77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter: Looking to purchase a ND filter. Any comments or suggestions?

jodo4138 Loc: Long Island NY

Looking to purchase a ND filter. Any comments or suggestions?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

To do what? And, on what?

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

jodo4138 wrote:

Looking to purchase a ND filter. Any comments or suggestions?

I have gotten good prices and excellent advice by phone before buying from 2filters.com. They also have a wide selection from very high end like Lee to more reasonably priced but still good quality options. Hope this helps.

Ben

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Variable ND filters have some inherent issues. At certain f-stop / filter setting combinations, you'll get a nice X pattern through your photograph. I was very keen on purchasing one of these filters about 1-1/2 years ago. I heard about the X issue and called Schneider Optics to inquire about it, and their B+W filters. A technician informed me that their filters produce the same X at certain times. They also said that those who do use them simply avoid those combinations. I felt that to be a handicap I didn't need to involve in my photography. The simple, but more expensive solution was to purchase fixed value ND filters.

Hint: To save money, purchase one that fits your largest diameter lens. Use step up rings (maybe step down rings) to adapt that filter to any of your other lenses.
--Bob

jodo4138 wrote:

Looking to purchase a ND filter. Any comments or suggestions?

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

rmalarz wrote:

Variable ND filters have some inherent issues. At ... (show quote)

If B+W has the X problem, then everybody does.

+1 on all Bob said.

Ben

MtnMan Loc: ID

rmalarz wrote:

Variable ND filters have some inherent issues. At ... (show quote)

I recommend against the rings. They add two threads to get stuck. Stuck filter threads are difficult to unstick because of thin thing to grab.

If you try it be sure to get filter wrenches first. They are cheap.

There can also be a vignetting issue with this approach.

I threw my rings away and bought desired filters.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

Look at the Promaster HGX VND's.

tpelczy

go to breakthrough photography, they are the best by far. i have tried many.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I have Tiffen filters. They are not expensive compared to many other brands out there. I use 3 filters to achieve 10 stops of reduced light. A friend of mine has some expensive ND's that she only stacks two filters to achieve -10 stops. When she showed me some of here pictures and I compared some of mine, her images with blue sky were very natural and mine all took on a green cast. We were doing long exposures down at the Newport Beach pier during the day. That told me that what I'd been hearing about Tiffen filters and other cheap brands of ND filter was correct - you'll get a green cast to your images. Since I know what my friends images looked like I made a w/b adjustment to one of my images and wala, the green was gone, the blue looks fine and they were every bit as nice as her images. So I decided that $250 for one of her filters wasn't worth upgrading from my set of Tiffen's that cost me about $100 for the whole set since I can just do a quick white balance adjustment in post.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

MtnMan wrote:

I recommend against the rings. They add two threads to get stuck. Stuck filter threads are difficult to unstick because of thin thing to grab.

If you try it be sure to get filter wrenches first. They are cheap.

There can also be a vignetting issue with this approach.

I threw my rings away and bought desired filters.

Or just refrain from forcefully tightening the ring. Gently twist it on until you feel resistance, then stop immediately and leave it there. Unless you believe in ghosts, the ring is not going to spin itself off the lens. I am certain most stuck-on filters are the result of people either dropping their cameras, or applying way too much force attaching the filter! There is no reason to do so unless you want to keep the ring permanently attached.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

rook2c4 wrote:

Or just refrain from forcefully tightening the ring. Gently twist it on until you feel resistance, then stop immediately and leave it there. Unless you believe in ghosts, the ring is not going to spin itself off the lens. I am certain most stuck-on filters are the result of people either dropping their cameras, or applying way too much force attaching the filter! There is no reason to do so unless you want to keep the ring permanently attached.

Not to quibble with others, but I have use the rings with my filters for many years now. It is correct that you should not over tighten them, and I do always have a filter wrench with me. So far, I have not needed to use it. Of course, YMMV.

jodo4138 Loc: Long Island NY

Thank you all for your input. In looking around on youtube I'm wondering how Lee filters match up. It looks that may be another solution. I want to shoot landscapes and water scenes, long exposures

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

jodo4138 wrote:

Looking to purchase a ND filter. Any comments or suggestions?

They do not work well as coasters, moisture runs all over edges and onto the surface below.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

jodo4138 wrote:

Thank you all for your input. In looking around on youtube I'm wondering how Lee filters match up. It looks that may be another solution. I want to shoot landscapes and water scenes, long exposures

For landscapes and water scenes, I got the 58mm version of a "Tiffen XLE Series aXent Neutral Density 3.0 Filter". The 77mm version is a reasonable $40. As a 10 stop filter it allows slow shutters and big apertures on very bright days. I know I'm supposed to be disappointed because it is not the $150 B+W, but it works fine for me.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1109456-REG/tiffen_77nd30_77mm_axent_neutral_density.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/752928-REG/B_W_1066186_77mm_110_Solid_Neutral.html/prm/alsVwDtl

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

rmalarz wrote:

Variable ND filters have some inherent issues. At ... (show quote)

Right. And for the price, I buy individuals - dark and not-so-dark. One filter fits all lenses by using step-up rings.