Hi all, I am looking for some advice on my first neutral density filters. I shoot with a Nikon D7000 and 10-24, 28-300, and 35/1.8. I do a fair amount of travel and outdoor photography, with a lot of fly fishing in the mix. I think I'd like to start with one graduated ND filter for landscape shots, and one non-grad ND filter for water blur photos of rivers, surf, etc (with standing still angler fishing), and then I could use the two in conjunction when appropriate.
I like to keep my setup as simple and compact as possible, and don't do tons of landscape work, so I am thinking of going with 77mm screw-on filters instead of large rectangular ones that I would need a filter holder system for. With this in mind, what brands, models, and strengths would you all recommend for me for starting out based on the mix of photos I'll be looking to take? Are the singh-ray "vari" filters that let you adjust the intensity of the density worth the money? I would rather spend more for quality, but really want to keep this relatively inexpensive as I sell the occasional image to a fly fishing mag but don't make a living on this stuff.
Screw on, circular GND filters are not recommended due to the forced center location of the GND transition. It sounds as if you are familiar with the 85 or 100mm rectangular style filters. Have you considered hand holding the GND filters, especially the larger Lee style (4x6")?
The variable ND filters generally work well from 2-5 ND. On wide angle lenses they tend to produce a very uneven X pattern in excess of 6 ND. The other general limitation is that having at least 3 layers of glass, they are rather deep and can lead to physical vignetting on WA lenses. There are now several competitors to Singh Ray for these variable ND filters including a few Chinese made brands.
Nobody uses circular grad filters because you would have no option in placing the transition area of the filter. With the rectangular grad filters, I believe most pro landscape photogs, like Art Wolfe, do not bother with holders and simply hold it in hand making it easy to position the filter. The Singh-Ray is very expensive but takes the place of multiple filters. Like many I like the B+W filters, but get good results from the less expensive Marumi ones as well. Make sure you get multi-coated for the best results.
surf monkey wrote:
With the rectangular grad filters, I believe most pro landscape photogs, like Art Wolfe, do not bother with holders and simply hold it in hand making it easy to position the filter.
That's not strictly correct, it is certainly a minority, but I think the advice as a whole is good. A 2-stop soft is probably the best general use grad from what I have seen though I have little experience using them. Lee will give you better 'bang for your buck'
Alternatively you could consider exposure blending like I do.
As Mike K has mentioned, threaded GND filters aren't the way to go...your best bet would be a panel filter (4x6 rectangular) for the graduated filter and threaded for the ND type if you don't want to use a holder. However, handholding a GND could become tricky due to the extended shutter speed if you have an ND filter employed at the same time. Also, based on my limited knowledge of fly fishing, I wouldn't think that an angler engaged in fly fishing would be able to remain completely still for a long exposure...you may need to blend two exposures to get the effect that you're looking for. OTOH, a blurred fly fisherman while casting could make for an interesting photograph.
Mike Ganz wrote:
However, handholding a GND could become tricky due to the extended shutter speed if you have an ND filter employed at the same time. Also, based on my limited knowledge of fly fishing, I wouldn't think that an angler engaged in fly fishing would be able to remain completely still for a long exposure...you may need to blend two exposures to get the effect that you're looking for.
Yes, you're absolutely correct. Long exposures would make it difficult to handhold a graduated ND filter. It really depends on how you prefer to work and when filters make sense for your work. If you use graduated filters with long exposures then a Lee or Cokin holder would be a really useful tool.
For me, long exposures using ND filter are taken with exposure bracketing and composed together in Photoshop because I get better results. Usually I use a graduated ND when I'm working quickly and taking lots of shots. In this case I want to get it "right" in-camera and want to minimize my computer processing time. My methods of course are different than most, but it works for me.
In regards to graduated filter recommendations:
Singh-Ray makes the best and are expensive, but worth the price. Start with a 2-stop hard grad and maybe a 3-stop soft grad later. You also might want to checkout the reverse ND filter on the Singh-Ray site.
