Neutral Density Filter

[Brett9917]

Hey guys,
I am looking for a decent ND filter. I have seen prices from $7 -$300. What is the difference in quality, and what should I be looking for? If it helps, most of my uses would be for panning/motion blur with the occasional water fall shot... which would still be motion blur I guess.

Thanks in advance.

 

[IPT]

Lots of folk will have different thigns to say about this. Likely the more you pay the better the glass. Put cheep glass in front of your super expensive optics and, well, you get the point.

That being said depending on how much you are wanting to do sometimes just using a polarizer, stopping down, and dropping the ISO will do the job. It's been a long time since I used ND filters but I used Cokin in the past. Far from top of the line, but it got the job done. I also wasn't making a living from photography at that time (not now either for that matter) and wasn't making super huge enlargements. I inspect my images a lot more harshly now but back then with a little looser quality control I was okay with the images I used them on.

 

[Brett9917]

Thanks for the help! I had been looking at the Cokin P series line already since they seem fairly easy to interchange with their other filters. And like you said they aren't top of the line filters, but I am not a top of the line photographer either so it works. Haha

 

[BlueCorn]

Cokin is "okay" and certainly a relatively inexpensive way to experiment. The problem with their ND stuff is that it's really no neutral; i.e. they can cause color casts. You might never notice but it bugs the crap out of me. :lol:

 

[IPT]

just a word to the wise. If you are using a ND filter, especially a graduated one you are usually better off hand holding it and moving it gently throughout the exposure to further soften the transistion. Personally I do my graduated stuff in PS now with multiple exposures but many still use the ND filters.

 

[Brett9917]

IPT, if you are talking about HDR, I have tried my hand at them and they seem to be more work than they are worth...
But I really want the filter for panning, eg: at a race track... Multiple exposures won't help that.

beerguy, as far as not noticing the color casts, only trial and error will see if I do not

 

[addicted2reefin]

i just bought a cokin p mount and singh-ray makes filters for them. i lost my p mount grad wednesday .

I own a cokin cpl filter and its great but i was very displeased with the quality of the p mount nd filter. Also with the p mounts you can get reflections from stuff behind you in your images due to open space between filters. Tiffen and hoya make good filters. Personally I bought my ND filter at RITZ and its quantaray brand and its pretty good.

 

[IPT]

Yeah, multiple exp won't help you there. I was thinking more for landscape tryp stuff. It just drives me nuts when trees break the horizon and the top half of them are dark from the graduated ND. I prefer the result of blending images though it can be more work for sure.

 

[Brett9917]

Sorry for the late response guys, I was out of town for the week.
@addicted2reefin: I originally tried get the Ritz Quantaray version, but they don't get ND filters any more... at least not at the my local one... almost called it the LFS lol

@IPT: I see what you mean about trees being different shades due to the filter.
Are there just graduated ND filters, or are there ND filters that are equally dark through the whole filter? (whatever the proper term for non-graduated is)

 

[IPT]

yes, there are solid ND filters. Used to make any exposure long (covers the entire lens and just holds back light). I think thet go pretty high stop wise - like 6 or 12 stops, or something crazy like that. Essentailly a polarizer acts like a ND filter. Usually about 2 stops if I remember right.

 

[Brett9917]

Hmmm, that sounds like what I need a solid ND filter. I don't know if I need one that reduces it by 12 stops, that would like if I am taking pictures on the sun... lol

 

[Dino]

yes, there are solid ND filters. Used to make any exposure long (covers the entire lens and just holds back light). I think thet go pretty high stop wise - like 6 or 12 stops, or something crazy like that. Essentailly a polarizer acts like a ND filter. Usually about 2 stops if I remember right.

I think when I was looking the hardest I could find in a single filter was 10 stops (of course you could always stack them for more), which is enough to make several minute exposures in midday sun if you want. I've seen some cool long exposures done with them though.

 

[BlueCorn]

I've got a B+W 10 stop. It's very cool but adds some complexity to the shot. 30 seconds is the longest most cameras can set for shutterspeed without dropping to bulb mode. So what you have to do is compose and meter the shot without the filter (because you can't see through the camera with it on unless it's VERY bright), and then do the math to come up with the correct exposure time. I'm lazy so I created an iPhone app that I use to do that calculation.

 

[Brett9917]

What about an Android based app? lol

I would love to get B+W, but my 70-300 Sigma is a 58mm and my 18-55mm Nikkor is 52mm so I would like to get something with the P-filter mount so I only have to buy each adapter, then any filter would only need to be purchased once.... Any recommendations that way?

 

[BlueCorn]

The problem with the p-mount when using basically opaque filters is that there can be light leakage in the sides.

If I had to match that kit, I'd get the 58mm and then a 58 to 52 adapter.

 

[Brett9917]

Hmmm, I see what you mean... does the light leakage happen often?

 

[BlueCorn]

It's there all the time. On normal exposure times it's not a big deal. With a 10 stop, it can be a very big deal.

 

[Brett9917]

Alrighty then, I will look at getting the B+W with an adapter ring as well.