[Docrwm]

The prices are cheaper then I expected...thanks for the kick in the butt! I may get a Limited lens one day, too. Now to decide which one...

Tiffen 3 stop for $16, Hoya 9 stop for $35, or B&W 10 stop for $56?

Stay away from cheap filters.
Neutral Density Filter Reviews & Buying Guide - Photography Tips

[RyanS]

Any recommendations on a ND filter. I've read that I need a thin one to eliminate vignetting, but I haven't seen any that say they are thin. Also, how many stops do I want for sunny days on the beach/sunrises/sunsets?

[mikeSF]

I may need to go back and read your posts, but what are you intending to use the ND for?? if you want to slow the water at the beach during daylight hours, something like a 9- or 10-stop may be in order. If just to achieve some shallow aperture bokeh shooting in diffuse daylight, perhaps 2-3 stops (0.6-0.9) will suffice. waterfalls, depends on the ambient light, late day and heavy tree canopy, you would not need one. in direct sun, a strong one may be needed.

I shot landscapes in Maui recently and never once used an ND for anything, but YMMV certainly.

http://mikeoria.zenfolio.com/p593973036

I feel like you were steered away from that circular polarizer, but I found it to be essential for taking glare and reflection off green foliage and wet rocks at waterfalls. very useful.

BTW, I use a Hoya 9-stop ND on my DA15 for smooth water effects. I have it in three sizes (49mm, 67mm, 77mm). Don't ask me how many of those have been lost or destroyed, lol.

[RyanS]

I may need to go back and read your posts, but what are you intending to use the ND for?? if you want to slow the water at the beach during daylight hours, something like a 9- or 10-stop may be in order. If just to achieve some shallow aperture bokeh shooting in diffuse daylight, perhaps 2-3 stops (0.6-0.9) will suffice. waterfalls, depends on the ambient light, late day and heavy tree canopy, you would not need one. in direct sun, a strong one may be needed.

I shot landscapes in Maui recently and never once used an ND for anything, but YMMV certainly.

Mike Oria Photography | Maui, October 2012

I feel like you were steered away from that circular polarizer, but I found it to be essential for taking glare and reflection off green foliage and wet rocks at waterfalls. very useful.

BTW, I use a Hoya 9-stop ND on my DA15 for smooth water effects. I have it in three sizes (49mm, 67mm, 77mm). Don't ask me how many of those have been lost or destroyed, lol.

I don't know exactly what I'll be using it for, but I'm pretty sure I'll try to get some sunrise and sunset shots since our hotel will be on the beach. We will probably try to get to a waterfall, but I don't know if I'll be able to get a good shot (if there are a lot of other tourists around). So the sunrise/sunset scenarios are what I'm most concerned about I suppose.

[mikeSF]

I don't know exactly what I'll be using it for, but I'm pretty sure I'll try to get some sunrise and sunset shots since our hotel will be on the beach. We will probably try to get to a waterfall, but I don't know if I'll be able to get a good shot (if there are a lot of other tourists around). So the sunrise/sunset scenarios are what I'm most concerned about I suppose.

unless you want a soft, milky water type effect, you should be ok without the ND. I didn't bring any grad NDs with me and wish I had a few times, but you ought to be ok using a smallish aperture.
I try not to have any glass before the front element when the sun is in the frame to eliminate unwanted flaring, ghosts, or other contrast robbing gremlins.

[Kozlok]

If you are doing long exposure photography, get the Hoya ND400 (the 9 stop) or the B+W 10 stop. You will need a tripod with that, or some other way to steady your camera. You will need to frame, focus, switch focus off, then put the filter on. You almost can't see through the lens at all once you put it on!

The smaller ND's just won't make enough of a difference in general. The only time I use an ND0.6 is to shoot my Sigma 30/1.4 wide open in the daytime. The DA15 is already a slow lens, so you don't need the smaller ND's with it at all.


