this whole silky water thing..

[480sparky]

1-stop ND filter:

2-stop ND filter:

3-stop ND filter:

4-stop ND filter:

9-stop ND filter:

Graduated ND filter: (These are just about useless in a threaded frame as it forces you to put the graduated portion across the center of the image no matter where you rotate it.... don't bother buying one of these!)

If you want to get a Grad ND, get the square kind... you can adjust them to cover any portion of the scene you want. They come in two flavors (in addition to various stops): Hard-edge:

and soft edge:

... the difference being how gradual the change is.


One other ND filter is available, the Variable ND filter:

It allows several stops of filtering in one. Typically 2-8 stops. These can get pricey, so most people who get one buy one that fits the largest filter they need, and use reducing rings for lenses with smaller filter threads.

 

[Blade Canyon]

Is that variable ND filter simply two stacked circular polarizing filters? I bet that's all it is.

As for rectangular filters, once you buy into the Cokin filter system, you just need to buy an adapter for each lens, and all of your ND/graduated filters work on every lens. It's a pretty decent system.

 

[480sparky]

Is that variable ND filter simply two stacked circular polarizing filters? I bet that's all it is.............

Yep. But stacking two polarizers on your own results in a much thicker stack, and will start to vignette more than a factory set-up.

.........As for rectangular filters, once you buy into the Cokin filter system, you just need to buy an adapter for each lens, and all of your ND/graduated filters work on every lens. It's a pretty decent system.

Any of the square filter systems will work if you want to get into Grad NDs. Some people (myself included) never bother with the adapters. We just use our fingers.

 

[Blade Canyon]

Any of the square filter systems will work if you want to get into Grad NDs. Some people (myself included) never bother with the adapters. We just use our fingers.

Not a bad idea. Now they even make magnetic filters for high quality small cameras (Sony RX-100) that retract the lens when turned off.

 

[Marcel]

Is that variable ND filter simply two stacked circular polarizing filters? I bet that's all it is.

As for rectangular filters, once you buy into the Cokin filter system, you just need to buy an adapter for each lens, and all of your ND/graduated filters work on every lens. It's a pretty decent system.

I'm sorry to say that it does not work with circular polarizers… I tried it and they don't work like the old non circular ones.