ND Grad Filter worth it?

[yoby]

Hello,

Are Natural Density Filters worth the Money? or simply using Mask Layers in photoshop can save the amateur photographer a few dollars?

Am trying to decide if the NAD GRAD filters is worth buying or should I hold and just do PS manipulations...

Thanks in advance,

[Mike R]

Welcome to POTN! I use Grad Neutral Density Filters (GND) The question to ask yourself is Do you want to spend time photographing or processing. It would take less time to get it as right as you can in the camera than to have to do major PP, & even then some shots you will not be able to salvage. However, wait until you can afford them without going into debt. High quality filters are not cheap. I use Shing-Ray filters at $100 each but put them in a Cokin holder which is less expensive that other brands. People have reported that the less expensive filters can put a color cast on the image. A Gray ND filter is not a true ND.

[Lowner]

Getting the correct exposure in camera will always give a better quality final print than using Photoshop to recover from a mistake made during shooting.

I use a set of three Cokin ND grads for landscapes a lot and I am not a believer in filters otherwise.

[Madweasel]

Sometimes the difference in brightness between sky and foreground is more than a camera can deal with, resulting in a blown sky that cannot be recovered later. In those cases an ND Grad is the only thing that will do it (aside from combining separate images of different exposures).

[yoby]

Well the question was gear more into the PS trick of doing two exposures and combining them in PS (one for the sky then another for the bottom section) In theory is getting it right from the start just a little post processing on ones part...

I was looking into the GRAD Filters and like most of you said there about 100$ to 200$ range... (makes me think I could put that money on glass ;))

[homersapien]

I was looking into the GRAD Filters and like most of you said there about 100$ to 200$ range... (makes me think I could put that money on glass ;))

I have $50 in my HiTech 2 stop soft GND and Ebay cokin holders. That covers about 90% of my needs.

PS isn't a replacement for GNDs. I think GNDs produce a more natural looking result; it's often very easy to spot blended photos, and too often they look unnatural, to my eye anyway :cool:

[yoby]

I have $50 in my HiTech 2 stop soft GND and Ebay cokin holders. That covers about 90% of my needs.

PS isn't a replacement for GNDs. I think GNDs produce a more natural looking result; it's often very easy to spot blended photos, and too often they look unnatural, to my eye anyway :cool:

I was looking into this one
B+W 77mm ND 502 Graduated Neutral Density Filter

for about 80$ on ebay? but am between this and the Hoya

[Jon]

You don't want a screw-in grad. If you get one of those, you have to adjust your composition to match where the grad falls. If you get a holder and rectangular grad you can compose your image and move the graduation around to fit it.

[DDCSD]

I was looking into this one
B+W 77mm ND 502 Graduated Neutral Density Filter

for about 80$ on ebay? but am between this and the Hoya


Do not get the screw in GND filters. They severely limit your creativeness by forcing you to keep your horizon line dead center.

I use and highly recommend this kit from 2filter.com. Reputable seller and they ship fast (had mine 2 days after ordering it).
http://www.2filter.com/prices/htpackages.html

I bought the 2 stop soft kit and then a 3 stop hard filter on top of that.

[yoby]

You don't want a screw-in grad. If you get one of those, you have to adjust your composition to match where the grad falls. If you get a holder and rectangular grad you can compose your image and move the graduation around to fit it.

I totally forgot about that... Thanks :)

Currently how much are the Cokin Holders going for? I don't have any on my arsenal at the moment, why is a good place to find them?

[DDCSD]

I totally forgot about that... Thanks :)

Currently how much are the Cokin Holders going for? I don't have any on my arsenal at the moment, why is a good place to find them?

See the post above yours. :)

[Jon]

Cokin P holders, with one adapter ring, are under $20 at B&H. Haven't checked exactly how much under recently.

[yoby]

See the post above yours. :)

Opps.. Sorry... You posted right before I hit submit...

Am new to the world of ND grads, I was reading a book landscape photography and found out how they were coping with Sky -ground exposure problems.

