Help choosing Nd filters

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Jack

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Hello. I’m planning to get some ND filters to take some long exposure pictures during the day, the question is, I’m not sure which one to buy. Some of them are to expensive , some have bad reviews. Any advice please ?
 
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Andy Smith
Thanks, how expensive they are ?
Hi Jack,
they range from around £200 to £400, depending on the size. You can also get additional step up/down rings for around £18 depending on the lenses you have.
The 82mm pro kit is £310 but you may want to upsize to the 95mm to ensure no vignetting occurs, and they have entry level kits which are £235 for 82mm.
More details can be found here:
Andy Smith

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I am in a similar situation Jack, I have screw on filters from HOYA which are excellent but it is a pain to compose the image, set the exposure etc and then carefully screw on the filter. This might be more of a pain also in the cold or wet.
I have done a bit of research, read many reviews and I am leaning towards the Case Wolverine Magnetic circular filters, although they are not so cheap, they should last a lifetime with a bit of care.
I looked at a square filter kit, but for ease of carrying I am preferring the circular type.
 
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Chavezshutter

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This applies more to things like websites (specially the fast bit) but I think you get the idea. I'd lean towards threaded filter for value for money...
good-fast-cheap.jpg
 
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Jack

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I am in a similar situation Jack, I have screw on filters from HOYA which are excellent but it is a pain to compose the image, set the exposure etc and then carefully screw on the filter. This might be more of a pain also in the cold or wet.
I have done a bit of research, read many reviews and I am leaning towards the Case Wolverine Magnetic circular filters, although they are not so cheap, they should last a lifetime with a bit of care.
I looked at a square filter kit, but for ease of carrying I am preferring the circular type.

Thanks, how expensive they are ?
 
Andy Smith

Andy Smith

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Thanks, how expensive they are ?
Hi Jack,
they range from around £200 to £400, depending on the size. You can also get additional step up/down rings for around £18 depending on the lenses you have.
The 82mm pro kit is £310 but you may want to upsize to the 95mm to ensure no vignetting occurs, and they have entry level kits which are £235 for 82mm.
More details can be found here:
 
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Jack

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Hi Jack,
they range from around £200 to £400, depending on the size. You can also get additional step up/down rings for around £18 depending on the lenses you have.
The 82mm pro kit is £310 but you may want to upsize to the 95mm to ensure no vignetting occurs, and they have entry level kits which are £235 for 82mm.
More details can be found here:
That’s really pricey. I’ll need To check them. Are you having them ?would be interesting what’s their quality for that price. Also, as I own multi lenses, would be great to know on how many I can use them.
 
Andy Smith

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That’s really pricey. I’ll need To check them. Are you having them ?would be interesting what’s their quality for that price. Also, as I own multi lenses, would be great to know on how many I can use them.
I didn't think the price was so bad as for the pro kit it consists of ND8, ND64, ND1000, Polarizer, Magnetic Adaptor, and Carry Pouch plus magnetic lens cap also.
I haven't bought any as yet, as the screw in Hoya I have are ok, but if I decide to change I will be looking at these Kase ones.
 
Jack

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I didn't think the price was so bad as for the pro kit it consists of ND8, ND64, ND1000, Polarizer, Magnetic Adaptor, and Carry Pouch plus magnetic lens cap also.
I haven't bought any as yet, as the screw in Hoya I have are ok, but if I decide to change I will be looking at these Kase ones.

Yeah, seems very expensive. I might consider buying individual ND filter.
Which one you'd recommend for long exposure during the day?
 
Andy Smith

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Yeah, seems very expensive. I might consider buying individual ND filter.
Which one you'd recommend for long exposure during the day?
I have a 3 stop & a 10 stop Hoya screw on filters which are more than adequate for what I shoot during the day Jack. The strength of the ND filter you want will depend on what effect you are looking for really and the weather. I use a 10 stop during the day here in Thailand quite frequently due to the bright sunlight we get most of the time, but in dull overcast days I can get away with the 3 stop to achieve similar results.
If I remember correctly they were about $40 each or thereabouts.
 
Jack

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I have a 3 stop & a 10 stop Hoya screw on filters which are more than adequate for what I shoot during the day Jack. The strength of the ND filter you want will depend on what effect you are looking for really and the weather. I use a 10 stop during the day here in Thailand quite frequently due to the bright sunlight we get most of the time, but in dull overcast days I can get away with the 3 stop to achieve similar results.
If I remember correctly they were about $40 each or thereabouts.

I never used filters, may I ask how what do you mean by stops? I'm slightly confused.

Example, if I would like to take images of long exposure images of sea or waterfalls, which should I go?
 
Andy Smith

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I never used filters, may I ask how what do you mean by stops? I'm slightly confused.

