Questions on GND filters

I am thinking of getting a graduated neutral density filter.... don't know what one to get, and don't know what the attachment is called to hold the filter.
I don't have a ton of money to spend on one at this time as I have already spent a lot of money (for me) on other camera equipment getting prepared to go to Yellowstone and the Tetons in 6 weeks.
Are there any affordable GND filters available for $150 or less (preferably less)? I am thinking if I can afford something it would be a very good filter to use on vacation.

Thank you

There's three parts to a filter system: There's the filter itself (a square or rectangular piece of glass or resin), a holder with slots for the filter(s) to slide into, and an adapter ring that attaches the filter to your lens. The adapter is sized to your front threads, like 58mm, 67mm, 77mm, etc.

I believe the cheaper route to go is with a company called Cokin that sells a small size filter called "P" size but my understanding is that they're not the greatest quality. A larger size (good for wider angle lenses) is call 4", 100mm, or Cokin Z. Personally, I'm starting to build a set of 4" filters. Lee, Hitech, Cokin, and others such filters.

Link to a popular but poorly organized site for filters, specifically their page for Lee 4x4's:

http://www.2filter.com​/Leefilters/LeeFilters​4x4.html

It shows the filter holder and lists prices for them along with the adapters.

Link to 2filter's page for 4" filters of various brands and strengths:

http://www.2filter.com …ilters/4x4ndgra​duals.html

Typically GND's are 5"-6" long so you can adjust to transition point in frame

If you're going to Yellowstone and the Tetons, it would be wise to invest in set of quality filters instead of a lesser quality filter. A very good, moderately priced GND filter is the Hitech brand...I used them for years before recently switching to the Lee filters. I'd also recommend going with the larger filters as opposed to the P-sized...plenty of threads going on about the differences/limitation​s of the P-size as compared to the larger 100mm filters. Also, plenty of threads on the Lee vs. Cokin Z-Pro holder (personally, I'm in the Lee camp after trying the Z-Pro). Do a forum search and they'll come up. As far as filter strength goes, that could be a toss-up. Most generally start with a 2-soft and a 3-hard. Since you'll be in the parks, a 2-soft would probably be the best bet.

As previously stated, you'll need basically three items: (1) filter; (2) filter holder; (3) adapter ring to mount the filter holder to the lens barrel. Links to the Lee setup:

Foundation kit holder only(4x4, 4x6):
Lee Foundation Kit

Lee Wide Angle Adapter Ring (depends on your lens diameter):
Lee Wide Angle Ring (scroll down)

Hitech GND Filters:
Hitech GND Filters (scroll down to 3rd table)

This might be slightly above your $150 budget, but you'll have quality gear that will last you a long time and help you to take better images at those two iconic locations. Another option, if that will bust your budget, would be to skip the holder and adapter ring (initially) and simply handhold the filter in front of the lens. This approach works, but you need to be careful: (1) fingertips in the frame; (2) possible tripod shake if you're not steady.

Your best bet would be to call 2filter.com directly and ask about their filter kits...they usually offer a starter kit with the holder of your choice and a single filter.

Don't be shy about hand holding in front of the lens, I do it more often than not and have left the holder at home more than once on purpose. With the camera firmly mounted on a tripod its simple enough.

Thank you all for your response and input. I do appreciate your taking the time to help me out.

I am considering just hand holding for now to save the $$ and buy the adapter/holder at a later date.

On the hitech site they mention their holders only hold hitech filters so that is something to think about. Is this true for most all filter companies? If you buy one manufacturer filter you need to stay with that same company for the holder?

Another quick question... is it easy or difficult to use a circular polarizing filter along with a GND? Since the CPL's rotate to find the best shot, that seems it would change drastically the horizontal line for the GND filters. I would not like seeing a photo where the GND filter was held at a strange angle because the CPL needed to be rotated.

I do own a good circular polarizing filter.

The holders for the GND can rotate on their mounting rings so you adjust your normal screw-in polarizer and then, while holding the polarizer in position, rotate the filter holder. This won't work if you're using some of the slim CPLs that don't have front threads, and stacking a CPL and a grad in a holder may cause vignetting, which is why to go with the 4" rectangulars. Of course if you're hand-holding the grad, the rotation of the CPL is immaterial.

Whatever you do, don't get a screw-in grad. You wouldn't be able to adjust the horizon line with them.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #10105948
Thank you all for your response and input. I do appreciate your taking the time to help me out.

I am considering just hand holding for now to save the $$ and buy the adapter/holder at a later date.

On the hitech site they mention their holders only hold hitech filters so that is something to think about. Is this true for most all filter companies? If you buy one manufacturer filter you need to stay with that same company for the holder?

No...not true at all Any 4" (100mm) filter will fit in either the Lee Foundation Kit holder, Cokin Z-Pro, or Hitech holders. Since you'll be handholding initially anyway, that shouldn't be an issue.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #10105962
Another quick question... is it easy or difficult to use a circular polarizing filter along with a GND? Since the CPL's rotate to find the best shot, that seems it would change drastically the horizontal line for the GND filters. I would not like seeing a photo where the GND filter was held at a strange angle because the CPL needed to be rotated.

I do own a good circular polarizing filter.

Again, since you'll be handholding initially, its not an issue...just dial in your polarization and hold the GND in front of the polarizer at the necessary angle (as dictated by the scene).

argyle wrote in post #10106498
No...not true at all Any 4" (100mm) filter will fit in either the Lee Foundation Kit holder, Cokin Z-Pro, or Hitech holders. Since you'll be handholding initially anyway, that shouldn't be an issue.


