Importance of Neutral Density filter? I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and...

PCB_smv

I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and the newer one ,vi does not. What is the difference. I do general shooting and very seldom take a video. Would there be a noticeable difference in photo quality? Thanks for any help.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

A neutral density filter is helpful in very bright conditions to reduce the light reaching your camera’s sensor and allowing you to select different settings for your ISO, aperture or shutter speed. In my region of east central WI, for example, snow or very bright scenes near water can have quite a bit of glare. I use my ND filter to tone that down and get better exposure.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

It is mostly for videographers that want to get the "filmic" look and want to shoot at 1/30th or 1/60th of a second. Couple that with wanting to shoot with the lens open enough to blur the background a little. Other videographers expect their videos to look like video. The RX100 series does not have threads for filters on the front but there is a third party magnetic system.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

PCB_smv wrote:

I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and the newer one ,vi does not. What is the difference. I do general shooting and very seldom take a video. Would there be a noticeable difference in photo quality? Thanks for any help.

It really is helpful to avoid using really tiny (physically) apertures to control light, and losing image sharpness due to diffraction. Instead of using an opening of F16, a camera like the original Sony RX10 with a built-in 3 stop ND filter will allow you to shoot at a more reasonable and sharper F5.6.

PCB_smv

Thanks for the info.

PCB_smv

Thanks for the info.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

PCB_smv wrote:

Thanks for the info.

Use "Quote Reply" so it is clear who you are responding to.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

PCB_smv wrote:

I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and the newer one ,vi does not. What is the difference. I do general shooting and very seldom take a video. Would there be a noticeable difference in photo quality? Thanks for any help.

The RX100 always jumps in price when a new model is introduced. The ND filter wouldn't sway my decision one way or the other. Consider other differences.

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ggenova64

Is it better to have the Neutral Density filter built in the camera or attach on the front of lens?

Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida

I'm not sure I see the answer to your question (which I would like answered also.) Most of us know what a ND filter is for BUT if it is built in how do I avoid reducing the light when shooting in low light to begin with? Why is it built in? Seems counter productive since we are frequently seeking more light on the sensor. There are a lot of things I don't understand this is just one of them.

PCB_smv wrote:

I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and the newer one ,vi does not. What is the difference. I do general shooting and very seldom take a video. Would there be a noticeable difference in photo quality? Thanks for any help.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

You can get a filter attachment for the Sony RX100 VI https://lensmateonline.com/products/sony-rx100-vi-quick-change-filter-adapter-kit-52mm-by-lensmate-coming-soon?variant=12499894108203 I have one on the first RX100 and it works great.

PCB_smv wrote:

I am thinking of buying the Sony rx100 v or the newer vi version. I know about the obvious differences but the v has a neutral density filter and the newer one ,vi does not. What is the difference. I do general shooting and very seldom take a video. Would there be a noticeable difference in photo quality? Thanks for any help.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

Don, the 2nd son wrote:

I'm not sure I see the answer to your question (which I would like answered also.) Most of us know what a ND filter is for BUT if it is built in how do I avoid reducing the light when shooting in low light to begin with? Why is it built in? Seems counter productive since we are frequently seeking more light on the sensor. There are a lot of things I don't understand this is just one of them.

The filter is a menu item. You turn it on/off/on auto and change the density settings in the menu. It IS built in but that doesn't mean it's on all the time or that you ever have to use it. It just means that if you want it you don't have to buy an external filter to attach to the camera. It's a great feature that was on my original RX10 also but alas was removed on later RX10 versions. I miss it on my RX10 IV.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

bsprague wrote:

It is mostly for videographers that want to get the "filmic" look and want to shoot at 1/30th or 1/60th of a second. Couple that with wanting to shoot with the lens open enough to blur the background a little. Other videographers expect their videos to look like video. The RX100 series does not have threads for filters on the front but there is a third party magnetic system.

Yes, ND is great for reducing light so you can open the diaphragm for shallow depth of field. I use it for outdoor portraits and video.

PCB_smv

Thanks for all the information. After reading a lot I think the 100v will work great for me. The touchscreen is not important to me. I have it on another camera and had to turn it off because I kept touching it accidetally. Again, thanks. I knew if I asked someone here would help. 😊

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Brucej67 wrote:

You can get a filter attachment for the Sony RX100 VI https://lensmateonline.com/products/sony-rx100-vi-quick-change-filter-adapter-kit-52mm-by-lensmate-coming-soon?variant=12499894108203 I have one on the first RX100 and it works great.

I'm very happy with my Lensmate ( https://lensmateonline.com ) on my RX100m3. Takes regular 52mm filters. You may want an additional filter holder for each filter. The Lensmate site says an adapter kit for the RX100m6 will be out in a few weeks. The filter adapter ring that permanently attaches to my RX100m3 lens adds about 2mm to the camera's dimensions. Thus, my camera with the adapter does not fit in the Sony RX100 camera case. I use a MagaGear case, https://megagearshop.com , which is slightly wider. With only the permanently attached filter ring, I can close the case with about 2mm extra space. I have to remove the filter to close the case.