Make your own ND Filter

I read an article on how to make your own ND Filter.I will try it since it doesn't cost a lot. This how; attached your good and expensive CP (most of us already own it) and on top of it attached an el cheapo Linear Polarizer (you can get it for as low as $5.00) and you have your home made ND Filter. Has anybody tried it? and how it is? Why the second one is Linear Polarizing?

link?

Homemade ND filter, but at what cost in terms of image quality? Putting "el cheapo" glass of any kind in front of your lens seems like a bad idea to me.

Will it ruin your glass quality?

Sounds like it would vignette.

I think that defeats the purpose of purchasing an expensive CP in the first place. B+W CP, for example, won't degrade image quality as much as the Tiffen filters ($10). By placing an "el cheapo" filter in front of the high quality CP makes the high quality CP an "el cheapo" filter. Your image quality is as best as your worst lens filter in that setup.

Super el cheapo way:
Tape two pairs of cheap polarized sunglasses with lenses large enough to cover the front element (needs to be a small diameter) at ~75 degree angle (adjust as needed).

Voila! A cheap ND filter for you to mess around with. Image quality aside, it allows you to have some fun.

Wouldn't it be better to just buy a ND filter kit like the Cokin Graduated ND for $57.75? It works well and it doesn't cost much. http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …utral_Density_F​ilter.html Have a look at my flickr to see some shots with the same Cokin kit.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

Saint728 wrote in post #10615506
Wouldn't it be better to just buy a ND filter kit like the Cokin Graduated ND for $57.75? It works well and it doesn't cost much. http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …utral_Density_F​ilter.html Have a look at my flickr to see some shots with the same Cokin kit.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

I'm curious, what else would you need with that kit to get a full set of graduated ND's?

TheBurningCrown wrote in post #10616297
I'm curious, what else would you need with that kit to get a full set of graduated ND's?

You just need an adapter ring ($15.00) to fit the lens you want to use it on. You can also buy that same kit with the adapter ring included.

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

Hard to beat the price of welding glass though...? At $2 a pop (attach with rubber bands on a hood or use something like a cokin filter holder if you already have one), you'll get very functional glass, though it needs some post processing and definitely shooting in raw to get rid of the insane color cast.
I'm planning to ask my friend (who works in the more industrial areas) to order me some different welding glass plates. Will work better than stacking my CPL and ND8 to get ~4.5 stops.

TweakMDS wrote in post #10616729
Hard to beat the price of welding glass though...? At $2 a pop (attach with rubber bands on a hood or use something like a cokin filter holder if you already have one), you'll get very functional glass, though it needs some post processing and definitely shooting in raw to get rid of the insane color cast.
I'm planning to ask my friend (who works in the more industrial areas) to order me some different welding glass plates. Will work better than stacking my CPL and ND8 to get ~4.5 stops.

the only problem with the welding glass here in our country is they don't come in 100mmx100mm size... if only they do, I would've gotten myself a very cheap 10stop ND already by now..

The second one is an LP because it can be, and it's a lot cheaper that way.

I've seen people use material designed for welder's masks...
really good results, affects the color but can be fixed in post

eaglesnest wrote in post #10614974
I read an article on how to make your own ND Filter.I will try it since it doesn't cost a lot. This how; attached your good and expensive CP (most of us already own it) and on top of it attached an el cheapo Linear Polarizer (you can get it for as low as $5.00) and you have your home made ND Filter.

What you're describing is a variable ND filter, not a "regular" ND filter.

eaglesnest wrote in post #10614974
Has anybody tried it?

Yes: http://www.google.com/​search?q=variable+nd+C​PL

eaglesnest wrote in post #10614974
and how it is?

Anything between okay and atrocious, depending on the polarizers you use, and the focal length you shoot at (i.e. don't try it with UWA's unless you're diggin' a splotchy density to your ND).