what should it be: ND4 or ND8? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/03/2008 09:43:51 AM · #1

Hi,
I want to buy myself a ND filter for my Canon EF-S 10-22mm, but I cannot decide between Hoya ND4 and ND8. Which one do you use most and why?
Thanks,
Bianca

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

03/03/2008 09:46:29 AM · #2

What's your intended use for the ND filter? Knowing how you intend to use it (subjects, conditions, etc.) will help us provide relevant guidance.

03/03/2008 09:50:42 AM · #3

I was thinking mostly at shots at the seaside/lake (make that smooth feel on water) and waterfalls.

What else can you use it for?

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

03/03/2008 09:55:32 AM · #4

Originally posted by anotherday:

What else can you use it for?

Keeping your aperture wide open in bright sunlight to achieve smooth out of focus backgrounds. If it's too bright outside, your camera won't be able to get a fast enough shutter speed if the lens is wide open (largest aperture) without the filter.

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

03/03/2008 09:58:10 AM · #5

Originally posted by hopper:

Originally posted by anotherday:
What else can you use it for?

Keeping your aperture wide open in bright sunlight to achieve smooth out of focus backgrounds. If it's too bright outside, your camera won't be able to get a fast enough shutter speed if the lens is wide open (largest aperture) without the filter.

Ohh, I didn't think of that. Thanks! :)

So I would be better with a ND4 or a ND8?

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

03/03/2008 10:12:11 AM · #6

If you buy the ND4 you'll come into a situation where you wish you had the ND8 and vice versa. If you can swing it, get both.

One waterfall shot I had both plus a polarizer to get the shutter speed I wanted. It just all depends on conditions.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 16-85 f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/03/2008 10:17:06 AM · #7

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

Ohh, you can stack them one on top of the other, I didn't think of that ;) Thanks a bunch!

Well, I think I'll go with the ND8 for the moment. I am also having a polarizer for that lens so I can combine them. youhouuu :)

talmy

Nikon D300s

03/03/2008 10:18:58 AM · #8

ND8 for sure, maybe a few. It all depends on how long an exposure you are going for.

30 seconds

03/03/2008 10:26:49 AM · #9

Originally posted by talmy:

ND8 for sure, maybe a few. It all depends on how long an exposure you are going for.

30 seconds

I am learning a lot today. Thanks people! You are great!

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

03/03/2008 10:29:03 AM · #10

Also, do you ever had the need to use a ND filter on a macro lens (for example the canon 100mm 2.8 usm) while shoting those "wilde" little beasts outhere?

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/03/2008 11:17:04 AM · #11

Originally posted by anotherday:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:
If you buy the ND4 you'll come into a situation where you wish you had the ND8 and vice versa. If you can swing it, get both.

One waterfall shot I had both plus a polarizer to get the shutter speed I wanted. It just all depends on conditions.

Ohh, you can stack them one on top of the other, I didn't think of that ;) Thanks a bunch!

Well, I think I'll go with the ND8 for the moment. I am also having a polarizer for that lens so I can combine them. youhouuu :)

Stacking is not gonna work on the 10-22mm. Trust me on that. Maybe you can get away with at the 22mm end, but certainly not at the 10mm end. In fact, unless the filter (especially the polarizer) is low profile, a single filter may give you a hint of vignetting at the wide end.

R.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

03/03/2008 11:17:38 AM · #12

I'm not sure there are going to be many situations where 1-stop (ND4) is going to help you a ton. I'd go with the ND8 at a minimum.

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/03/2008 11:18:12 AM · #13

Originally posted by anotherday:

Also, do you ever had the need to use a ND filter on a macro lens (for example the canon 100mm 2.8 usm) while shoting those "wilde" little beasts outhere?

That would be rare. Very rare...

R.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

03/03/2008 11:45:17 AM · #14

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

I'm not sure there are going to be many situations where 1-stop (ND4) is going to help you a ton. I'd go with the ND8 at a minimum.

An ND4 filter reduces 2 stops of light, an ND2 filter would be one stop. The ND8 gives a 3 stop reduction.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/03/2008 11:46:48 AM · #15

I think the ND8 is completely the right choice, and in fact I think that you'll find that you still want more reduction in light when shooting waterfalls in daylight. I actually bought a 10-stop ND to allow 1-second-plus exposures in strong daylight.
An alternative to what I did is to take multiple, shorter exposures and average them. Averaging, say, four 1/4-second exposures vs. taking one one-second exposure (same total exposure time) is that moving water will look similar in both shots, but you need two stops less ND to get there. The downside is that other things that move (e.g. clouds) may produce problems with the multi-exposure approach if your exposures aren't done in as quick a series as possible.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

03/03/2008 11:53:26 AM · #16

Stacking filters on a wide lens can be done if you use a "step up" ring, and use larger filters. It isn't cheap because the larger filters are a lot more expensive. I use a 72 Hoya pro on my 18=70 mm that way because I could see the light fall off with a regular filter straight on the camera at 18mm. The step up is 67-72mm for that application, but a lot of the Canon lenses are 77 mm and so it would take big filters to do that.
I also use the 72 filters on a couple of tele's that I have, so it makes sense in my case to have the step up and larger filters.

03/03/2008 12:10:23 PM · #17

I finally ordered the ND8. Where I'm usually buying my stuff, they only have ND4 and ND8. Once I'll test the ND8 I will see what my needs are for the future (more then 3-stops), since stacking, apparently, is not an option on my wide lens.

Thanks a lot!
Bianca

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5