ND Filters

Sorry 'tis me again.

I need (definitely a need and not a want this time:wink a grey ND filter to enable me to continue my experimentation with long exposures.

Can someone guide me in the right direction - I'm completely out of my depth. There are square ones and round ones and lots of different makes.

Any recommendations will be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks,

Charlotte

round ones screw in, ok for full NDs but if you want to use a graduated it can sause problems getting the horizon correct.
Square one come in 3 types,
A,P,Z, in increasing size of holders.
Basically,

An adaptor ring screws onto your filter thread, a holder fits over the ring, the filter slots into the holder.
Most people go for P sizes, unless you want to go really wide these will do.
My advice; buy rings and holders from china, much cheaper. Then get the best quality filters you can affored; Lee or Cokin.

Look HERE for cheap rings

Davex.

That's great Dave,

Thank you.

Kind regards
Charlotte

I would go for a holder and square filters. For really long exposures start off with cheap as chips welding glass.

You should try these if its for long exposures Neutral Density 0.9 Filter or Hitech 85 ND Grad Filter - ND 0.9 (HARD Edge)OR A ND10 these work well Grad Filters work better on a landscape shot when the sun is height but you what to keep the ground as is I hope that helps

The Lightcraft Workshop Fader 2 is a neutral density filter with variable light stopping capability. You turn the filter like a polariser and it reduces the light variably, all the way up to ND400 level. The more I got into using ND filters, the more I needed in a stack, in order to reduce the light enough. Now I only take the Lightcraft filter.
They are available from Premier Ink, where I bought mine.

Thanks Dr.O, handy to know about the welding glass.

Thank you shaun, I think I could do with a grad filter as well that will stop me having problems with high lights in the sky.

They look good Graham I'll look into those in more detail when I've saved some pennies maybe.

I've ordered a cokin holder for the moment because with the adapters I can use the holder on all of my lenses. I wonder if I can borrow hubby's welding mask.

Thanks
Charlotte

SRS do these link no idea if they are any good, if anyone can shed some light I'd be interested too?

Presumably they do this using polarisation. Could two polarisers be stacked to achieve the same effect/functionality?

In theory yes, but in practice my two cheap-ass polarizers didn't give a great result. Strange colour shift, uneven darkening, and blurriness.

Fair enough - I've got two of similar provenance to yours, so will look out for a proper ND filter instead!