what neutral density filter
- Thread starter egosbar
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Scott Murray
Senior Member
You can get reasonable slowness for water falls if you use Aperture 20+ and low ISO 100 or less.
There are a lot of ND filters out there with varying prices so it also all depends on your budget. I would get a Circular polarising first and see if that slows it down enough with a small aperture.
There are a lot of ND filters out there with varying prices so it also all depends on your budget. I would get a Circular polarising first and see if that slows it down enough with a small aperture.
You need big stoper (10 stop).
The Big Stopper from LEE Filters - 10 Stop Neutral Density Filter
The Big Stopper from LEE Filters - 10 Stop Neutral Density Filter
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
1. Go with a 9-10 stop filter as others will never slow a waterfall down enough on a sunny day, and you can always raise ISO with a 9-10 stop to match the lesser filters (1, 2, 3 stop) but not the other way around.
2. Go with a larger filter (77mm or larger), but invest in step rings. They are cheap and will a) prevent any accidental movement from bumping in to the camera while holding it, and b) will prevent any accidental reflections and stray light issues if they are held too far away.
3. Avoid variable ND's at all costs. They work well up to about 6 stops and then begin to produce hot spots and lines. I've bought and returned 3 "good ones" and they were all the same.
4. If you have a smart phone download the NDTimer app. It will tell you precisely what your exposure should be when you plug in the exposure without the filter. It will also allow you to stack multiple ND filters if you ever want to do that.
5. Always meter in direct light first and not through the 9-10 stop, it will be more accurate - unless removing is problematic, in which case be prepared to work in Aperture Priority mode once for a test shot, then plug those settings into Manual and adjust accordingly depending on how the first shot works.
2. Go with a larger filter (77mm or larger), but invest in step rings. They are cheap and will a) prevent any accidental movement from bumping in to the camera while holding it, and b) will prevent any accidental reflections and stray light issues if they are held too far away.
3. Avoid variable ND's at all costs. They work well up to about 6 stops and then begin to produce hot spots and lines. I've bought and returned 3 "good ones" and they were all the same.
4. If you have a smart phone download the NDTimer app. It will tell you precisely what your exposure should be when you plug in the exposure without the filter. It will also allow you to stack multiple ND filters if you ever want to do that.
5. Always meter in direct light first and not through the 9-10 stop, it will be more accurate - unless removing is problematic, in which case be prepared to work in Aperture Priority mode once for a test shot, then plug those settings into Manual and adjust accordingly depending on how the first shot works.
RockyNH_RIP
Senior Member
Jake, thanks for sharing all of that! I ended up doing the 77 (my largest lens size) and step up rings as you suggested. Easy to do!
Pat in NH
I find my Singh-Ray works just fine up to 8-1/3 stops.
ND filters is my project for next month, I will not use it very much, but I just hate that I can not control the blown out light above the horizon compared to a landscape in the shade. So my main goal is a graduated ND or Blue, but I will use neutral NDs as well.
The alternative would be HDR techniques, but till now that did not convince me.
I decided to go for the Cokin Z-Pro, since I use a 11mm lens and want to control the height the graduated filter comes. Even if it is a bit pricy, it is not something that will go out of fashion.
The alternative would be HDR techniques, but till now that did not convince me.
I decided to go for the Cokin Z-Pro, since I use a 11mm lens and want to control the height the graduated filter comes. Even if it is a bit pricy, it is not something that will go out of fashion.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
As always, YMMV.If you are shooting landscapes/seascapes using a graduated ND filter along with a 10 stop works great.
Attach your ND grad and adjust to required height(dark part of the grad covering the sky) meter your shot for correct exposure, work out what that would be with a 10 stop attached and dial that setting in. Attach your 10 stop and either use a remote or your delayed timer n camera to avoid any movement.
I use live view with this method and focus manually to get (hopefully) the sharpest shot. I select a focus point approx a third of the way up the image usually, use the zoom view on live view to zoom all the way in and then manual focus.
Im im using the lee filter system. They are expensive but they work really well and they are something I use on approx 80% of my shots. I use mainly a .9 hard grad ND which blocks 3 stops of light and the big stopper which blocks 10.
Whatever you ðecide to go for they will give you much more control over what you want to shoot and they are great to experiment with and learn about.
Attach your ND grad and adjust to required height(dark part of the grad covering the sky) meter your shot for correct exposure, work out what that would be with a 10 stop attached and dial that setting in. Attach your 10 stop and either use a remote or your delayed timer n camera to avoid any movement.
I use live view with this method and focus manually to get (hopefully) the sharpest shot. I select a focus point approx a third of the way up the image usually, use the zoom view on live view to zoom all the way in and then manual focus.
Im im using the lee filter system. They are expensive but they work really well and they are something I use on approx 80% of my shots. I use mainly a .9 hard grad ND which blocks 3 stops of light and the big stopper which blocks 10.
Whatever you ðecide to go for they will give you much more control over what you want to shoot and they are great to experiment with and learn about.
I do not understand this, ever tried to work with a cheaper 500mm at best f8 in the underbush to shoot moving animals. ISO 1600 and up are needed for quite some shooting and it is one of the points where Nikon keeps beating Canon for the moment it seems.
Ever notice I don't take many wildlife shots?
Why do I need ISO 16 quadrillion for landscapes? Instead of degrading images with the introduction of a filter, I'd rather be able to dial down my ISO to single digits and get nice, crisp, clear images of silky, flowing water.
And save the cost of a $200 10-stop and a $500 VND.
Ever notice I don't take many wildlife shots?
Why do I need ISO 16 quadrillion for landscapes? Instead of degrading images with the introduction of a filter, I'd rather be able to dial down my ISO to single digits and get nice, crisp, clear images of silky, flowing water.
And save the cost of a $200 10-stop and a $500 VND.
I see the point of avoiding extra things in between the sensor and the subject.
But silky water is never crisp or clear.
Quickly checking there is no brand going for ISO below 50 it seems (like it was on film), technical reason or is there no market for it?
But the rocks, leaves, trees etc. should be.
My guess is the manufacturers are giving the majority what they want..... high ISOs.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Get a couple of large Cokin square ND filters and was said here hold it in front of the lens.
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Ever notice I don't take many wildlife shots?
Why do I need ISO 16 quadrillion for landscapes? Instead of degrading images with the introduction of a filter, I'd rather be able to dial down my ISO to single digits and get nice, crisp, clear images of silky, flowing water.
And save the cost of a $200 10-stop and a $500 VND.
What new digital camera goes below iso 50 I think your stuck in the good old film era !
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
Dear GAWD... So very much this. I think ISO 4 might be a dream but jeez, can I at *least* have ISO-FREAKING-25 pretty please with freaking sugar on top, Nikon? I mean, really; would that be so hard? From a technical standpoint I'm thinking it would be a piece of cake, at least compared to making the sensor *more* sensitive... But what do I know.
Still, I think I'd cry like a scolded schoolgirl if I could have ISO 4...
.....