ND and Grad ND Filters - Need advice

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

10/01/2007 11:16:33 AM · #1

I'll be traveling to Hawaii and the SF Bay Area soon. Would like to shoot waterfalls, sunsets, seascapes, etc in these areas. Can anyone advise me on the best selection (i'm only looking to buy 2 filters) of filters to pick up? I was thinking:

3-stop solid ND (for waterfalls)
2-stop Grad ND (soft transition- for sunsets, landscapes, etc).

Would that serve me well? Should I get 3-stop NDs for both? I shoot RAW so I have some flexibility in PP.

Also, should I get a cokin style filter for each (solid and grad), or cokin for the grad and a screw-in for the solid ND?

Finally, thinking of Hitech filters, as I've heard bad things about the cokin colorcast. Any additional advice? Trying to keep my cost under $100.

Thanks!

darnok

Nikon D850

10/01/2007 11:55:59 AM · #2

I have a Cokin 3-stop GND (soft transition I think) and a 2-stop ND. The GND is many times not strong enough and I don't think a 2-stop filter will cut it. RAW already gives you a stop or so leeway, so you would use the filter when you really need to knock a sky down. I would say go with Cokin style filters all round.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

10/01/2007 11:58:27 AM · #3

Originally posted by Raziel:

Ok, so get both the solid and the grad as 3-stop? And don't bother with the screw-in for the solid? Any issues with light seeping in around the edges?

darnok

Nikon D850

10/01/2007 12:09:56 PM · #4

Originally posted by PSUlion01:

Originally posted by Raziel:
I have a Cokin 3-stop GND (soft transition I think) and a 2-stop ND. The GND is many times not strong enough and I don't think a 2-stop filter will cut it. RAW already gives you a stop or so leeway, so you would use the filter when you really need to knock a sky down. I would say go with Cokin style filters all round.

Ok, so get both the solid and the grad as 3-stop? And don't bother with the screw-in for the solid? Any issues with light seeping in around the edges?

I have only had the ND for a while and have not used it yet. No problems with the GND. The filter sits close enough to the lens that I doubt you would have a problem unless you use a very strong filter such as an infra-red. If you can afford it then go for Hitech or Lee filters instead of the Cokin.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35 f/4 ED VR

10/01/2007 12:23:36 PM · #5

Originally posted by PSUlion01:

I shoot RAW so I have some flexibility in PP. ...

I would get more than you think you need. No matter what RAW offers, you can't slow down/blur the water after the fact. :)

darnok

Nikon D850

10/01/2007 12:47:57 PM · #6

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by PSUlion01:
I shoot RAW so I have some flexibility in PP. ...

I would get more than you think you need. No matter what RAW offers, you can't slow down/blur the water after the fact. :)

The extra latitude in RAW does help to tone down a bright sky. I have done this on occasion when I forgot my GND, though a 3-stop filter works much better than you could do in Photoshop.

10/01/2007 12:56:24 PM · #7

Originally posted by Raziel:

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by PSUlion01:
I shoot RAW so I have some flexibility in PP. ...

I would get more than you think you need. No matter what RAW offers, you can't slow down/blur the water after the fact. :)

The extra latitude in RAW does help to tone down a bright sky. I have done this on occasion when I forgot my GND, though a 3-stop filter works much better than you could do in Photoshop.

Yep. I hear ya on the sky bit...I just latched onto the waterfall piece of the OP.

Difference between splash ==>

,

and silky flow ==>

.

Probably better examples out there, but the first that I had available.

10/01/2007 01:41:10 PM · #8

Nice... love the first one. What filters were used for these shots?

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by Raziel:

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by PSUlion01:
I shoot RAW so I have some flexibility in PP. ...

I would get more than you think you need. No matter what RAW offers, you can't slow down/blur the water after the fact. :)

The extra latitude in RAW does help to tone down a bright sky. I have done this on occasion when I forgot my GND, though a 3-stop filter works much better than you could do in Photoshop.

Yep. I hear ya on the sky bit...I just latched onto the waterfall piece of the OP.

Difference between splash ==> ,

and silky flow ==> .

Probably better examples out there, but the first that I had available.

10/01/2007 01:56:26 PM · #9

Originally posted by PSUlion01:

Nice... love the first one. What filters were used for these shots?

Thanks! :)

ND4 + Circular Polarizer on both. Difference was I was shooting AP priority and forgot to stop back down for a handful of shots...therefore a shorter shutter speed on that first one.

It was pretty sunny at times; some in the group were using ND8's I think to slow things down enough.

Here's a thread from the outing: NH Waterfall GTG

Brent (

OdysseyF22) put together some nice shots ==> GTG Portfolio

10/01/2007 02:04:49 PM · #10

glad2badad:

Very cool stuff. Do you also use the cokin system, or do you have screw-in filters?

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by PSUlion01:
Nice... love the first one. What filters were used for these shots?

Thanks! :)

ND4 + Circular Polarizer on both. Difference was I was shooting AP priority and forgot to stop back down for a handful of shots...therefore a shorter shutter speed on that first one.

It was pretty sunny at times; some in the group were using ND8's I think to slow things down enough.

Here's a thread from the outing: NH Waterfall GTG

Brent ( OdysseyF22) put together some nice shots ==> GTG Portfolio