Again, since you'll be handholding initially, its not an issue...just dial in your polarization and hold the GND in front of the polarizer at the necessary angle (as dictated by the scene).

My wife and I talked about this today, and I showed her some photos from the thread "Post Your Graduated Neutral Density Sample Shots Please " which she was impressed to see. She told me since this may be a once in a lifetime trip for us, go ahead and get everything! YES!

Looking at the web site from HiTech they list 3 different 4x4 holders. The first one will hold 3 filters and says "with front accessory mounting ring"
Does this mean I don't buy the seperate ring? That does not make sense with the different size lenses out there. Does anyone here know what they mean by this? I would think I would still need to buy the correct size mounting ring.

The next holder is an MK4 holder with no front mouning ring. The third selection is also an MK4 but with a mounting ring. Please explain the difference here.

Now the filters listed are 4x5 not 4x4 so I am 'assuming' this is for an adjustment up and down of where the split in the graduation is placed in front of the lens for the best effect of the filter. Am I correct in this assessment?

I am kinda thinking get the holder that will hold 2 filters rather than just one. Can anyone talk me into a different holder?

I have 3 lenses... 18-55 IS and 70-300 IS both having 58mm filter size threads. The third is 50mm 1.8 with 52mm threads. I doubt I would use it on the nifty-fifty so get the 58mm adapter ring, correct?

Which filter(s) to get? argyle suggested a 0.2 soft for Yellowstone and Tetons, but the HiTech website only lists 0.3 soft/hard then 0.6 etc.

Thank you for any and all help you can give me!

I'm not up on the HiTech holders (my 4" holder is a Lee), but I believe that the "front accessory mounting ring" enables you to mount a screw-in (round) 105 mm filter in front of the rectangular filter(s). You'd still need the accessory (52 & 58 mm) rings to attach the filter holder to the lens.

Argyle suggested a 2-stop soft for your trip. Neutral Density filter designations are confusing. Some companies refer to the number of stops a filter will hold the scene back (1 stop, 2 stops, 3 stops). Others use the number of times you'd need to increase the exposure (2x, 4x, 8x). Still others refer to the "log density" of the filter (0.3, 0.6 or 0.9). Argyle's 2 stops soft grad (and I agree that would be the one to go with) is what Hitech calls a 0.6 soft; others might call it a 4x soft.

Yes, the 4x5 is so you can adjust the filter up and down so the transition's where you want it.

this is a general shout out to the folks commenting on filter threads, i've read hundreds of posts on filters over the past few weeks and learned a heck of a lot, thanks for putting in the effort to explain these techniques to the noobs!

that said, after having been fully convinced i needed to get some filter gear, i ran into a bit of a snag...apparently there are no 77 mm lee wide angle adaptors available anywhere on the planet at the moment...i've been told by lee they had a production issue that set them back a few months, but if you are going on a trip in a few weeks (like i am) and want to get your filter gear squared away, be prepared for disappointment in the short term...(if 77 mm is your size)...

btw, i ran into the same issue over in the "post your 9 and 10 stop photos" thread, which convinced me i just had to have a 10 stop filter, but the b+w nd110 is sold out and they apparently had production issues as well...

so while i'm going to thank all the contributors, i'm also going to chastise you all for getting me amped up to get this gear, only to find out i can't actually buy what i need!

wintermutant wrote in post #10109235
this is a general shout out to the folks commenting on filter threads, i've read hundreds of posts on filters over the past few weeks and learned a heck of a lot, thanks for putting in the effort to explain these techniques to the noobs!

that said, after having been fully convinced i needed to get some filter gear, i ran into a bit of a snag...apparently there are no 77 mm lee wide angle adaptors available anywhere on the planet at the moment...i've been told by lee they had a production issue that set them back a few months, but if you are going on a trip in a few weeks (like i am) and want to get your filter gear squared away, be prepared for disappointment in the short term...(if 77 mm is your size)...

btw, i ran into the same issue over in the "post your 9 and 10 stop photos" thread, which convinced me i just had to have a 10 stop filter, but the b+w nd110 is sold out and they apparently had production issues as well...

so while i'm going to thank all the contributors, i'm also going to chastise you all for getting me amped up to get this gear, only to find out i can't actually buy what i need!

Is there any reason you couldn't get a step-up ring and then use an 82mm adapter?

hmm, good thought, thanks for the suggestion...i just checked b&h and the lee 82 mm wide angle adapter is sold out as well, though, unfortunately...i may broaden the search for that (although maybe other like-minded people already beat me to the punch on this solution)...if worse comes to worse i could pick up the non-wide angle adapter ring in the short term and sacrifice some focal length just to get the kit together...but sacrificing capability like that triggers my OCD

thanks again!

Yesterday I called 2filters.com and ordered the holder, ring and 2 filters. They recommended the Cokin Z holder and Cokin ring, and they recommended the Hitech filters. I ordered 2 filters; the 0.3 and 0.6 both soft edge.

I should have them in 2-3 days!!!

Thank you all for your help and recommendations!

I have another question I wish I would have thought of yesterday... I called the filter place today and asked about a case to hold the filters. They have one from Lee that will hold 3 filters for $25.22 and they said since I just ordered yesterday they would only charge me 1/2 price for shipping wish is a nice jesture.

What do most people use to protect their filters from scratches and getting broken?

Thank you