ND filters

[RoyZilla92]

HI CSers!

basically i wanted to know more about ND filters, n i have actually read here n der. knowing what difference it will make for our landscape shots.
But:embrass: what i am not sure about is that i am planning to get ND filter and i wud like to ask opinions from fellow CSers for recommendations.

my equipments are:
500D w/ BG-E5, 420EX, EF-s 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (72mm), EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Phottix Cleon II

 

[limwhow]

HI CSers!

basically i wanted to know more about ND filters, n i have actually read here n der. knowing what difference it will make for our landscape shots.
But:embrass: what i am not sure about is that i am planning to get ND filter and i wud like to ask opinions from fellow CSers for recommendations.

my equipments are:
500D w/ BG-E5, 420EX, EF-s 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (72mm), EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Phottix Cleon II

Hello, RoyZilla92.
ND filters are very useful if you are planning to take some landscape pictures of running water, streams, waterfalls, rocks in the sea, and any other situations when you feel that the amount of light needs to be cut down to:
1. achieve a much slower shutter speed for smoothening out the water & waves.
2. to cut off the light from the top half of the picture (i.e. the sky) to prevent it from being over-exposed. In this case you will be looking at a Graduated ND filter.

For a start, get the very economical Tianya one which can be found from the Mass Sales section in ClubSNAP. Or get it from Orient Photo at Sim Lim Square.

 

[night86mare]

HI CSers!

basically i wanted to know more about ND filters, n i have actually read here n der. knowing what difference it will make for our landscape shots.
But:embrass: what i am not sure about is that i am planning to get ND filter and i wud like to ask opinions from fellow CSers for recommendations.

what is your budget?

do you understand exposure basics, the relation between iso, aperture and shutter speed? i am not asking this as a test, because you do need some amount of knowledge to make proper use of an nd filter.

also, are you talking about nd filters or GND filters? there is a difference.

for either, there are a variety of offerings out there, you pay for what you get, but the price increase for improvement in quality is exponential.

 

[RoyZilla92]

Hello, RoyZilla92.
ND filters are very useful if you are planning to take some landscape pictures of running water, streams, waterfalls, rocks in the sea, and any other situations when you feel that the amount of light needs to be cut down to:
1. achieve a much slower shutter speed for smoothening out the water & waves.
2. to cut off the light from the top half of the picture (i.e. the sky) to prevent it from being over-exposed. In this case you will be looking at a Graduated ND filter.

For a start, get the very economical Tianya one which can be found from the Mass Sales section in ClubSNAP. Or get it from Orient Photo at Sim Lim Square.

thanks there!
i am actually quite blurred of grad ND's because of the Infra red problems which causes magenta colour in our photos. does this often happen when using grad ND & btw how many stops would u recommend me to get?!

 

[RoyZilla92]

what is your budget?

do you understand exposure basics, the relation between iso, aperture and shutter speed? i am not asking this as a test, because you do need some amount of knowledge to make proper use of an nd filter.

also, are you talking about nd filters or GND filters? there is a difference.

for either, there are a variety of offerings out there, you pay for what you get, but the price increase for improvement in quality is exponential.

i am quite familliar with those things no worries.
i hvnt tot of a budget because i hardly decide on to get ND or grad ND, but prolly less than 100 bucks.

 

[limwhow]

What night86mare said is true.
The really good ones do cost a little more.
Some brands of GND do actually give a tint of red.
And yes, certainly most ND4, ND8 and GND can be bought for below $100.
A Cokin brand GND is around $40-50.

I would suggest, if you don't mind, go ahead and look for the advertisers in the Mass Sales section here in ClubSNAP and buy:

• a filter holder
• also a holder ring for your lens to fix it on
• and a square ND4 and a square GND

... and then go out and try a series of sunset/sunrise...
... and go to the Botanic Gardens to shoot its waterfall with slow shutter speed...

Try it. It's very fun.

 

[allenleonhart]

Hello, RoyZilla92.
ND filters are very useful if you are planning to take some landscape pictures of running water, streams, waterfalls, rocks in the sea, and any other situations when you feel that the amount of light needs to be cut down to:
1. achieve a much slower shutter speed for smoothening out the water & waves.
2. to cut off the light from the top half of the picture (i.e. the sky) to prevent it from being over-exposed. In this case you will be looking at a Graduated ND filter.

