Filters vs Bracketing

What is the difference between bracketing and GND filters for landscape photography? I have always relied on my GND filters to properly expose photos, however, the setup and minor adjustments can be a bit time consuming. If bracketing can achieve the same results, if not better, then is there a reason to use GND filters?

Let me know your guys' thoughts and what technique you use.

Bracketing, no matter what, affects the entire exposure across the frame.

GNDs only affect part of the image.

But they're hardly comparable.

I don't understand how bracketing would cause an effect similar to GND. However, you can replace replace physical GND filters in post processing, for example using NIK filters in Photoshop.

Bikerbrent said:

I don't understand how bracketing would cause an effect similar to GND. However, you can replace replace physical GND filters in post processing, for example using NIK filters in Photoshop.

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Bracketing allows you to exposure for the sky and foreground separately giving you a large DNR, ND Grad filters darken (lets say sky) so that the foreground can be correctly exposed giving you a larger DNR. The only issue with ND Grad over bracketing I see is that after bracketing you can shape the brackets around areas where you wanted to preserve and not have dark areas such as mountains or trees in the way.

Bracketing when needed, I do not use filters.

The only filters really needed if you ask me are, ND filter (long exposure waterfalls etc) and Polarizing filter (remove light glare from surface).

The only filter I use is a polariser, any other adjustments I do in PP

I have to agree with Scott. I have just started using it and I prefer it to messing with getting the filters set correctly. I like ND for slowing my exposer for water and such. I also like using a CPL. But since I have started bracketing shots I really like the affect.

JH Foto said:

The only filter I use is a polariser, any other adjustments I do in PP

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You should try an ND filter one day. I can slow my shutter speed without having to wait for evening. (That is, if you're into that type of shooting)

Blacktop said:

You should try an ND filter one day. I can slow my shutter speed without having to wait for evening. (That is, if you're into that type of shooting)

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I find a medium-strength ND handy when shooting in the desert or at the beach as well... Getting wide aperture/shallow DoF shots, even at ISO100, in broad daylight can be difficult in either of those situations. My CPL knocks off a couple stops or so, but I keep a four-stop ND in the bag for these shooting situations.

Scott Murray said:

Bracketing allows you to exposure for the sky and foreground separately giving you a large DNR, ND Grad filters darken (lets say sky) so that the foreground can be correctly exposed giving you a larger DNR. The only issue with ND Grad over bracketing I see is that after bracketing you can shape the brackets around areas where you wanted to preserve and not have dark areas such as mountains or trees in the way.

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Then I take it you process the individual bracketed photos in post-processing using HDR or stacking techniques. Am I understanding this correctly?

Bikerbrent said:

Then I take it you process the individual bracketed photos in post-processing using HDR or stacking techniques. Am I understanding this correctly?

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Yes so you then create a High Dynamic Range image. Maybe more work but can be worth the effort. And now with the Nik plugins its much easier.

Thank you for the responses!

So, what are the benefits of using GND filters over bracketing since both techniques achieve higher dynamic range?

If there there are no advantages of using GND filters, then this opens up so many options as far as wide angle and ultra wide lenses (e.g. getting the 14-24 without worrying about compatible filters).

Thoughts?

hsiehjon said:

Thank you for the responses!

So, what are the benefits of using GND filters over bracketing since both techniques achieve higher dynamic range?

If there there are no advantages of using GND filters, then this opens up so many options as far as wide angle and ultra wide lenses (e.g. getting the 14-24 without worrying about compatible filters).

Thoughts?

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A graduated Neutral Density filter does not, to my way of thinking, increase dynamic range; it decreases exposure in part of the frame (e.g. the sky), so you can better balance the overall exposure/avoid clipping in either the highlights or the shadows.

That might sound like I'm splitting hairs (and maybe I am) but there's a clear distinction to be made, I think, between using HDR to capture a dynamic range greater than what the camera could record in a single frame, and reducing exposure in part of the frame to better balance overall exposure.
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hsiehjon said:

Thank you for the responses!

So, what are the benefits of using GND filters over bracketing since both techniques achieve higher dynamic range?

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The benefits are that you get the image right in camera and it reduces your editing time.

hsiehjon said:

If there there are no advantages of using GND filters, then this opens up so many options as far as wide angle and ultra wide lenses (e.g. getting the 14-24 without worrying about compatible filters).

Thoughts?

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I would definitely get the 14-24 out and use bracketing when needed. But you may still need a polarizing filter for certain photos.

Horoscope Fish said:

A graduated Neutral Density filter does not, to my way of thinking, increase dynamic range; it decreases exposure in part of the frame (e.g. the sky), so you can better balance the overall exposure/avoid clipping in either the highlights or the shadows.

That might sound like I'm splitting hairs (and maybe I am) but there's a clear distinction to be made, I think, between using HDR to capture a dynamic range greater than what the camera could record in a single frame, and reducing exposure in part of the frame to better balance overall exposure.
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Decreasing exposure in that section of the image is increasing the cameras dynamic range to capture the otherwise over exposed section. A Grad ND filter allows you to expose for the foreground so it is correctly exposed and keeps the maybe brighter sky exposed. Otherwise the sky would be blown out as the cameras DR could not cater for both. So to me it does increase the range of the camera sensor.

Scott Murray said:

Decreasing exposure in that section of the image is increasing the cameras dynamic range to capture the otherwise over exposed section. A Grad ND filter allows you to expose for the foreground so it is correctly exposed and keeps the maybe brighter sky exposed. Otherwise the sky would be blown out as the cameras DR could not cater for both. So to me it does increase the range of the camera sensor.

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Oh I understand how GND's work, and I can see/understand the argument you're making... Something about it bothers me, though, and I can't quite put my finger on why. I guess it still seems like two different things to me somehow.
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Horoscope Fish said:

Oh I understand how GND's work, and I can see/understand the argument you're making... Something about it bothers me, though, and I can't quite put my finger on why. I guess it still seems like two different things to me somehow.
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Haha it probably isn't right but its the way I think it works. Could be well and truly wrong

Having had some down-time to think about this...

I don't think the dynamic range of the camera being increased; that to me seems like a hard-wired limitation of the sensor itself. To my understanding the sensor simply has X amount of DR, say 12-stops for instance, and that never changes. How could it? What DOES change when we use a neutral density filter is how much DR we are allowing to reach the sensor.

Lets say without an ND filter we have a scene that requires 12-stops of DR. This is two-stops more than our theoretical camera body can record. If we then put a three-stop ND filter between the scene and the sensor the overall DR of the scene reaching the sensor is reduced from 12-stops to 9-stops and the latter range, 9-stops, is below the sensors threshold and so can be captured fully in a single frame. Whether the ND filter is graduated or not, I don't think matters; the same principles would seem to me to apply.
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ND's don't change the dynamic range of anything. They merely cut the amount of light that passes through them.

GNDs do not change the dynamic range of the camera. They change the dynamic range of the scene.