ND Filters


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flipfreak

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Nov 26, 2007
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i understand that ND filters are meant to cut down light for long exposures but what about situations with high contrast like bright skies but landscape bit is abit on the dark side.

do i use ND filters if the shutter speed goes down to 1/2 sec? cos i'm definitely gonna blow the skies for such shutter speeds but increasing the shutter speed means i gonna get a silhouette for the landscape portion.

assuming doing HDR is out of the qns pls.
 

U can try a split ND filter, e.g. the top half would cut down the brightness of the sky, while the bottom half is clear, so allowing u to use the correct exposure for the ground without blowing out the sky.

I never used one before, but I kinda suspect that the typical circular ones are not very useful...since the split is right down the middle
 

Use GND filter, the filter is divided into 2 portion the upper portion dark and lower portion clear.

The darker portion of the filter is to darken the sky so that the landscape can be exposed correctly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduated_neutral_density_filter

but what if the lower portion is irregular like buildings? then i'm gonna end up with the buildings exposed at different level? :confused:
 

U can try a split ND filter, e.g. the top half would cut down the brightness of the sky, while the bottom half is clear, so allowing u to use the correct exposure for the ground without blowing out the sky.

I never used one before, but I kinda suspect that the typical circular ones are not very useful...since the split is right down the middle

what abt irregular landscapes? its gonna split at the wrong places right? :dunno:
 

what abt irregular landscapes? its gonna split at the wrong places right? :dunno:

The soft step GNDs might be less harsh on placement. As long as there is no markedly outstanding transitional difference betw the two extremes of the dynamic range, a soft step might be more forgiving. Many landscape shooters still utilise their GND even with moutaineous ridges.

Of course the urban buildings present with a more unique challenge. Sometimes the slight darkening of the buildings may not be too apparent ( also depending on the filter strength u using )

Any more tricky transitions u might have to resort to blending / HDR.

Ryan
 

The soft step GNDs might be less harsh on placement. As long as there is no markedly outstanding transitional difference betw the two extremes of the dynamic range, a soft step might be more forgiving. Many landscape shooters still utilise their GND even with moutaineous ridges.

Of course the urban buildings present with a more unique challenge. Sometimes the slight darkening of the buildings may not be too apparent ( also depending on the filter strength u using )

Any more tricky transitions u might have to resort to blending / HDR.

Ryan


oic. i can't use hdr/blending cos i using film. :)

so confusing. so many types of filters.
 

ooo ... never hear of this kinda stuff. very suaku. :embrass:

I think he means the placement at the transition of the GND is flexible ..

oic. i can't use hdr/blending cos i using film. :)

so confusing. so many types of filters.

I was just referring to the Graduated Neutral Density filters ( GND )
The ND will not solve the dynamic range problem.

Film ? I guess if u wan then u can shoot bracketted exposures scan the films and process them digitally.

Ryan
 

ooo ... never hear of this kinda stuff. very suaku. :embrass:

that means a filter holder will do the job... just rotating the holder and shifting the filter glass.
u can try cokin or tianya filter series.
i have got 67mm and 77mm adapter, if u just like to try out or 1 time off thingy can borrow from me :)
 

I think he means the placement at the transition of the GND is flexible ..



I was just referring to the Graduated Neutral Density filters ( GND )
The ND will not solve the dynamic range problem.

Film ? I guess if u wan then u can shoot bracketted exposures scan the films and process them digitally.

Ryan

oic. i think i gotta go check it out somewhere to see how they look like. i am more a visual guy. hard for me to picture how they look like right now.

i don't wanna bracket the shots cos im a cheapo. :embrass:
 

that means a filter holder will do the job... just rotating the holder and shifting the filter glass.
u can try cokin or tianya filter series.
i have got 67mm and 77mm adapter, if u just like to try out or 1 time off thingy can borrow from me :)

thanks bro. u are da best. but my lens diameter is 58mm. :bsmilie:
 

I got a GND filter too.. and if the exposure is not that long.. u can actually handhold it infront of the lens. Wanna try? I am going to Puggol beach later to shoot some landscape.. wanna join?
 

I got a GND filter too.. and if the exposure is not that long.. u can actually handhold it infront of the lens. Wanna try? I am going to Puggol beach later to shoot some landscape.. wanna join?

don't think i can go today. got stuff to do after work. :sweat:
 

Here's a link someone found on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/awfulsara/51300446/in/photostream/

Apparently what he/she claims to do is to take 2 photos with a GND filter, one exposing the for the sky and another exposing for the mountain/ground then layer the 2 shots until he/she is happy with the exposure in photoshop.

I haven't got a GND filter so I wouldn't know if it works. Then again, if this is the case, you can probably do the same without a GND filter? :dunno:
 

Here's a link someone found on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/awfulsara/51300446/in/photostream/

Apparently what he/she claims to do is to take 2 photos with a GND filter, one exposing the for the sky and another exposing for the mountain/ground then layer the 2 shots until he/she is happy with the exposure in photoshop.

I haven't got a GND filter so I wouldn't know if it works. Then again, if this is the case, you can probably do the same without a GND filter? :dunno:

think it would be pretty similar to doing hdr except maybe more time consuming? :dunno:
 

think it would be pretty similar to doing hdr except maybe more time consuming? :dunno:

Or less time consuming ?
The GND might have helped narrow the initial wide dynamic range scene. You probably do not need to take so many bracketted shots and HDR / merge process so many shots.

Ryan
 

Or less time consuming ?
The GND might have helped narrow the initial wide dynamic range scene. You probably do not need to take so many bracketted shots and HDR / merge process so many shots.

Ryan

true. and those huge hdr files .... :sweatsm:
 

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