Automatically controlled polarizing filter

I - personally - would not like such a device. Reason is simple: What if I like to change the polarization amount?

It's like the zoom buttons on P&S cameras. I wouldn't want such on my SLR.


Happy shooting,
Yakim.

[Guym]

Hi guys. Thanks for the answers. Since my friend is really the expert and I'm just trying to help him I'm attaching the description from the patent office. Basically this patent is more relavant to movie's photopraphy. I hope it help to shed some light on the patent.

Abstract
A method and device for automatically controlling a polarizing filter, featuring automatically sensing, measuring, and analyzing at least one parameter associated with direction of a polarizing filter by an electronic direction/motion sensing mechanism, receiving a signal from the electronic direction/motion sensing mechanism relating to the at least one parameter associated with direction of the polarizing filter by a rotation control circuit, and receiving a signal from the rotation control circuit relating to the at least one parameter associated with direction of the polarizing filter by a polarizing filter rotating mechanism for automatically rotating the polarizing filter. The invention is primarily directed to applications of a polarizing filter in the field of photography, however, it clearly can be directed to applications of a polarizing filter in a variety of other fields involving the use of electromagnetic radiation for viewing, imaging and/or projecting through short or long distances, for example, involving the use of a microscope, binoculars, a telescope, or a laser beam device.

[BernardLanguillier]

Besides, it would obviously require 2 exact same passes to be of any possible use...

Otherwise there can be no garantee that the maximum polarization achievable at the left end of the panning can be equal to the minimum effect achievable on the right of the panning.

Regards,
Bernard

[BryanHansel]

I doubt I'd buy such a device, and with wide angles and panning, I doubt it would be that useful, because the effect with wide angles varies even across the lens.  Maybe with a 50mm or for movies.

[Guym]

I have a friend who invented an automatic controlled polarizing filter and wrote a patent.
As you know, today when the cameraman pan his camera he has to adjust the polarizing filter manually. This patent solve the cumbersome process of manually adjusting the filter.
We are trying to understand if there will be demand for this kind on device and I was hoping to hear your thoughts or suggestions how to take it forward.

[Jonathan Wienke]

How would the device know the angle of incidence of the lighting relative to the camera? And if it could know that somehow, how would that translate to knowing the correct angle for the desired effect?

[Graham Welland]

I doubt that it would be useful for still photography since I assume that the real benefit is when panning and trying to keep constant polarization.

I'm sure that unless the solution was tiny and built into the polarizer it would be pretty cumbersome and need attachment to a tripod or gyro to determine position and position change.

[gwarrellow]

I can't think that it would be of great interest in still photography because the photographer wishes to control the filter effect.  It could have some utility in high-end panoramic photography though, particularly with the automatic panning devices such as:

http://www.roundshot.ch/xml_1/internet/de/...cation/f469.cfm

Presumably this would be a very expensive "accesory" so it would only be pertinent to high-end, probably professional applications.

Good luck to your friend.  Let us know what happens.
Graham