Congrats for your excellent images. You insipred me very well.
I'm going to buy a ND 10 stop filter but IO hope I can use the experiece of this topic.
I'm also using Lee filters as you and I would go for the KODAK wratten2 optical gelatin filter that you found.
Is it slip into my Lee holder or do I need to buy anything more?
What do you think this is the same quality as your B+W glass filter?
Not sure what kind of camera you are using but with the addition of live view to some of the newer DSLR's you may be able to turn on the live view and turn on the simulated exposure setting and then crank up the iso, put your lens wide open and set it to a 30" exposure and compose with that and then drop the iso and settings back down to your desired level for shooting..... Might be something to try if you have the capability?
Shooting continuous streams of say 1s exposures and blending them all together in post should get you the same thing in theory..... any difference in practice?
On a somewhat related note, why don't camera manufacturers offer low ISOs, maybe down to 25 or lower? My D50 only goes down to 200; an ISO 25 setting would be like a 3 stop ND filter with the added noise benefits.
As for the Pentax, I don't think it is an ND filter like the Canon G3 for example (which had ISO 50), rather it seems to stack multiple exposures, which can be done with any camera in PS. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Beautiful photos, have you tried any subjects without water?
This does have water in it but that was incidental. The tree was what I wanted to produce an effect on. This is a 6 minute exposure that blurred the outer edges of the branches.
I've had mixed experiences with the Singh-Ray Vari-ND, at least the 82mm variety. They took it back based on my feedback and said they'd go and work on the design a bit more. The interference at 35mm and wider was just way too much, rendering the images useless. So while I like the idea in general, and while it may work with smaller filters, the 82mm isn't ready for prime time yet.
I'm in the same boat. I love the Singh-Ray, but don't want to spend another $400 for my 16-35L II - if i stay with Canon. With the SIngh-Ray Vari-ND, at least you can dial down the ND stops, so you can acually focus and at 82mm the only other option is the Singh-Ray mo-slow, but that doesn't allow you to change the ND setting and you would have to unscrew the filter. Taking off the filter is not always a good option when you are dealing with changing light (i.e having to wait for a clould do diffuse the light).
Lee does make same custom ND (ND/warming Grad filters), I don't know why they don't also offer regular ND filters that are either 4x6 or 4x4 (like their enhancer). I would think tha there would be a market for them.
stanj wrote:
I've had mixed experiences with the Singh-Ray Vari-ND, at least the 82mm variety. They took it back based on my feedback and said they'd go and work on the design a bit more. The interference at 35mm and wider was just way too much, rendering the images useless. So while I like the idea in general, and while it may work with smaller filters, the 82mm isn't ready for prime time yet.
stan,
Did you have the wide angle mount Vari ND
I found that the wide mount 77mm Vari ND was fine back when i had the old 16-35L at 18 or 19mm or longer. However, the issue I had was that I'd have to hand hold my ND grad - which is pretty useless when you are dealing with long exposures.
loved your exposures...converting them to b & w really gave them a classy feel.
i was able to use a Hoya ND400 stacked with an ND8, in broad daylight, on my 30D and 10-22 uwa...and noticed a "hotspot" in the middle of the image...a sort of sensor bloom. there was also a general loss of contrast. have you experienced the same?
although it might also be that i should try and underexpose these long exposures a bit.
Hi Tom
I second the thought of using gels. I bit of a pain in the arse though. I got an 87 C IR gel for a cokin holder from B&H for about >$30, and put it over my IR point and shoot, and saw no difference looking at the LCD. So I stupidly held it over my 430 EX flash to determine if I could get an IR flash, and one shot burned a big hole in it. Curses. BTW, when I put it over the lens of an IR converted camera, I saw the scene unchanged, but I couldn't see visible light through it looking at the sun. go figure, those low pass filters on our digicams really must eliminate a lot of light.
Another approach is to use a direct view camera like a TLR or rangefinder, or what I do, use a rangefinder viewfinder on my SLR. Not perfect but helpful. I also use strong ND filters - used the ND 400 this weekend. Actually when I use that one it's bright enough to sort of see through the finder, but another advantage is being able to see during the shot. I move the camera to induce blur so I like to be able to see.
www.formatt.co.uk - They'll make you a slot-in 10 stop ND for just £23.50 ($46.21), I'm getting one next week. Higher densities should be possible as well
Kaffemonster wrote:
www.formatt.co.uk - They'll make you a slot-in 10 stop ND for just £23.50 ($46.21), I'm getting one next week. Higher densities should be possible as well
Great shot btw!
This could be the holy grail of ND filter solutions. Superb find! Do they ship to the USA?
Tom K. wrote:
This could be the holy grail of ND filter solutions. Superb find! Do they ship to the USA?
They just delivered my ND grads and a full ND here in Denmark. No color casts, unless I stack them, and even then it's easily corrected in PP. They make both 100x100mm and 85x85mm sizes (and custom - Give 'em a ring). I'm quite sure they'll ship to the US.
If anyone comes up with a better price/performance ratio for ND's, I'll buy you a cold one. Heck, I'll buy you a case and help you drink them.
Keep in mind that they make the filters to order (Formatt is the manufacturer, not some reseller keeping stock) so allow a couple of weeks for delivery. The deliver in padded envelopes, so shipping rates are VERY reasonable.