For a start, get the very economical Tianya one which can be found from the Mass Sales section in ClubSNAP. Or get it from Orient Photo at Sim Lim Square.

yep agreed. i personally use tianya, but u gotta keep a look out for defects. my nd8 actually not too even one. some parts darker than others. like random dots. so must keep look out for it!

 

[limwhow]

... and oh, sorry, I forgot to add.
If you are just interested in the ND4 or ND8 filters and not the GND, then you don't need to buy the square version.
They come in regular circular filters to screw onto your lens.
May be more convenient to use.

 

[shaoken]

What night86mare said is true.
The really good ones do cost a little more.
Some brands of GND do actually give a tint of red.
And yes, certainly most ND4, ND8 and GND can be bought for below $100.
A Cokin brand GND is around $40-50.

I would suggest, if you don't mind, go ahead and look for the advertisers in the Mass Sales section here in ClubSNAP and buy:

• a filter holder
• also a holder ring for your lens to fix it on
• and a square ND4 and a square GND

... and then go out and try a series of sunset/sunrise...
... and go to the Botanic Gardens to shoot its waterfall with slow shutter speed...

Try it. It's very fun.

You can also get it from Camera Workshop at Peninsular Shopping Centre.
I got my set with 2 colour filters and 1 ND8 for $55. A few bucks more than Mass Orders in CS.

... and oh, sorry, I forgot to add.
If you are just interested in the ND4 or ND8 filters and not the GND, then you don't need to buy the square version.
They come in regular circular filters to screw onto your lens.
May be more convenient to use.

TS lenses have different tread sizes (I think)..

 

[Octarine]

TS lenses have different tread sizes (I think)..

Step-up rings will help, a good choice for filters used rarely but with different lenses. They would also be necessary for the square holder since it's screwed into the front thread of the lens.

 

[RoyZilla92]

BOomz of opinions thanks guys and noted all the points.

anw i am still wondering about the leakage of the square filters and the infra red problem. do this problem often occur?

 

[limwhow]

BOomz of opinions thanks guys and noted all the points.

anw i am still wondering about the leakage of the square filters and the infra red problem. do this problem often occur?

No lah. Not really lah.
Hey, like what the good brothers here have suggested, please do go ahead and get your set from The Camera Workshop. Start shooting with them and see the effects for yourself.
The longer you wait, the more you will be missing.

 

[abimanyuboentaran]

just get a quality circular polarizer, it acts as an nd 2 filter too, you get two filters in one. if you need more ND, then get the ND 4, that's enough ND there.

are you shooting in midday sun?

 

[RoyZilla92]

Well yes, but CPL cost around 100 plus, and Tianya square filters is only about $75 from the CS mass sales. they gave away ND4, ND8 and 2 grad ND if i'm not mistaken and i do agree on i get for wad i paid philisophy.
Not necessarily shooting mid days though

 

[abimanyuboentaran]

ok you can try that, but you got some nice gears and if you shoot landscape, i think sooner or later you will buy cpl, trust me,hehehe, see how that nd works for you.

 

[RoyZilla92]

ok you can try that, but you got some nice gears and if you shoot landscape, i think sooner or later you will buy cpl, trust me,hehehe, see how that nd works for you.

lol yeah i'll try it first..someday after i got my new lens, i'll perhaps get a CPL for it hahaha.. thanks for ur opinion though, appreciate that.:thumbsup:

 

[xintothezonex]

sory TS..
Like to hijack some questions here.
which is the best ND filter to take clouds during sunny days?
Is it a good idea to use ND filter for sunset or sunrise?
Thanks..

 

[RoyZilla92]

sory TS..
Like to hijack some questions here.
which is the best ND filter to take clouds during sunny days?
Is it a good idea to use ND filter for sunset or sunrise?
Thanks..

i saw the results from magazine and online, on sunsets though, the results are superb. but i guess we have to be fast, especially when using 8 stop or 10 stop ND. must do a solid preparation before making shots with ND filter.

 

[Numnumball]

sory TS..
Like to hijack some questions here.
which is the best ND filter to take clouds during sunny days?
Is it a good idea to use ND filter for sunset or sunrise?
Thanks..

Hmm.. Normally we dun use NDs, we use GNDs for such situations, u got to noe each kind serves a diff purpose..For sunset/sunrise, norm we need to it to darken a bright sky so that both the sky and subject or foregroud can be properly exposed. (thats where its name comes abt, it gradually transist gradually from dark to clear It comes readily in hard and soft edges to fit diff needs.

 

[RoyZilla92]

points noted again hahaha....