The 7 Best Polarizer Lens Filters

If you’re a photographer interested in landscapes and outdoor photography, one of the first camera accessories you should have is the best polarizer lens filter. With such an accessory, you can produce clear and crisp outdoor images.

While most people would buy filters as a tool to protect the camera lens from dirt, scratches, and water damage, polarizer lens filters are more than just that. Typically mounted on the secondary ring that manually rotates the lens to focus, polarizing filters help make certain colors pop by saturating colors. Also, it eliminates glare and reflections on surfaces such as water and glass. Generally, polarizing filters come in two formats: linear and circular. Linear polarizing filter lenses are used on manual-focus camera lenses, while circular polarizing filter lenses are designed to fit and work accordingly with either an auto or manual-focus lens. Taking this into consideration, do you have any idea what is the best polarizer lens filter? If not, we prepared a list of some of the best polarizing filters that you can use to better capture landscapes and other outdoor scenic.

Comparison Chart

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Altura Photo Professional Photography Filter Kit 

Listed as one of the best-selling and top-rated lenses in the market nowadays, the Altura Photo Professional Photography Filter Kit is an extremely affordable choice for those looking for a cheap option for the best polarizer lens filter.  

Product Highlights

Primarily praised for its notably cheap price, the Altura Photo Professional Photography Filter Kit features high-quality optical filters that help in lens protection and image enhancement. Compatible with various lenses, this filter kit protects your camera lens from scratches and dirt, and debris that can affect the quality of images captured. 

The Good 

What is extremely impressive with the Altura Photo Professional Photography Filter Kit is that it comes with UV, CPL Polarizer, Neutral Density ND4 filters, a padded filter pouch, as well as a MagicFiber Microfiber Lens Cleaning Cloth. Aside from that, it is a fairly reliable filter that removes unwanted glare and controls your exposure and depth of field when shooting in bright light. 

The Bad 

Unfortunately, reviews for the Altura Photo Professional Photography Filter Kit complained that the filters are nowhere near the quality as advertised. It produces noticeable ghosting and flares when used. On top of that, the filters are made using plastic instead of glass.  

K&F CONCEPT FADER FILTER

The K&F Concept Fader  Filter is an amazing filter engineered and optimized to perform exceptionally better than other filters available in the market nowadays. 

Product Highlights

The K&F Concept Fader Filter is made using Completed Professional Optical Glasses offer better light reduction capacity and color balance. Furthermore, this product features newly developed and engineered Nano coating layer technology that keeps the filter waterproof, scratchproof, and includes anti-reflective green coating to protect the filter from oil, fingerprint, and scratches. 

The Good 

Aside from the materials used on this filter, the K&F Concept Fader Filter also features an ultra-slim design that helps prevent persistent vignette issues for wide-angle shots. Aside from that, this filter also includes heavy-duty aviation aluminum frames that ensure the product's security and durability. 

The Bad 

Several reviews expressed their disappointment with the K&F Concept Fader Filter due to false advertisements about its features and shooting capacities. Furthermore, several users still noticed the persistent X-mark spots and vignette issues, particularly in dark settings.   

AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Camera Photography Lens Filter

If you’re looking for professional quality, the AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Camera Photography Lens Filter offers top tier performance that easily makes it arguably the best polarizer lens filter in the market today. 

Product Highlights

Compatible with a variety of camera lenses, the AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Camera Photography Lens Filter is made using high-quality glass material that provides protection, deepen color intensity and contrast, as well as eliminate glares. Ideal for outdoor photography, this polarizer lens filter is sure to produce better quality images. 

The Good 

This product is listed as one of the best selling and top-rated polarizer lens filters in the market nowadays. What is even more impressive with the AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Camera Photography Lens Filter is that it's relatively cheaper compared to other products with nearly the same qualities.  

The Bad 

Reviews for the AmazonBasics Circular Polarizer Camera Photography complain primarily about the uneven polarization of the lens filter. Aside from that, some users noticed a notable brownish tint present when using the product.  

Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Filter 

The Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Filter comes in a surprisingly slim and compact design and is available in several variants of different stopping powers. 

Product Highlights

The Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Filter is known for its quality built and performance both produced using Firecrest technology. Featuring Schott Superwite glass that is considered the finest optic glass available, the Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest produced fine neutral images perfect for long exposure photography. 

The Good 

Compatible with photo, video, broadcast, and cinema productions, the Formatt Hitech Firecrest Filter features Firecrest technology that allows it to be neutral across all spectrum why effectively reducing light at the designated stop. Aside from that, the technology used in this filter makes it UV, visible, and infrared resistant while also being waterproof and scratchproof. 

The Bad 

While the Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Filter undoubtedly performs well, one of the most notable downfalls of this product is that it is much more expensive than other filters available in the market. Aside from that, some users noticed significant color casting when using this particular filter. 

Ice Slim Filter Set

The ICE Slim Filter Set is another mid-value quality filter that provides amazing performance and ensures the product’s versatility and durability. 

Product Highlights

Ideal for wide-angle shots, the ICE Slim Filter Set is built with a luxurious-looking matte black frame and high-quality glass material that effectively reduce light without notable color cast issues. For a rather cheap product, the Ice Slim Filter Set performs extremely well. 

The Good 

Considering its price, the ICE Slim Filter Set offers high-quality results. Several reviews noted having clear and detailed images without experiencing common filter issues such as vignettes and X-marks on their pictures. 

The Bad 

Several reviews also mentioned having difficulty handling the filter as the threads do not come on and off the camera easily. Aside from that, the Ice Slim Filter's performance is rather inconsistent and depends primarily on the photographer's adjustment. 

Breakthrough Photography X4 Circular Polarizer Filter 

Coming from one of the most known and trusted in the industry, the Breakthrough Photography brand is famous for creating high-quality products that offer amazing performance at all times. 

Product Highlights

Dubbed as the world’s most color neutral polarizer, the Breakthrough Photography X4 Circular Polarizer Filter is made with an all-new and internally developed CPL film that provides amazing quality color neutral performance and optical clarity. Aside from that, this filter also comes with state-of-the-art MRC and nanotech coatings that further protect the lens from any damage.  

The Good 

Compatible with all 60mm camera lenses, the Breakthrough Photography X4 Circular Polarizer Filter is notable for gradual transmission decrease from 600nm onward. It also features a stable transmission into IR without the unwanted curve spike. This results in clear and crisp images with no unwanted color cast. 

The Bad 

While there is not much to say about the Breakthrough Photography X4 Circular Polarizer Filter, some reviews noted that the lens has inconsistent scratch resistance and creates notable vignetting on the images. 

KENKO  Pro  Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filters 

Coming from a renowned Japanese brand, the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter ensures quality material and performance for the best results. 

Product Highlights

The KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter uses engineered glass and has an effective light-reducing capacity. It is a viable solar filter option if you want to capture the sun or simply reduce light in your photography. 

The Good 

Aside from the material used in the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter, this product comes in 76mm and 100mm variants and is easily attached and detached from the camera using the camera’s leading edge. 

The Bad 

While there aren't any bad reviews about the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter, some user nitpicks mentioned that the Japanese packaging makes it hard to set up the filter. The lack of a hard case or storage makes it difficult to properly store and be protected from scratches and damage. 

Conclusion

Considering the plethora of choices available in the market nowadays, choosing the best polarizer lens filter can be difficult, especially for a beginner. Generally, polarizing lens filters help in changing the way your camera sees and treats light. Thus, it is highly suitable for outdoor photography that does not have any controlled light source. Most of the time, polarizing filters have a notable impact on the way the camera captures water, the sky, reflections, and other colors by reducing the glare and enhancing color intensity and contrasts.

Some of the features and factors that you should consider when choosing the best polarizer lens filter include its lens protection features such as UV protection and scratch resistance and its capability to change exposure depending on what is needed for the shot. All in all, it is important to remember that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to have a quality polarizing filter. There is a wide range of choices for the best filter under different price points. Know more about lens filters.

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