Grad ND filter for sunsets

C

crunk

New member
Hi there everyone,
New member and first time poster.
I have this lens for my D5100.
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC
I have been experimenting with HDR mode on the camera (this shoots jpeg only which is annoying). I have instead attempted doing a few different exposures with bracketing techniques but struggle to achieve what I want for sunrises/sunsets.

A Graduated Neutral Density filter has been suggested by professional photographers on many websites.
I am based in Melbourne Australia and I'm really not too sure which one to buy or where to look. The tamron has a filter size of 72mm.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you
 
Fred Kingston_RIP

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
Amazon is your friend... There are several kits available that use mylar sheets via a lens adapter that fits varying size filter sizes...

There are single piece filters that rotate to create gradually darker filters...

I would opt for one of the many piece kits because if you buy a new/different sized lens, the adaptors will mostly likely fit whatever size lens you buy, and then you can use the ND filters with more than the one lens size...
 
C

crunk

New member
Thank you for the reply and information! I have been recommended by 3 photographers in stores throughout Melbourne to look at Lee filters.
Do you have any experience with those FredKingston?
 
Fred Kingston_RIP

Fred Kingston_RIP

Senior Member
No. I personally have no experience with that brand. B&H Photo here in the states handle that brand. A quick look at B&H Photo's site shows them to have a very broad catalogue of Lee ND filters... Unless I had a business purpose to buy them, I think their pricing is a bit high... Looks like their target market is the professional photog... As a hobbyist, I'd try one of the less expensive solutions first...
 
S

sam49

Senior Member
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I have just bought some Cokin graduated ND filters but not had time to try them yet
 
J

jwstl

Senior Member
Lee Filters are pretty much at the top of the list of filter manufacturers. If you can afford them you will most certainly be pleased. There are other manufacturers with similar and less expensive filters but be careful of the cheap ones as they tend to add a bit of color to your images. Whatever you do, do not buy screw on Graduated ND filters. You need to be able to accurately position them and you cannot do that if they screw on.
 
C

crunk

New member
Thank you everyone for your replies so far.
I noticed that the Lee Filters are definitely very expensive!

Sam49 and others:
There are 3 kit grad filters which include 0.9 etc. How does one go about deciding what is appropriate for a beginner?


 
R

Rick M

Senior Member
You can get a rectangular cokin ND grad for about $20. I bought one just to hold up to my lens to experiment without paying for a holder or "system". I'm glad I did, they are not for me. If I lived near the ocean I would have invested further, but I don't so I cut my loses.
 
S

sam49

Senior Member
crunk said:
Sam49 and others:
There are 3 kit grad filters which include 0.9 etc. How does one go about deciding what is appropriate for a beginner?
Click to expand...

Hi crunk well that's a good question and I am not going to be able to give you a simple answer.

I only got my filters 3 days ago and I have not had time to try then all out yet, but let me explain in my set there is a filter holder that attaches to the lens then the filters clip into the holder, the holder has three slots so you can fit one, two or three filters at the same time.

Then to make it more complicated the filters are graduated from clear at the bottom and darker at the top, there is no set place in the holder for the filter to sit you can move it up and down in the holder so the further you push it down the darker it gets at the top.

So I can only tell you it seems to me its a lot of trial and error its not as simple as I thought.

In my set there are three filters a P.121 S a P.121 L and a P.121 m

I hope this helps you decide
 
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J

jwstl

Senior Member
crunk said:
Thank you everyone for your replies so far.
I noticed that the Lee Filters are definitely very expensive!

Sam49 and others:
There are 3 kit grad filters which include 0.9 etc. How does one go about deciding what is appropriate for a beginner?
Click to expand...

The numbers will tell you how many stops of light the filter adjusts your exposure. .3 is one stop, .6 is 2 stops etc. The kits unusually include a 1,2, and 3 stop which should cover you in most situations. The other consideration you need to make is whether to use "hard" or "soft" Grad filters. Hard means the line between the clear and dark parts of the filter is very distinct. These are most useful when the areas you want to adjust are straight...as in a straight horizon line. Soft Grad ND filters have a transition from the dark to clear parts of the filter and are most useful when the areas in your image aren't straight. Most people would have both hard and soft to cover all situations.
 
C

crunk

New member
​Thanks again for the replies everyone. Very educational and helpful for such a novice!I'll have to postpone this for a little which due to University exams approaching. I hope that my questions were helpful to others. In a month or two hopefully I have something to show for it!
 
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