On the site you gave me, the SL and HL mean SOFT LEVEL? and HARD LEVEL? or what does it really mean?

Am guessing one will want something in a gradient from hard opacity to light in a soft transition...

[Jon]

Right - a "soft grad" has a gradual transition between max density and clear; a "hard grad" has an abrupt one. Hard grads are better when there's a crisp, straight, horizon line.

[DDCSD]

Opps.. Sorry... You posted right before I hit submit...

Am new to the world of ND grads, I was reading a book landscape photography and found out how they were coping with Sky -ground exposure problems.

On the site you gave me, the SL and HL mean SOFT LEVEL? and HARD LEVEL? or what does it really mean?

Am guessing one will one something in a gradient from hard opacity to light in a soft transition...

They have actual scans on that page of what the difference in appearance is of the actual filters.

In use, the hard filters have a line where the ND meets the clear part of the filter. Soft filters more gradually come together. Hard filters are good when you have a fairly flat horizen (over water, few hills/trees) while the soft filters are better when the horizon isn't so perfect.

Soft filters are recommended for beginners, since the line on the hard ones can be easy to spot in the image if not perfectly placed. Soft filters can be misplaced a bit and no one will ever know.

[yoby]

Thanks... I just saw that now... I think am going with the SL 0.6 to start with...

By any chance do they have an ebay presence? live.com has a 30% rebate which is always nice...

[DDCSD]

Thanks... I just saw that now... I think am going with the SL 0.6 to start with...

By any chance do they have an ebay presence? live.com has a 30% rebate which is always nice...

I don't know that they do.

You may want to be sure to order the wide angle holder for your UWA, otherwise you will likely get some vignetting (I'm not sure about the 12-24 on a cropper). I believe they will send one instead of the standard holder.

You might want to email them to make sure, and maybe ask about the Ebay store.

[yoby]

Thanks will send them an email right now... Will tell you what they suggest...


Thanks again

[yoby]

Well,

I spoke to 2filter.com they gave two choices:

Buy the regular 82mm Hitech 85/P Gradual ND Filter Package (http://2filter.com/prices/htpackages.html)and buy an extra adapter for wide angle

The other option is to go with Cokin Z Pro / Hitech 4x5 Gradual ND Filter (http://2filter.com/prices/Hitech_Z_package.html)Package for the 82mm

The Difference in price is about 100$ am thinking the Z will be better and will avoid significant Vignetting.

PS: Am looking into an ND GRAD for a SIGMA 12-24mm 82mm ring. I could go for my 24-105 Canon for Panoramas but I think since I have my Sigma why not use it!, but if you have a strong opinion why I shouldn't please go ahead and throw some light into this...

[tvphotog]

Very interesting thread. I'm going to look into the Cokin adjustable NG filter.
Thanks.

[DDCSD]

yoby,

One thing to remember, is that you'll be able to use the same system on the 24-105. You'll just need to get an adapter ring for the thread size of the 24-105 as well.

[yoby]

Thanks for the TIP! am learning more and more... No wonder my friend was saying that this System Rocks compare to the Threaded ones...

I might need to call 2filter again tomorrow to ask for a package deal for both lenses...

PS: Any takes on what is best for Panoramas (also for stitching on PS)

[DDCSD]

Here is a post someone made with some GND and Panorama links. I haven't gone through them, but it might be worth a look.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=3254333&postcount=13

[yoby]

Here is a post someone made with some GND and Panorama links. I haven't gone through them, but it might be worth a look.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=3254333&postcount=13

Thanks... Will have a look most likely tomorrow...

[DDCSD]

Thanks... Will have a look most likely tomorrow...

I actually looked through the GND and panorama threads quickly, and they look to be excellent.

[r.morales]

I don't like the grad ND's . ND's CAN cut down on flare and help with pano's . The problem with them is moving clouds - anything moving . They can play with DOF , the lens is open wider to get more light which can cut down DOF depending on the shot .
The cactus 10 feet away is OK but the mountains and clouds are blurry - not sharp .