Do Polarizing Filters Reduce Light Significantly
Polarizing filters reduce light by 1 to 2 stops, acting like mild neutral density filters. Learn how this light loss affects your photography settings.
StingPhotography · free photography reference
Photography, by the numbers.
Calculators and a searchable database of 1,850 cameras, 1,000 lenses, 800 film stocks, golden-hour times for 650 cities and field guides for 608 species — every figure computed from published specs and physics.
Calculators
All tools
Depth of fieldNear/far sharpness & hyperfocal for any lens.Golden hourGolden & blue hour for your GPS position.ExposureEquivalent exposures & EV.ND filterLong exposures with a countdown timer.NPF / 500 ruleSharp stars, every time.Crop factorFull-frame equivalents.Print sizePixels to inches & cm.All 12 toolsField of view, time-lapse, flash…
Explore the database
1,850CamerasSensor sizes, crop factors, lens equivalents and DoF for every model.1,000LensesEquivalents on every format, bokeh index and compatible bodies.87Lens mounts & adaptersFlange distances and 300 adapter combinations.800Film stocksISO, process, formats, exposure and push/pull.650Golden hour cities12-month light tables for cities worldwide.608Wildlife guidesLens, settings and season for birds & mammals.369DoF tablesEvery focal length × aperture × format.323EXIF tagsMetadata reference with ExifTool & Python.
Camera settings cheat sheets
All 55- Milky Way photographyf/1.4–f/2.8 · 10–25 s
- Fireworksf/8–f/11 · 2–8 s
- Outdoor portraitsf/1.8–f/2.8 · 1/250 s+
- Sunset photographyf/8–f/11 · As metered
- Silky waterfallsf/8–f/16 · 1/4–2 s
- Birds in flight1/2500–1/4000 s · f/6.3–f/8
- Northern lights (aurora)f/1.4–f/2.8 · 1–8 s
- Outdoor sports1/1000–1/2000 s · f/2.8–f/5.6
Wildlife field guides
608 species
MallardDucks, Geese, and Swans
Great Blue HeronHerons, Egrets, and Bitterns
American RobinThrushes
Canada GooseDucks, Geese, and Swans
White-tailed DeerDeer
Northern CardinalCardinals and Allies
Eastern Gray SquirrelSquirrels
Red-tailed HawkHawks, Eagles, and Kites
House FinchFinches, Euphonias, and Allies
House SparrowOld World Sparrows Popular references
Latest articles
Best Polarizers for Water Reflections and Glare Control
Circular polarizers are the standard choice for reducing water glare. High-quality glass filters provide the sharpest results for clear, deep reflections.
Using Circular Polarizers on Wide-Angle Lenses Without Vignetting
Yes, you can use a circular polarizer on a wide-angle lens without vignetting. Choose slim-profile filters or step-up rings to avoid dark corners.
Best Circular Polarizers for Landscapes and Sharpness
The best circular polarizers for landscapes are high-transmission glass filters like the B+W Kaesemann or Breakthrough Photography X4, which offer 99% clarity.
How to Choose the Right Size Polarizer for Your Camera Lens
Match the filter thread diameter printed on your lens barrel to the polarizer size. Using the correct diameter prevents vignetting and light leaks.
Is a Circular Polarizer Worth Buying for Your Camera Lens
A circular polarizer is worth buying for photographers who shoot outdoors, as it removes glare and boosts color saturation that software cannot replicate.
Open data, transparent math
Specifications are merged from 14 public sources — Wikipedia, Wikidata, Lensfun, openMVG, GeoNames, iNaturalist, ExifTool and more — then every derived number (crop factor, depth of field, NPF rule, print size, sun position) is calculated with documented formulas. How we calculate · All sources
7,051pages
1,850cameras
1,000lenses
650cities
14open sources