Help choosing Nd filters

[Jack]

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 ?

 

[Jack]

yes you can Jack.. you can buy an 82mm filter to fit your 24-70mm lens, and then use a step down adapter to enable it to fit a smaller lens.

Thanks Andy Smith , at the moment I'm looking to purchase one . Still expensive for individual filter.

 

[oscar118]

Have you looked at Urth/Gobe filters?

 

[Jack]

I already ordered this one:

Kase Wolverine Mag Circular ND1000 & Adaptor Ring 82mm - Kase Filters UK

Kase Wolverine Mag Circular ND1000 & Adaptor Ring 82mm Individual Neutral Density Nd1000 (10 Stop) Filter and Adaptor Ring. CAn be added to other Kase Wolverine Magnetic Filters or on its own with supplied lens adaptor.

kasefilters.com

Is that good one for my 24-70mm f2.8 Andy Smith ?

 

[Jack]

Have you looked at Urth/Gobe filters?

I haven't checked them. Are they good?

 

[oscar118]

I have two,(ND and polarizing) not extensively used but so far they are good.

 

[Jack]

I have two,(ND and polarizing) not extensively used but so far they are good.

What's the difference between them? 🤔

 

[oscar118]

What's the difference between them? 🤔

Between what? ND and Polar? or Urth and Gobe?

 

[Andy Smith]

I already ordered this one:

Kase Wolverine Mag Circular ND1000 & Adaptor Ring 82mm - Kase Filters UK

Kase Wolverine Mag Circular ND1000 & Adaptor Ring 82mm Individual Neutral Density Nd1000 (10 Stop) Filter and Adaptor Ring. CAn be added to other Kase Wolverine Magnetic Filters or on its own with supplied lens adaptor.

kasefilters.com

Is that good one for my 24-70mm f2.8 Andy Smith ?

I would say yes Jack, you should be more than happy with that choice.

 

[Jack]

Between what? ND and Polar? or Urth and Gobe?

ND and polar.

 

[Jack]

I would say yes Jack, you should be more than happy with that choice.

Thanks Andy Smith . Can't wait to see what I can achieve with that filter.

 

[oscar118]

ND and polar.

ND reduces exposure, used for long exposures as you know
Polar reduces glare and reflections, with little effect on global exposure (1 stop or less). Colors (especially green in leaves) are more saturated as bright reflections are reduced. Sky is darkened, depending on sun position.
I used to be a big fan of polarizing filters for landscapes, no longer so much.

 

[Chavezshutter]

ND are basically sunglasses for your lenses, nothing special to them except they block out some light from passing, CPLs are a little harder to understand but one way to think of them is to think of venetian blinds where the whole blind can spin to allow more or less glare to pass through at different angles. CPLs are used to reduce the reflected glare from any surface but most common use is to reduce glare reflected from water, glass, roads, anything with strong glare. If you have ever watched a movie where there was a scene where the camera was outside the windscreen of the car facing into the car towards the actors and there was reflection in the windscreen but somehow you could still see the actors clearly then your'e already aware of what a CPL does, without it those scenes would have just been windscreen reflections and dialogue and not showing the actors.

Another thing CPLs allow you to do is see the bottom of a lake or river that normally would not be visible due to glare

 

[Jack]

ND reduces exposure, used for long exposures as you know
Polar reduces glare and reflections, with little effect on global exposure (1 stop or less). Colors (especially green in leaves) are more saturated as bright reflections are reduced. Sky is darkened, depending on sun position.
I used to be a big fan of polarizing filters for landscapes, no longer so much.

Then Polar filter is not really necessary, as most of these can be achieved in post processing.

 

[Jack]

Another thing CPLs allow you to do is see the bottom of a lake or river that normally would not be visible due to glare

I wasn't aware about this information, good to know. So you saying, that using a Polar filter can help to take a picture of a lake with clearer water?

 

[panos_adgr]

yes you can Jack.. you can buy an 82mm filter to fit your 24-70mm lens, and then use a step down adapter to enable it to fit a smaller lens.

Jack
I do the same as Andy mentions. I have a 72mm ND 10stop which I use with my 24-85mm lens and I have a step down ring to use it with my crop frame lens/camera.

I highly suggest a Hoya.

 

[Chavezshutter]

Then Polar filter is not really necessary, as most of these can be achieved in post processing.

You could argue this about NDs, there is already graduated filters in Lightroom and other editing software. Luminosity masks get even closer but what you can't do with post processing (at least not easily and not convincingly in my opinion) is simulate all the effects of a long shutter. As for CPLs , the effects they create are even harder to reproduce in post. While in theory the main thing they affect is in cutting down glare, in reality they do a lot more things, one which was mentioned by Oscar118 is saturation increase due to the cutdown glare but they can also reduce haze which is a common issue in long distance landscapes. Personally I know more landscape photographers that use CPLs then NDs, some consider it THAT important. I play with ND's more myself but CPLs are very useful in the right setting, I specially like them for waterfalls, where wet rocks can get too shiny. Car photographers also use CPLs to control strong glare and shine and enhance the car's paint colours. Too many uses...

I wasn't aware about this information, good to know. So you saying, that using a Polar filter can help to take a picture of a lake with clearer water?

Only if the reason why you cannot see through the water is glare from reflected light which is very common, if the water is muddy or murky it wont have any effect except remove any existing glare. There already has to be some clarity to the water before.

Found this article which has some good information, check out the image and move the slider to see a CPL in action in a landscape shot.

 

[oscar118]

Then Polar filter is not really necessary, as most of these can be achieved in post processing.

I do not agree... the effect of polarizing filters is very hard to reproduce...

 

[oscar118]

I wasn't aware about this information, good to know. So you saying, that using a Polar filter can help to take a picture of a lake with clearer water?

You can reduce or eliminate the reflections on non-metallic surfaces( as water) , the effect is max at about 120 degrees reflection.

 

[Morexp57]

I don't know anything about filters, but I've often seen filter holders and square ND filters in the few vlogs I look at from time to time. Doesn't this solve the problem of different lens diameters?

 

[Jack]

Jack
I do the same as Andy mentions. I have a 72mm ND 10stop which I use with my 24-85mm lens and I have a step down ring to use it with my crop frame lens/camera.

I highly suggest a Hoya.

I purchased a hoya filter, but is not an ND filter. I think is Polar, need to check 🤔.

Unfortunately I already ordered the ND filter from the link above which was recommended.

When I checked online which filter is providing better quality, I had headache, as there are so many, that is hard to decide.