Difference between a graduated ND filter and polarizer filter

Can someone enlighten me. What is the difference between these two filters. Seems like both will make the blue sky pop out. I've already ordered a B&W polarizing filter but just curious as when one would use a graduated ND filter.

A polarizer can deepen the sky and cut reflections off things like glass and the surface of water. A neutral density filter just makes things darker so you can use a longer shutter speed or bigger aperture under conditions such as bright daylight. A polarizer can act as a weak ND filter since it cost you 1-2 stop of light. A graduated ND filter has part of the filter dark and part clear. If you have too much of an exposure difference between the sky and the ground, an ND grad can be used to bring down the brightness of the sky.

Does anyone know anything about these Marumi filters 2filters.com is advertising? Need circular polarizer, ND filter, and possibly a graduated ND filter. Also, how strong should a ND filter be to give that foamy, slow look to a rushing waterfall?

depends on how much light . Apicture from a ridge in sun is a whole bunch different from a forest . Sometimes under right conditions f-22 or f-32 will do it .
My B+W KSM will give about 2 1/2 stops in brite sun and 3 stops in shade .
I would buy used and if you don't like resell or if you are lucky some stores will rent out good ones .

A polarizing filter and graduated neutral density filter are two totally different animals though in some circumstances, the effect is somewhat the same. A GND and a ND filter are not the same thing.

A polarizing filter polarizes the light and in the process, reflections are diminished and it may have an effect og deepening the colors which you see as a bluer sky. However, if affect the whole frame and not specific parts.

A graduated neutral density filter is a filter that starts out clear at one and end gradually gets darker until it reaches some predetermined level of darkness.

A polarizing filter works well in situations where the frame is relatively even in illumination, the top and bottom the same, or the left or right the same.

A GND works best in situations where there is a distinct difference between the illumination top to bottom, or left to right. It allows the photographer to expose for say the ocean, which is darker than the sky, and reduce the amount of light coming from the sky so that to the camera, both sky and ocean are exposed the same.

A GND also shines on UWA lenses. polarizing filters have great difficulty doing their magic when the scene gets wide such as when using the 10-22 lens, or even the 17-55 at the 17mm end. With a polarizing filter you get that distinctive look where one corner of the pic is dark and the other is bright. This is where the GND allows the photographer to reduce the level of exposure across the whole image, from edge to edge equally.

Excellent basic tutorial here on various filters...

http://www.cambridgein​colour.com …s/camera-lens-filters.htm

DANATTHEROCK wrote in post #10315317
Excellent basic tutorial here on various filters...

http://www.cambridgein​colour.com …s/camera-lens-filters.htm

Thanks for the link, that helps. Are the graduated filters set up similar to a polarizing filter in that the outer ring moves so that the graduations run horizonal or vertical to whichever shooting format you choose?

James Emory wrote in post #10319205
Thanks for the link, that helps. Are the graduated filters set up similar to a polarizing filter in that the outer ring moves so that the graduations run horizonal or vertical to whichever shooting format you choose?

Depends on the type of filter. The screw on filters do rotate like a polarizing filter. The other type, the 4x4 filters have a filter carrier that also rotates, but the filter also slides up and down so that the graduated delineation is also adjustable.

As stated you can get a screw-in variable ND filter. You can also get solid (non-rotating) ND or GND screw-in filters. The problem with the screw-in GND versus a 4x4/holder setup is that the graduated bit is set mid-filter so it gives you no room for up/down adjustment.

Here's a good reason for wanting a GND.

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Nice pictures man.

DANATTHEROCK wrote in post #10322249
Nice pictures man.

All credit to Google.

Yeah, well still nice of you to take the time to post them here. Noobs the world over will benefit

HrcRacing wrote in post #10322231
As stated you can get a screw-in variable ND filter. You can also get solid (non-rotating) ND or GND screw-in filters. The problem with the screw-in GND versus a 4x4/holder setup is that the graduated bit is set mid-filter so it gives you no room for up/down adjustment.

Here's a good reason for wanting a GND.

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The beauty of the holders is that you only have to buy adapters to fit multiple lenses. The adapter just screws in like a filter.

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You then just slide the holder over it. As mentioned you can adjust the ND/GND up/down and rotate the holder 360 degrees.

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With a GND slotted in.

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Thank you! Very nice photos and demonstration of what a GND will do.

While I love shooting with a GND (I have the cokin P set), I think it's important for people to realize how easy you can get the same effect with blending two exposures in photoshop (when possible, so no movement in the subjects). You can also easily get the upper part of a raw image about 2 stops down in lightroom - as long as no whites clipped.