then the Rota Pola is useless so you need another solution.

 

[Wesley Forsyth]

Unfortunately, no.



Yes, the rotation angle will be situationally dependent. Depending on the lenses you are using, it may be more practical to use a screw-in polarizer with your matte box instead of 4x5.65. That way you can still use rods, top flag, and minimize vignetting that might occur when rotating your matte box vertical on wide lenses.

This is the answer I was looking for, thank you!

I just bought a 4x5.65 polarizer today, but will probably just end up getting a new mattebox that allows for a rota pola.