CPL as a ND filter?

[OmEgA-aLpHa]

Hi...

i read this comment somewhere in the forum saying that a CPL can be used as a 1 to 2 stop ND filter... jus wondering if it is true... n if it is... den how do u actually use it that way?? n if so den might as well jus get a CPL n 4get abt the ND???

thx...

 

[ssping83]

yes it is true.. and yes you can use it that way.. but ND (depending on which ND you get) allows you to have more stops of shutter speed for motion trail in bright light..

 

[zac08]

A ND is just that.. a neutral density filter. It filters the light intensity without any colour cast or shift in colour. With a CPL, you may get certain colour casts and shifts.

And I'm not sure if the thread is still around, but I've experimented with a linear polariser and a CPL together, it can be used as a variable ND filter. Pretty interesting...

 

[Dream Merchant]

Yeah, Hoya used to make double-polarisers for solar and industrial photography during ther film days as you can continously turn the filters till they allow virtually no light in.

 

[theRBK]

a CPL can work as a 2 stop or 4ND filter, but sometimes you need more "power" so can get an ND8 (4-stop) ND filter as well... a CPL can also enhance saturation in certain situations like when there is glare...

 

[OmEgA-aLpHa]

thx for all the replies... so to use it as a ND u jus use it as per normal?? n i agree if u need more power... eventually u will still need a ND8... haha... but the ND n CPL stacked together seems nice... even though i won't b able to try it since i don hav a ND...

 

[theRBK]

thx for all the replies... so to use it as a ND u jus use it as per normal?? n i agree if u need more power... eventually u will still need a ND8... haha... but the ND n CPL stacked together seems nice... even though i won't b able to try it since i don hav a ND...

depending on the lens (usually for the case of wide angle lenses), stacking lenses may cause your image to have what is called vignetting... YMMV