There has been a demand for an
optical film having excellent glass-range photoelastic coefficient and a polarizing plate which uses this
optical film. The present invention provides an
optical film which is characterized by containing an ester-based resin that contains 50% by mole or more of a
fumaric acid ester residue unit represented by formula (1) and having a negative
birefringence, and a
photoelasticity regulator having a positive
birefringence, and which is also characterized in that the absolute value of the glass-range photoelastic coefficient thereof is 5×10−12 Pa−1 or less.(In the formula, each of R1 and R2 independently represents a linear
alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a branched
alkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or a cyclic
alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms.)