HeY everyone, I was wondering if you could give me some advice on Neutral Density filter, I was thinking about getting some, but my local camera shop doesnt seem to have any in.
So really Any advice would be lovely and where to get then on the interent but not to highly priced :)
Tom I don't know much about ND filters, but I did buy a cheap one recently from ebay (cost me about £6). I went for an ND16 but I think I went too high and I would have been better with maybe an ND8/ND10. Unless I'm taking a picture in very bright daylight, with this ND on it the picture is very under exposed (whereas without it was so overexposed that i just got a white screen!).
I'm pretty pleased with it although I haven't played that much yet. The only downside to mine, which could be because of it being an ND16 is that the pictures have a blue tinge to them but I have compensated for that with the white balance. However, it does still remain slightly. Hope this gives a little help.
This is the first proper attempt I've had with it - shot at lunchtime on a bright partly sunny day.
Well worth the investment and on the scale of photographic accessories it is just above the neck strap in cost if purchased on Amazon. On really bright days it lets me take a photo without looking washed out. It also lets you capture water flow by letting the shutter stay open longer by not letting in as much light. I noticed a change on bright days immediately.
If your local camera store does not have them, I hope you can shop somewhere else.
Anyway, there are grad (gradient) filters, which are hard to find, These are best for darkening a bright sky against a darker foreground (good for balancing exposure).
You can get various densities (.3, .6, .9, 1.2).
Seriously, you have to know how to use them and when. Different times of the day can produce horrible results if not used properly.
So, if you are reading about these, and thinking "wow, sounds cool", stay away. They are very specific and require more work than what they sound to get it right.
I have had a LOT of experience with ND filters...because I love them so much. Unfortunately, and something that I just realized, I haven't posted any photos on the 365 using my ND filters.
ND filters are amazing little things, and I rank them third in the list of most important filters to own (after UV and Circular Polarizer filters).
However, I have a very, very strong word of caution: do not buy cheap ND filters. Don't buy off-brand filters, don't buy the ones of eBay that are made in China and only costs $3 for a an entire set, and don't buy Cokin filters. I have experience with all these, and I can tell you without a doubt: they are not neutral. Each brand casts a particular color effect on your photos that will ruin the color balance and in most cases it can't be corrected in Photoshop. Cokin, for example, casts a slight gray color and the ones from China are purple. The stronger the filter, the stronger the affect.
I now own Tiffen ND filters and they are amazing. The only disadvantage is they are screw-on filters, so I had to buy a set (ND3, ND6, and ND9) for each lens. They run anywhere from $15 for a 52mm ND3 up to $150 for a 77mm ND9. It is worth it, though, since they have no affect on the color balance of the images.
One final input: check out the Vari-ND. I absolutely love this thing, but at $350 even I haven't been able to afford one yet (it's on my short list). The Vari-ND allows you to affix just a single screw-on filter and rotate it to adjust from an ND3 to and ND9. It is amazing, and just what you would need in changing light conditions. Check out their site here: http://www.singh-ray.com/varind.html
Most people are eager, just like I was, to jump at the chance to get a full set of ND filters shipped from China off eBay. But I was extremely disappointed when none of my photos turned out good enough to use. It will take some money, but invest in good filters.
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
I'm pretty pleased with it although I haven't played that much yet. The only downside to mine, which could be because of it being an ND16 is that the pictures have a blue tinge to them but I have compensated for that with the white balance. However, it does still remain slightly. Hope this gives a little help.
This is the first proper attempt I've had with it - shot at lunchtime on a bright partly sunny day.
Anyway, there are grad (gradient) filters, which are hard to find, These are best for darkening a bright sky against a darker foreground (good for balancing exposure).
You can get various densities (.3, .6, .9, 1.2).
Seriously, you have to know how to use them and when. Different times of the day can produce horrible results if not used properly.
So, if you are reading about these, and thinking "wow, sounds cool", stay away. They are very specific and require more work than what they sound to get it right.
ND filters are amazing little things, and I rank them third in the list of most important filters to own (after UV and Circular Polarizer filters).
However, I have a very, very strong word of caution: do not buy cheap ND filters. Don't buy off-brand filters, don't buy the ones of eBay that are made in China and only costs $3 for a an entire set, and don't buy Cokin filters. I have experience with all these, and I can tell you without a doubt: they are not neutral. Each brand casts a particular color effect on your photos that will ruin the color balance and in most cases it can't be corrected in Photoshop. Cokin, for example, casts a slight gray color and the ones from China are purple. The stronger the filter, the stronger the affect.
I now own Tiffen ND filters and they are amazing. The only disadvantage is they are screw-on filters, so I had to buy a set (ND3, ND6, and ND9) for each lens. They run anywhere from $15 for a 52mm ND3 up to $150 for a 77mm ND9. It is worth it, though, since they have no affect on the color balance of the images.
One final input: check out the Vari-ND. I absolutely love this thing, but at $350 even I haven't been able to afford one yet (it's on my short list). The Vari-ND allows you to affix just a single screw-on filter and rotate it to adjust from an ND3 to and ND9. It is amazing, and just what you would need in changing light conditions. Check out their site here: http://www.singh-ray.com/varind.html
Most people are eager, just like I was, to jump at the chance to get a full set of ND filters shipped from China off eBay. But I was extremely disappointed when none of my photos turned out good enough to use. It will take some money, but invest in good filters.