nd filters

costas60 · 10-02-2011, 03:50 AM

looking at ND filters
what is the difference between nd2 nd4 and nd8
what are uses for each filter
any photo examles for each

thanks
sorry just a noob here

RallyDriver96 · 10-02-2011, 04:14 AM

I'd suggest doing a lot of web searching to get the basics of the question answered. Wiki has a nice chart that shows light transmittance and such, it can be found here. There are several photography blogs out there that talk further about the filters and their uses. I have a Hoya NDX400, certainly it would be helpful to also have a graduated filter so some of the brighter parts of the scene don't get washed out (if you wanted to shoot a waterfall with some of the sky above showing).

I think the thought behind the smaller stop ND filters is the ability to stack them up to get different effects, and shoot at different times of the day. With the NDX400, I find myself exposing the sensor for 400sec or more, if it is getting close to dusk or dawn, you may only need a 2 or 3 stop filter and still get the same effect a 9 stop filter could give you at noon.

Hope that info helps, I'm also a noob.

RioRico · 10-02-2011, 10:57 AM

Neutral density filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

DaveHolmes · 10-02-2011, 01:28 PM

nd4 is twice as dark as nd2... nd4 is half as dark as nd8...

I have an nd8 and am shopping for an nd4 to go with it... Use it for slowing down water...

tibbitts · 10-02-2011, 02:11 PM

The value of an ND filter is that it can allow you to use a longer shutter speed to blur motion, and/or a wider aperture for selective focus, than you could otherwise. 4x is probably the lowest value that makes sense to buy, if you want only one filter. You can also use a polarizing filter, set to minimal polarization, as somewhat of a substitute for a low-powered ND filter.

Paul

twitch · 10-02-2011, 02:36 PM

It all comes down to what scenes you want to caputre & the look you want, which will lead you to a specific exposure time, which will indicate which ND(s) to buy. Heres some examples.....

First some taken with a 10 stop (used for 15sec+ exposures in bright daylight to blur clouds & smooth water)

Below are some taken with a 6 stop which gives same long exposure at dawn/dusk as 10 stop in daytime, or used in daytime to give 1 sec exposures so people can still be sharp

cats_five · 10-02-2011, 10:57 PM

costas60 · 10-03-2011, 01:17 AM

thanks to all
I have started to read a few articles and starting to get the point now
some great photo's
flinders st station looks good twitch

costas60 · 10-03-2011, 01:40 AM

looked on ebay and they start
at $4
what is a good price to pay for a start up filter?

mark lj · 10-03-2011, 05:08 AM

I would be wary of cheap ND filters. They tend to leave a colour cast. My experience is that the effect of a long exposure, especially when combined with a graduated filter, can leave the image looking unnatural. I use the B&W110 in a variety of sizes and in lower light combining a Hitech soft grad always leaves a purply tinge. Not entirely unpleasant (as in picture below) but sometimes I've resorted to converting to mono. Picture below was at dawn but it certainly wasn't that colour.

GerryL · 10-03-2011, 07:53 PM

You might want to look at "Fader" ND filter.
It's an all in one ND filter that is somewhat similar to a polarizing filter wherein you turn it to achieve different gradations of ND values.
It is a bit more costly than purchasing single ones with single values but might be cost effective in the end since you only have to buy one and can constantly change the ND value on the fly.

10-02-2011, 03:50 AM	#1
costas60 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 86	nd filters looking at ND filters what is the difference between nd2 nd4 and nd8 what are uses for each filter any photo examles for each thanks sorry just a noob here

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10-02-2011, 04:14 AM	#2
RallyDriver96 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 65	I'd suggest doing a lot of web searching to get the basics of the question answered. Wiki has a nice chart that shows light transmittance and such, it can be found here. There are several photography blogs out there that talk further about the filters and their uses. I have a Hoya NDX400, certainly it would be helpful to also have a graduated filter so some of the brighter parts of the scene don't get washed out (if you wanted to shoot a waterfall with some of the sky above showing). I think the thought behind the smaller stop ND filters is the ability to stack them up to get different effects, and shoot at different times of the day. With the NDX400, I find myself exposing the sensor for 400sec or more, if it is getting close to dusk or dawn, you may only need a 2 or 3 stop filter and still get the same effect a 9 stop filter could give you at noon. Hope that info helps, I'm also a noob.

10-02-2011, 10:57 AM	#3
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Neutral density filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

10-02-2011, 01:28 PM	#4
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	nd4 is twice as dark as nd2... nd4 is half as dark as nd8... I have an nd8 and am shopping for an nd4 to go with it... Use it for slowing down water...

10-02-2011, 02:11 PM	#5
tibbitts Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma USA Posts: 2,196	The value of an ND filter is that it can allow you to use a longer shutter speed to blur motion, and/or a wider aperture for selective focus, than you could otherwise. 4x is probably the lowest value that makes sense to buy, if you want only one filter. You can also use a polarizing filter, set to minimal polarization, as somewhat of a substitute for a low-powered ND filter. Paul

10-02-2011, 02:36 PM	#6
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	It all comes down to what scenes you want to caputre & the look you want, which will lead you to a specific exposure time, which will indicate which ND(s) to buy. Heres some examples..... First some taken with a 10 stop (used for 15sec+ exposures in bright daylight to blur clouds & smooth water) Below are some taken with a 6 stop which gives same long exposure at dawn/dusk as 10 stop in daytime, or used in daytime to give 1 sec exposures so people can still be sharp

10-02-2011, 10:57 PM	#7
cats_five Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 835

10-03-2011, 01:17 AM	#8
costas60 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 86 Original Poster	thanks to all I have started to read a few articles and starting to get the point now some great photo's flinders st station looks good twitch

10-03-2011, 01:40 AM	#9
costas60 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 86 Original Poster	looked on ebay and they start at $4 what is a good price to pay for a start up filter?

10-03-2011, 05:08 AM	#10
mark lj Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 983	I would be wary of cheap ND filters. They tend to leave a colour cast. My experience is that the effect of a long exposure, especially when combined with a graduated filter, can leave the image looking unnatural. I use the B&W110 in a variety of sizes and in lower light combining a Hitech soft grad always leaves a purply tinge. Not entirely unpleasant (as in picture below) but sometimes I've resorted to converting to mono. Picture below was at dawn but it certainly wasn't that colour.

10-03-2011, 07:53 PM	#11
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	You might want to look at "Fader" ND filter. It's an all in one ND filter that is somewhat similar to a polarizing filter wherein you turn it to achieve different gradations of ND values. It is a bit more costly than purchasing single ones with single values but might be cost effective in the end since you only have to buy one and can constantly change the ND value on the fly.