Hi all. Just about to buy either a Singh-Ray or Lee 4X6 filter but need to know whether to get a hard of soft grad. I will primarily be using it with my 12-24mm wide angle but could possibly use it on a slightly longer lens. The information I read on the filter websites say that for the wide angle, I should be buying a soft grad. Is this true? I also heard that the hard grad may be a better all around filter. Any input would be appreciated.
I think it also depends on what you are going to be taking pictures of. Scenes like oceans, and fields have a very defined transition between the ground and the sky, so a hard ND filter works great. Other types of pictures without such definition get better results with the soft ND filter. I'd get both and learn the strengths of each one.
My long term plans would be to own both but my budget will only allow me one for the time being. Let's say I would be using a wide angle and shooting landscapes - would that make my decision easier? Also, I suppose I would need the 4X6 and not the smaller "Cokin" size - correct?
I went the HiTech road from filter2filter and got both the hard & the soft - for about the price of one Lee/Singh-Ray. Since they come in varying strengths, I started with a 2 stop hard/soft combo. I'm still learning to pull them out when needed and hope to add the 3 stop combo sometime soon. I think I'll bow out here and let you get some advice from people using the brands you are looking to purchase.
Kris Reiswig wrote:
I think it also depends on what you are going to be taking pictures of. Scenes like oceans, and fields have a very defined transition between the ground and the sky, so a hard ND filter works great. Other types of pictures without such definition get better results with the soft ND filter. I'd get both and learn the strengths of each one.
Yup, this is exactly right. There's no perfect solution, so having both, and the ability to touch something up in PS, will give you the best result in the end. The most difficult thing about ND grads is that you have to carry them and use them.
The ideal setup is at least a 2-stop hard & Soft combined with a 3-stop hard & Soft. Don't worry about the 1 stop or 4-stop now.
Thanks. I looked at their site and it seems they only have a 4X4 size. I have heard that the 4X6 size is a better fit for ultra-wide angle lenses. Would a 4X4 be sufficient? I also don't know if HiTech is similar to the Cokin where they impart an undesirable color (blue, grey, etc) to the image. I would need a filter which is truly neutral. Thanks again - appreciate the replies.
Gary Clennan wrote:
Hi all. Just about to buy either a Singh-Ray or Lee 4X6 filter but need to know whether to get a hard of soft grad. I will primarily be using it with my 12-24mm wide angle but could possibly use it on a slightly longer lens. The information I read on the filter websites say that for the wide angle, I should be buying a soft grad. Is this true? I also heard that the hard grad may be a better all around filter. Any input would be appreciated.
I agree that you need to give more information on what type of landscapes you will be shooting. I tend to prefer a hard edge, even at 10mm focal lengths, even in my mountainous surroundings, but I do still need to have soft edge filters in the bag.
