ND Filters

blackwaterstudio

Now that my tax returns are back I'm looking at picking up a ND filter (or set). I'm not up on the filters so all the help you can give me would be great.

What I'm looking for is something I can use on all my lens so I guess I'll have to either have a step down or step up ring also.

My lhree main lens I use are the 50 1.8, 135L, and 300L

If ya'll could point me in the right direction and give me some idea of what I'll need It would be great.

USAIR

Here's a thread to check out this is what I use.
Another link and one more

Fred

pathfinder

You need to be quite clear when discussing ND filters, whether you are referring to ND filters to darken the whole scene so you can use a slow shutter speed in sunlight for a flowing water effect, OR a GRADUATED ND filter for diminishing the light intensity difference between sky and foreground.

Straight NDs can be screw in filters - 4x, 6x 10 x strengths - maybe in 77mm diameter for most Canon lenses

Graduated NDs should not be purchased to thread into a standard filter thread, as this does not allow you to raise or lower the gradient margin to match the scenes light intensity changes. You need a Cokin style mount so you can raise and lower the filter to match the scene. The gradient can be hard to see looking through the viewfinder, and being able to real time raise and lower the filter allows you to identify where the filter effect will show up. Andy captured a shot of me doing this here -

blackwaterstudio

With some help from the guys over at FM.com I found this.

http://www.singh-ray.com/varind.html

Its a Vari-ND filter and offers 2 - 8 stops just by turning it.

Now, my question is this, since it only comes in 77mm can I get step up rings and make it fit my other two lens?

pathfinder

That looks pretty cool - but not cheap at USD $300:):

Art Scott

blackwaterstudio wrote:

With some help from the guys over at FM.com I found this.

http://www.singh-ray.com/varind.html

Its a Vari-ND filter and offers 2 - 8 stops just by turning it.

Now, my question is this, since it only comes in 77mm can I get step up rings and make it fit my other two lens?

You should be able to get stp rings to fit other lens....but that is a solid ND filter and so the effect covers the whole frame....As path finder said, I would suggest COKIN filters especially if you are ever wanting to use a graduated ND filter.

When I was shooting weddings and portraits I quit using screw in filters and went strictly to Ambico and Cokin filters and I did find I need to use with all my lenses and it was much easier to hand hold a filter at times rather than try to screw it in and the Cokin style filter was also cheaper in the respect of buying only one large size and I was good for 35mm or all my 2 1/4 cameras....including my twin lens....so needless to say I have been sold on Cokin style for a very long time....[well over 30 yrs].

blackwaterstudio

pathfinder wrote:

That looks pretty cool - but not cheap at USD $300:):

Yea its not cheap, but I figure by the time I get all the filters, the holders for each len I'd be close to the $300 anyways.

NHBubba

Yeah, I too saw that vari-ND. As has been said, slick, but expensive. In the end I found it too expensive for my needs. I think you can build a set of the most important ND grades in 77mm plus the step up rings for all your filters and still come out ahead.

I passed on graduated ND's. In my opinion they can be faked by bracketing (or shooting in RAW and making multiple 'exposures') and then compositing in post-process by using a gradient fill for the layer mask. In fact I think this gives you more flexibility because it lets you build complex masks that track the horizon. Purists will call this photoshop trickery, I call it getting the job done on my budget.

Get the ND's in the biggest thread you can ever imagine needing and use step down rings. I didn't and am now paying to replace my 58 and 62mm filters w/ 77mm equivalents!

SteveF

Hello,

I shoot landscapes primarily with an 82mm CZ 21. I used the var-ND from Singh with my 77mm 17-40 and liked it so much I had a custom one made for my CZ 21. It is expensive, but one filter in the bag covers a whole range of uses - if you are packing a lot of gear or weight matters it's the way to go.

If you need to be above 77mm there just aren't any good ND options out there which will give you more than 3 stops.

I would also agree with the other post that bracketing and HDR or doing your own masking is simply better than graduated ND filters. You will get perfect results (with some practice) and don't have to carry anything extra.

gus

NHBubba wrote:

(or shooting in RAW and making multiple 'exposures') and then compositing in post-process by using a gradient fill for the layer mask.

NH feel free to demonstrate this if you like. I would love to see how its done with some screen shots to assist.

gus

Guys can you explain 'soft step' & hard step' graduated ND to me please ?

gus

Humungus wrote:

Guys can you explain 'soft step' & hard step' graduated ND to me please ?

ok...found it..its the horizon line being graduation fade or sharp fade.

kdog

Just in case anybody missed it, here's a thread that shows what an ND filter (or two or three) can do in the hands of a creative person. The results can be pretty amazing.

USAIR

kdog wrote:

Just in case anybody missed it, here's a thread that shows what an ND filter (or two or three) can do in the hands of a creative person. The results can be pretty amazing.

Yep that's a good one
And one I didn't miss either

Fred

SCS_Photo

Humungus wrote:

ok...found it..its the horizon line being graduation fade or sharp fade.

It should be noted that on APS sensors the gradation isn't quite as 'sharp.'

NHBubba

Humungus wrote:

NH feel free to demonstrate this if you like. I would love to see how its done with some screen shots to assist.

I actually already did for a friend on another forum. Instead of screen shots I posted the two layers and the mask I used. Hope that's enough..

Foreground..


Sky..


The mask..


Final product..


Now the foreground and sky shots used here actually came from two seperate bracketed shots, but in some cases you might be able to do the same w/ a single RAW..