Example, if I would like to take images of long exposure images of sea or waterfalls, which should I go?
ND filters come in various densities, usually measured in stops, with the higher stop number having more density. A 10 stop filter will block 10 stops of light or only let 1/1000th of the light to pass through, whereas a 3 stop filter will block 3 stops of light.
So basically if you shoot a normal shot like you Scottish mountain shot, at f/5.0, 1/200, ISO 400 with an added 10 stop filter you could shoot at f/5.0, ISO 400, for 5 secs to get the same exposure, and obviously with the 5 sec shutter speed this would smooth out water and blur the clouds as required.
You can then play around with aperture and ISO settings to get the look/shutter speed you want.
example if you want to shoot at f/11, ISO 100, 1/20s for the exposure then adding a 10 stop filter will enable you to use f/11, ISO 100, for 51 secs to get the same exposure but with smooth water or long car light trails etc.
I have a 3 stop, a 6 stop and a 10 stop to cover all my needs.

I would look at a 6 stop or 10 stop if I were you, as that should be prefect for what you need, and don't forget you will need to set the lens to manual focus prior to adding the filter or else the autofocus will go bonkers trying to focus.
Usually I set everything in manual mode, focus accordingly then switch the lens to manual focus and then screw on the filter and take the shot.
Hope that helps
 
Jack

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ND filters come in various densities, usually measured in stops, with the higher stop number having more density. A 10 stop filter will block 10 stops of light or only let 1/1000th of the light to pass through, whereas a 3 stop filter will block 3 stops of light.
So basically if you shoot a normal shot like you Scottish mountain shot, at f/5.0, 1/200, ISO 400 with an added 10 stop filter you could shoot at f/5.0, ISO 400, for 5 secs to get the same exposure, and obviously with the 5 sec shutter speed this would smooth out water and blur the clouds as required.
You can then play around with aperture and ISO settings to get the look/shutter speed you want.
example if you want to shoot at f/11, ISO 100, 1/20s for the exposure then adding a 10 stop filter will enable you to use f/11, ISO 100, for 51 secs to get the same exposure but with smooth water or long car light trails etc.
I have a 3 stop, a 6 stop and a 10 stop to cover all my needs.

I would look at a 6 stop or 10 stop if I were you, as that should be prefect for what you need, and don't forget you will need to set the lens to manual focus prior to adding the filter or else the autofocus will go bonkers trying to focus.
Usually I set everything in manual mode, focus accordingly then switch the lens to manual focus and then screw on the filter and take the shot.
Hope that helps

That's great piece of information Andy Smith Andy Smith . Thanks a lot. That makes sens. The only thing is these filters comes in sizes. So I believe I'll have to buy filter according to the lens I want to use for landscape photography? Is that right?
 
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That's great piece of information Andy Smith Andy Smith . Thanks a lot. That makes sens. The only thing is these filters comes in sizes. So I believe I'll have to buy filter according to the lens I want to use for landscape photography? Is that right?
yes that is correct, although you can also get step up/down adapters to use the filter on other size lenses if needed.
 
Jack

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yes that is correct, although you can also get step up/down adapters to use the filter on other size lenses if needed.

How those adapters will work? Obviously some lenses are wider and some smaller. You can't really adap filters to any lenses I guess 🤔
 
Andy Smith

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How those adapters will work? Obviously some lenses are wider and some smaller. You can't really adap filters to any lenses I guess 🤔
Step up/down adapters are just thin metal rings with different sizes on each side. I use different lenses for my macro and the canon twin lite flash I use attaches on the end of the lens. It has a fixing diameter of 58mm which fits perfect on the MP-65 lens, but I use a 58mm/67mm adapter ring on my 100mm macro lens so it will then also fit on that lens without a problem.
Using them for filters works the same way, so if you have an 82mm filter, you can use the adapters to fit it to a 77mm lens if needed.
The only thing is the only have fixed mm sizes and are not adjustable. so if you had an 82mm filter which you also wanted to use on a 77mm and a 72mm lens then you would have to buy 2 adapters, an 82/77mm and an 82/72mm . They are only a few quid each though so no real issues.

more detail found here:
 
Jack

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Step up/down adapters are just thin metal rings with different sizes on each side. I use different lenses for my macro and the canon twin lite flash I use attaches on the end of the lens. It has a fixing diameter of 58mm which fits perfect on the MP-65 lens, but I use a 58mm/67mm adapter ring on my 100mm macro lens so it will then also fit on that lens without a problem.
Using them for filters works the same way, so if you have an 82mm filter, you can use the adapters to fit it to a 77mm lens if needed.
The only thing is the only have fixed mm sizes and are not adjustable. so if you had an 82mm filter which you also wanted to use on a 77mm and a 72mm lens then you would have to buy 2 adapters, an 82/77mm and an 82/72mm . They are only a few quid each though so no real issues.

more detail found here:

Alright, so even I'll buy bigger size filters, I won't be able to use on smaller lenses?
 
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