With the ND400, you can go from this:





to this:

[RyanS]

If you are doing long exposure photography, get the Hoya ND400 (the 9 stop) or the B+W 10 stop. You will need a tripod with that, or some other way to steady your camera. You will need to frame, focus, switch focus off, then put the filter on. You almost can't see through the lens at all once you put it on!

The smaller ND's just won't make enough of a difference in general. The only time I use an ND0.6 is to shoot my Sigma 30/1.4 wide open in the daytime. The DA15 is already a slow lens, so you don't need the smaller ND's with it at all.


With the ND400, you can go from this:





to this:

Thanks for the contrasting images. I think I'll get the Hoya 9 stop. At $35 it seems like the better deal when compared to the B+W 10 stop at $56 and it has good reviews from users.

[redrockcoulee]

The 49mm filter will also fit a lot of other Pentax lenses like the M series 28,35,135,150 most if not all the 50mm some of the F and FA other primes and zooms etc plus the DA 35 2.4

[Rondec]

I don't know exactly what I'll be using it for, but I'm pretty sure I'll try to get some sunrise and sunset shots since our hotel will be on the beach. We will probably try to get to a waterfall, but I don't know if I'll be able to get a good shot (if there are a lot of other tourists around). So the sunrise/sunset scenarios are what I'm most concerned about I suppose.

There are two reasons to use an ND filter as far as I see. One is to get a longer shutter speed in good light, while keeping your aperture in the sweet spot (f8 to 11). Waterfalls are usually not too hard because they are often in shady areas and so to get 1/8 or 1/6 second, it isn't too hard. Ocean photos during the day would be a different story. The other reason probably doesn't apply to you, but it is if you want to keep a large aperture while shooting with a flash (flash sync speed is 1/180th second) in good light. For the first use you probably need an 8 stop or so ND filter, for the second, something a lot weaker will work.

I don't use polarizers a whole lot, but they can reduce reflections and obviously they polarize light making sky bluer, etc. I just find the sky to be decently blue and foliage contrasty enough without one.

Marumi filters are probably the best deal in my opinion -- good quality for a decent price.

[Docrwm]

There are two reasons to use an ND filter as far as I see. One is to get a longer shutter speed in good light, while keeping your aperture in the sweet spot (f8 to 11). Waterfalls are usually not too hard because they are often in shady areas and so to get 1/8 or 1/6 second, it isn't too hard. Ocean photos during the day would be a different story. The other reason probably doesn't apply to you, but it is if you want to keep a large aperture while shooting with a flash (flash sync speed is 1/180th second) in good light. For the first use you probably need an 8 stop or so ND filter, for the second, something a lot weaker will work.

I don't use polarizers a whole lot, but they can reduce reflections and obviously they polarize light making sky bluer, etc. I just find the sky to be decently blue and foliage contrasty enough without one.

Marumi filters are probably the best deal in my opinion -- good quality for a decent price.

Reviews also support that the Super Marumi's are the least expensive high-quality filters in both CPL and UV that you can find. You can spend more for as good, or more for FAR worse.

[cali92rs]

I disagree about not getting a polarizer...shooting into tidepools or any body of water where you want to capture whats under the surface necessitates a polarizer.
Of course, if you dont do that, then you dont need one, but I am a big tide pool guy

[cali92rs]

I made myself sad with that post, I just remembered that I moved 1500 miles from the beach

[RyanS]

I now have a flickr account and I put some of my Hawaii pics in there. Some were taken with the 15mm and others with the 18-135mm. The link is in my signature.

[reeftool]

I've used a CPL and ND filters with my DA 15. It's certainly not often but since the DA 15 is 49mm along with all the other DA Limiteds and a few of my M lenses and Taks, it's a good investment.

Some fine shots, Ryan.

[Just1MoreDave]

The South American Cardinal was my favorite. I have a number of terrible shots of that bird.

Doesn't the Hilton Hawaiian Village do fireworks any more?