filters to snow

Hi!
I need some help: It´s necessary a polarized filter to take photos in the snow? Some tell me that it is necessary and others say the polarized filters distort the colors. I've never used one of these, so I need some opinions about!
Thanks!!

No not at all.
With snow photography keep in mind that the camera meters grey so when confronted with the white snow it will try to make it grey under exposing your photos so you need to over expose your shots.

Polarizes can take out the reflected so it can remove haze and such making colours more brilliant.
It can be that the cheap filters might have a colour cast but ain't sure about that.

I use a pol 90% of the time, only taking it off with low light since it takes away one stop of light.

Well, you could use a grey card and take your light meter reading off that. Not that I have ever done this.
I tend to use the zone system, there is a good tutorial here with a printable zone card at the end of it.

What you do need to do is compensate the exposure for the brightness of the snow. This will fool the camera into under-exposing, so use somewhere from +1 to +2 stops extra exposure.

In theory you should need +3 stops, but on digital I have not found that to be necessary.

Thanks for the help!
I´ll try to get a polarised filter here, only just in case I need it, but I´ll try to make the photos without it, using the over-exposure as you have said.
Thanks again, I really needed this help

Sorry my English is not my native language but now it sounds like a polarised filter will solve the exposure problem but that's not the case!

Here is a tiny bit about those filters link
And here you can see the effect where you can reduce reflection link
Keep in mind though that it can only reduce reflection in one direction, as you can see in the photo it removes the reflection on the side but not the one on the hood of the car since the direction is different you will have the same problem with snow because it isn't smooth.

btw what camera do you use, most of the time the better linear version of the filter works well on Pentax cameras.

Hi Anvh.
My camera is a K-X. Thanks for the links, are very interesting.
My English is not very good too, pardon me if I dont express myself very well !
I wanted to say I'll buy a polarized for tests, but I´ll do the pictures in the snow using the overexposure, without the polarized.
Thanks again!

I often take a reading off my palm and open it up a stop.... when ever I don't have a greycard handy....
learned from experience that is close enough.... usually.
the way to check is to take one reading off a grey card, then in the same light, take another reading off your palm... then figure out how far off grey your palm is... you'll always have your hand handy, even if the greycard is not.

Mountaineering friend of mine used to choose his gloves by their exposure value, in the winter!

Don
Yes I have read that somewhere but couldnt recall ther exact technique, it may have been Brian peterson or Guy Edwards. Thanks for the reminder.

I start the ship travel to the Antartic Base tomorrow, so I will not write again until February, but when I return I will show you the photos. I have taken note your advices and I will use in the glaciers.
Thanks again for all your help, and we talk in February!!

Look forward to seeing them
Have a great trip

Wow Antarctica, have a wonderful trip!