Review: Nikon Circular Polarizer II (slim)

It may seem overkill to write a review on a filter, but the bottom line is, there doesn’t seem to be much valuable information out there concerning these rather expensive accessories. So, today I am reviewing the Tiffen Low Light Polarizer.

Nikon is well-known for their filters, but have pared down their line substantially to just the essentials; polarizers, neutral contrast, and soft focus.

The Nikon Circular Polarizer II is a slim, multicoated polarizer known for its high degree of light transmission. It’s stationary and moveable rings combined are s

Build Quality

The best quality aluminum frame there is. Superior mounting of glass elements. Quality metallic silver tampo printing.

Optical Quality

Very neutral with a high degree of effectiveness. You have to point the camera directly into a light source to see any evidence, and even then it’s a subdued green color.

Usability

Thin design is compatible with wide angle lenses. Smooth, moderately damped ring is easy to operate. Fully knurled edges on both the stationary and moveable rings make installation, removal and operation a breeze.

Value

Buy it in a large enough size to fit all your lenses, and it’s value increases as the only polarizer you’ll ever need.

The Bottom Line

This is the least expensive of the top four polarizers on the market, the others being the Hoya Pro1 Digital, The Hoya HD Digital and the Tiffen Digital HT. If you own only one Nikon filter, this is the own to get.