About ND Filters

[supermike]

Hi Guys! Need your help... I'm still new to photography, I like landscape shots. My question is regarding ND filters. I have read that its great tool for landscape shot and that it reduces light so you can use longer shutter speed. I try and get one (ND8) but i can't really appreciate the final product. I use it in a bright sunny day. Any particular camera settings that I should try to have a good product? How long is the shutter speed that I need to use? :dunno:


thanks!

 

[gundamseed84]

I am not pro in using filters but for landscape how about choosing a large aperture f stop? Say f11? This can increase DOF and also prolong the shutter time tog with your filter to get certain effects like smooth water flow?

 

[Ferderico]

have you tried using a bigger F stop? like maybe F22...

maybe you could post some pics in the C&C and let some pro bros to have a look

 

[sinned79]

Hi Guys! Need your help... I'm still new to photography, I like landscape shots. My question is regarding ND filters. I have read that its great tool for landscape shot and that it reduces light so you can use longer shutter speed. I try and get one (ND8) but i can't really appreciate the final product. I use it in a bright sunny day. Any particular camera settings that I should try to have a good product? How long is the shutter speed that I need to use? :dunno:


thanks!

what are u shooting first?

 

[supermike]

hi guys... thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to shoot normal landcape shots on a sunny day, eg trees, water etc. I find the shot underexposed, so need longer shutter speed?

 

[eow]

which brand u get ?
hoya hmc or the el cheapo sold at the mass sale

 

[Numnumball]

hi guys... thanks for all the replies. I'm trying to shoot normal landcape shots on a sunny day, eg trees, water etc. I find the shot underexposed, so need longer shutter speed?

We cant really advise on the direct shutter duration u need as we are not aware of the lighting conditions/environment u are shooting at.. u need to understand how aperture/shutter duration/iso relates to one another..basically when we use ND in broad day light : main objective is to reduce the amt of light gg into ur lenses, to cut out human elements, lengthen exposure for dramatic sky/water movements in broadaylight etc..

Falling back onto ur light meter and compensate accordingly if ur shots are underexpose: -

Either by framing into somewhere bright (allowing more light in), pump up iso (if necessary), using a larger aperture and using a longer shutter duration.

 

[mimik07]

Hi TS, perhaps you can show us an example of your 'end product'? Easier for fellow CSers to give advise when they have something to look at.

 

[Smiles88]

er TS. maybe u can state which part of it is underexposed??? or post the image?? den bro NNB can comment. he's my ou xiang.... hehe

 

[wildcat]

Hi Guys! Need your help... I'm still new to photography, I like landscape shots. My question is regarding ND filters. I have read that its great tool for landscape shot and that it reduces light so you can use longer shutter speed. I try and get one (ND8) but i can't really appreciate the final product. I use it in a bright sunny day. Any particular camera settings that I should try to have a good product? How long is the shutter speed that I need to use? :dunno:


thanks!

ND8 only reduces light by 3 stops. If you are taking in bright sunny day, it may not be enough.

Use the following steps to guesstimate what ND filter you will need:

1. Take a normal picture at the aperture that you would normally, at the time that you would, in the situation that you would.

e.g. f9 at ISO100 at 11am makes me take a picture without any filters at 1/150 secs.

2. Estimate how long exposure you would need.

e.g. I need the exposure to be around 3 secs

3. By that count, I would need something to slow my light by 3 * 1/(1/150) = 3 * 150 = 450 times.

This would approximate to a 9 stop filter. The closest are Hoya's ND400 (~9 stops) or B+W ND110 (10 stops).

If however I need my exposure to be around 15 secs for the same settings...
15 * 1/(1/150) = 15 * 150 = 2250 times...
I can still use an ND110, but make my aperture smaller by 2 to 3 stops (i.e. instead of f9, I will use f18) to get my 15secs shot.
Alternately, I can also stack a 10stop filter with a 3 stop (ND8) filter to get 13 stops.

You need to be clear on how to calculate f stops (aperture) and shutter speed, then the above calculations will make sense.

 

[wildcat]

Btw ND8 is normally not enough to stop the light if you are planning to take pictures in bright daylight. I got my ND8 first, but that's because I was using a very large aperture lens, and I was refusing to stop down (WTF,-I-have-a-f1.4-lens,-why-am-I-stopping-down-newbie syndrome plus Nikon base ISO is 200) thus I was maxing out the 1/4000s shutter speed on my camera. With a ND8 (1/10000 divide by 8 = 1/1250s) I could take pictures with my lens wide open at 11am super bright sunlight.

It is still useful when I need to stack with a ND110 or when I am taking pictures at night and need to smoothen water.

 

[Francis247]

We cant really advise on the direct shutter duration u need as we are not aware of the lighting conditions/environment u are shooting at.. u need to understand how aperture/shutter duration/iso relates to one another..basically when we use ND in broad day light : main objective is to reduce the amt of light gg into ur lenses, to cut out human elements, lengthen exposure for dramatic sky/water movements in broadaylight etc..

Falling back onto ur light meter and compensate accordingly if ur shots are underexpose: -

Either by framing into somewhere bright (allowing more light in), pump up iso (if necessary), using a larger aperture and using a longer shutter duration.

Hi Numnumball,

There is something that you forgot to add...
Cover the viewfinder so that it won't mess up the light metering.
It applies to landscape photography, not only limited to night photography.
Cheerz.