Gradual ND filters....some doubts

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/23/2005 03:31:17 PM · #1

I was looking at this web site (//robertmekis.com/), and his landscape photograhy called up my attention!
The effects on the sky and such, are results of gradual ND filters!?
Can any1 give me more info on this kind of filters, I'm really interested in it.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/23/2005 03:34:16 PM · #2

Grad ND filters are used to bring the dynamic range of a scene to within the dynamic range of the medium being used to capture the image.

With digital you can accomplish the same thing by taking two exposures, one at each end of the dynamic range, and then merging the two.

The grad ND just allows you to accomplish that in one shot instead of two plus post processing.

Sunniee

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/23/2005 03:36:14 PM · #3

his landscapes are beautiful! Ive been wanting an grad nd too...

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

06/23/2005 03:37:20 PM · #4

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

But, are those shots accomplished by using this kind of filter?

Edit: just checked his info on the shots, he stacks some filters for the desired effect!

For example:
//robertmekis.com/photos/med/mekis0fm057a1a.jpg

Camera:Canon EOS 300D (Digital Rebel, Digital Kiss)
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55 / F3.5-5.6 (SET)
Flash: Sigma EF-500 DG Super
Flash mode: straight
Shutter speed: 1/5 sec.
Aperture: 10
ISO: 100
Focal length: 18 mm
35mm equivalent: 29 mm
Tripod: Manfrotto 055 PRO B
Head: Manfrotto 329 RC 4
Filters:
Cokin Circular Polarizer (Gray) A164
Cokin Graduated Gray (neutral) A120
Cokin Graduated Gray (neutral) A121

Message edited by muckpond - large image.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

06/23/2005 03:40:46 PM · #5

Originally posted by scuds:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Grad ND filters are used to bring the dynamic range of a scene to within the dynamic range of the medium being used to capture the image.

With digital you can accomplish the same thing by taking two exposures, one at each end of the dynamic range, and then merging the two.

The grad ND just allows you to accomplish that in one shot instead of two plus post processing.

But, are those shots accomplished by using this kind of filter?

You stated that they were and asked for more info on the filters.

Message edited by author 2005-06-23 15:41:09.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

06/23/2005 04:59:52 PM · #6

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Originally posted by scuds:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Grad ND filters are used to bring the dynamic range of a scene to within the dynamic range of the medium being used to capture the image.

With digital you can accomplish the same thing by taking two exposures, one at each end of the dynamic range, and then merging the two.

The grad ND just allows you to accomplish that in one shot instead of two plus post processing.

if you read the post, it's been edited, hence the fact that I read on the website that he used the filters for that :-)

But, are those shots accomplished by using this kind of filter?

You stated that they were and asked for more info on the filters.

Canon EOS-60D

06/23/2005 05:09:22 PM · #7

What impresses me most is that those absolutely amazing landscape shots of his are all with the kit lens. That lens gets a bad rap around here, but it surely did an excellent job for him. Maybe now some of the lens snobbery will cease. I doubt it, but I'm optimistic. ;)

J_Ehrat

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/23/2005 05:15:40 PM · #8

I agree about the kit lens.....but how much of that is from the lens and how much of that is from 3 top of the line filters that together cost more than the lens!

Message edited by author 2005-06-23 17:30:44.

colyla

Canon EOS-50D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

06/23/2005 05:28:03 PM · #9

Originally posted by laurielblack:

Ain't that the truth!

jbeazell

Nikon D3100

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

06/23/2005 05:31:22 PM · #10

Originally posted by laurielblack:

I noticed that too...very impressive images with that cam.

Back to the post: yes, ND filters do work, but you have to keep in mind of what you are trying to accomplish. If you have a scene that has a signifigantly wide dynamic range and those extremes all on opposite sides of your composition (like a bright sky vs. a dark ground), then a graduated ND filter will help. ND filters come in all types and colors. Graduated ones are ones in which one half the glass is clear, but the other side fades into a neutral light blocking shaded glass. ND filters are usually marked by how much they will block. So a +1 ND filter will stop down the shot by one stop. There are even different color ND filters. There are gray, brown, tobacco, blue, orange, etc., depending on what you plane to capture, and what you want in the end.

As an example, let say we are photographing a landscape which meters 4 stops brighter in the clouds than it does on land. This isn't too uncommon, and if you are photographing a sunset, you might have an even greater range. You could take the shot with a meter reading right in the middle of the two extremes (plus two stops for the ground, but -2 stops for the sky). This will make your clouds under-exposed and the land over exposed. This usually isn't the best situation, but it will work.

You could also do what cpanaioti suggested and take two exposures and merge then in PP. This will allow you to use the correct exposure for the sky and the correct exposure for the land, and voila, you have a great exposure all around.

ND filters allow you to do the same basic thing by allowing you to stop down the sky so that it matches the meter reading for the land. In my example above, I'd need an graduated ND4 filter to stop down the sky by 4 stops. I would also need to orient my filter, and/or cam to make sure the line that fades from clear to the ND4 fell on my horizon line.

They are tricky, but they do work....

-Jason

moodville

Nikon D100

06/23/2005 05:32:31 PM · #11

The above was taken with one cokin grad ND.

His images seem to be a mix of light, filters, and post processing. Which I guess is what photography is all about.

Clouds add drama and grad ND's enhance clouds.

jemison

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/23/2005 05:32:34 PM · #12

I felt that most of his landscape images looked contrived and unreal. They did not sit well in my eye, leaving me with an uneasy feeling. It was pretty obvious that they were not something that you would ever actually see, no matter how long you looked. Very "computer-graphic" looking.

Just my opinion.