I have been shooting landscapes for some years now, but never used a graduated ND filter.
My questions to you are:
Are you using graduated ND filters at a regular basis for your landscape photos?
Or perhaps you just take multiple photos with different exposures and/or PP?
What grade (f-stops) is your favourite?
Soft or hard edge?
Starting out, I would not go for the whole kit that you have outlined. Firstly, I would look very carefully at the Hitech GND filters. I use them and have found no reason to look elsewhere. They are basically half the price of the Singh-Rays. I would also skip the reverse ND filter for now until you determine you require one.
You could easily equip yourself with a kit for about $300.
For my shooting style and work-flow I use a mix of GND filters and blends of multiple exposures. If I'm shooting for an assignment I tend to use GNDs as I don't have as much time to spend at the computer optimizing my files like I would when working on my landscape images. With my landscape work I will take as much time as is necessary to optimize my image by blending exposures in addition to the regular post-processing work.
My favorite GNDs are the 4x6 Singh-Ray 2-stop soft and the 3-stop reverse. The 3-stop reverse is extremely valuable when used with ultra-wide angle lenses to keep the top half of the image from becoming abnormally dark. I prefer to hand-hold my filters.
My favorite is neither hard-edge nor soft-edge but rather full FOV. My favorite is a 5-stop MC glass filter I made from a lab grade microscope filter @ 49mm ø. I use software if I intend to blend two exposure levels like that. A gradient or hard-edged filter is too troublesome to get right and too limited in scope - for me. I played with filters like that when they came out in the 70's. To me they're interesting toys and can be fun but not really adaptable enough (usually) to make it into my tool-box. (that said my current tool-box is totally wimpy! )
I rarely use GND's. I much prefer the vari-nd to cover the entire scene, and/or blend exposures if needed.
fwiw, the only successes I've had with GND's is to manually hold them and move and remove them during the exposure. This helps to reduce the 'line' and light imbalance which often otherwise results. Takes some practice and trial and error and, yes, chimping, but gives me much more pleasing images.
The biggest problem with blending is the extra time you need in post processing. I came back from Kauai in September and still have not processed all the images. I used GND exclusively while there and I'd say 75% of my shots required them. If I relied on blending, I'd be post processing these images for another year.
I hand hold my GND and move them during exposures. This allows me to judge how long to keep the GND line in place and how long to move it back and forth. A little experience using this technique and you quickly know how much to move the filters.
I voted "almost never" which in my case is "absoluteley never" because I don't own any of these filters. Lately I've been thinking I need to get some and start playing around with them as the only way to nudge my landscapes up a notch.
I always use a post-processing ND - two exposures blended as appropriate. Of course, there are certain shots where two exposures isn't a practical solution, but I personally don't run into that with my landscapes.
I'm surprised at the answers thus far. I use them very very often in certain circumstances . . . sunrise or sunset or strong contrasty skys. an inexpensive way to try them out is the cokin holder/hi tech kit at 2-filter: http://www.2filter.com/prices/htpackages.html. I use 2 and three stop most often and can combine them when necessary.
When shooting toward a sunrise or sunset, a grad filter will provide better contrast than blending in many cases. I found that when I tried to blend in those situations, the foreground shot would often lose detail because of lessened contrast due to flare.
From the poll it seems that the 2 and 3 stop soft edge are the most popular GNDs.
82% of you are using GNDs at a regular basis.
For those of you who are not using GNDs, are you using multiple shots for extended dynamic range? I have no experience with SW for HDR. Are you using special SW or Photo Shop? I have only experience with PS Elements (6), I guess it is not supporting HRD?
Regarding a package for GND, it seems that a 2 and 3 stop soft edge Hi-Tech GND and a Cokin Z-pro (or Lee) is a ok package to start with. Or perhaps I should drop the filter holder and just start with hand holding the filter. Some of you (perhaps most of you) just hand hold.
Fjellfalck wrote:
For those of you who are not using GNDs, are you using multiple shots for extended dynamic range? I have no experience with SW for HDR. Are you using special SW or Photo Shop? I have only experience with PS Elements (6), I guess it is not supporting HRD?
HDR is overkill for situations that only require a grad ND. Just take two exposures spread by whatever ND range you need. Then it is a simple layer mask to put them together. The advantage of course is you can adjust the feather and location per shot and don't need to restrict yourself to a straight line. The disadvantages have already been stated, moving subjects and the potential for too much flare in the longer exposure. The later problem can be combated by actually physically masking they "bright" part of the image during the longer exposure using a piece of black paper.
Actually, that last comment brings up another technique that Ansel Adams among others used on view cameras - in camera dodging. You can use a black piece of paper to make a custom grad shape. Depending on the aperture you use and the distance you hold it from the lens you can do pretty much anything with two exposures on the same negative - just like in the darkroom on the print.
I use them often, and take them with me to all my landscape shots. It's a decision that I leave to the moment, but they are often very helpful. I use the 2-stop hard most, but the 1-stop can sometimes really make the sky much more interesting even when one might night think to use it (in mid-day, not just at sunset, etc).
Blending multiple exposure also has it's role, but I try to do that only when grads cannot be used.
I often use either a 2 stop or 3 stop soft GND. I also shoot bracketed groups of shots in the event I need to blend. There are some scenes that require more adjustment of the dynamic range at times than what some GNDs can give. I hope to get a 10 stop solid ND and play around with that at the beach or with some cityscapes along water.
I currently will do a mix of GND as well as bracketed exposures. My personal feeling is that the best quality image will be one that is properly exposed in camera.
That being said, with the ability to easily review each exposure in the field, the learning cure is short and trial and error with GNDs can yield excellent results and quickly. I also enjoy the added creativity the filters allow. (Long exposures of brighter scenes i.e. )
I prefer to hand hold GND's. I currently have a few of the Cokin P size in various gradients but they tend to be a little small to hand hold at wide angles. I would like to get the Galen Rowell 4X6's next.
)
, but gives me much more pleasing images.
) just hand hold.