Lee filters seem to be the "best value" choice.
surf monkey wrote:
In regards to graduated filter recommendations:
Singh-Ray makes the best and are expensive, but worth the price. Start with a 2-stop hard grad and maybe a 3-stop soft grad later. You also might want to checkout the reverse ND filter on the Singh-Ray site.
Lee filters seem to be the "best value" choice.
I would put Lee and Singh Ray in the same category as extremely high grade filters. I have 4x6 grads from each company. I very much prefer the Lee soft grads though. The Singh Ray soft grads are so soft that they don't reach maximum density until the top half inch or so. Effectively, the 2 stop soft grad meters more like 1 stop in normal usage. Also, I really like the lee filter holder (I have both the normal one and the wide angle hood holder) but I prefer the Singh ray filter cases. I replaced my lee filter cases with ones from Singh ray.
Ben Horne wrote:
I would put Lee and Singh Ray in the same category as extremely high grade filters. I have 4x6 grads from each company. I very much prefer the Lee soft grads though. The Singh Ray soft grads are so soft that they don't reach maximum density until the top half inch or so. Effectively, the 2 stop soft grad meters more like 1 stop in normal usage. Also, I really like the lee filter holder (I have both the normal one and the wide angle hood holder) but I prefer the Singh ray filter cases. I replaced my lee filter cases with ones from Singh ray. ...Show more →
I would listen to Ben, and forget anything else that I've written here. I trust his advise over my own.
Hey thanks for all this great advice folks! Decisions decisions... regarding whether a fisherman can hold still long enough, certainly not while actively fishing, but I have seen some great photos where the fisherman is standing on a rock looking at the river or choosing a fly from his box and holding perfectly still so he looks sharp while the river is completely blurred going by...makes for a great shot!
I've just been getting into filters also and have recently been building up my kit. I learned at ton from POTN forums where there is a long thread on GNDs. From that thread I decided on the Lee Foundation Kit (I managed to find it on ebay as its never instock anywhere). I bought the Lee hard edge GND kit (1,2,3stops) and now just bought the 3stop Singh-Ray Reverse ND for the sunsets on the horizon shots. I also picked up a Hitech 10-stop (new version that seals out light properly and fits the Lee holder) as the Lee Big Stopper is impossible to buy. I may still pick up a Lee 2 or 3 stop soft GND but I think the hard edges are more practical even with an uneven horizon. Even the 3-stop hard is not too much of a grad, I don't think I would ever use my 1stop hard but the kit was about the same $ as buying 2 individual ones and I could stack it for 4 stops with the 3stop.
If you decide to handhold than get the hard edge as the minor movements that you will make during a long exposure will soften the edge anyways.
I think you need both soft and hard since the softness/hardness of the transition is dependent on the focal length you're using. Soft grads are also nice to use at an angle when the sun is just out of the frame.
I know people who handhold and move the filter around to soften the transition line, but I don't know how they do it. For me the filter has to be parallel to the lens front. It's so easy to catch reflections once that filter is at an angle. If the filter being pushed against the front of the lens, it seems that would cause camera shake on any kind of long exposure and you wouldn't have time to soften a hard grad line on a short exposure.
Not to highjack this thread, but if I may ask a related question to the GND experts out there. I do still want to purchase a single soft edge GND to go along with my 3 hard edge ones and my reverse Singh-Ray. I've been unable to find the Lee ones in stock that sell for $99 at B&H. Therefore, I am considering spending the $160 on the Singh-Ray that is in stock at B&H. I would like to know if I would be better to get a 2stop or 3stop soft? I have 1, 2 and 3 stop hard GNDs already and the 3-stop reverse GND.
All these filters have just been purchased in the last month and I have yet to get out and really use them. I will be in the Mayan Riviera for 2 weeks in February and will give them all a good workout while there. I don't know what would be the more useful one to get as I've read differing opinions.
