Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I've never used one, but I agree that seems like it could often be an issue. Though the circular filters rotate, it doesn't change the aspect, basically 50/50, right? And then there are those rectangular filters that slip into a holder

PeterBergh

The graduated ND filter works well when the border between light and dark is reasonably straight. They don't work well at all when the border is significantly curved. In such cases Photoshop or similar software can do a much better job.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Thanks, but I was asking a different question.

An ND filter is going to force the location of the horizon in the frame based on where the shift between filtered and unfiltered segments is located. I may want more or less sky in my final image than what that boundary provides for. My question is how those who use these filters manage that constraint.

Edit: Looks like we got the answer to this question in Linda's new discussion.

Thanks.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

A Neutral Density filter has no shift between filtered and unfiltered segments.

A rectangular Graduated Neutral Density filter will slide up or down in the holder, allowing you to place the gradation where you wish, so long as the filter is large enough.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

COOLING AND WARMING filters were originally intended for use with color FILMS. Color films were categorized in TYPES based on the color temperature for which there were intended for use with. The two major types were DAYLIGHT and TUNGSTEN for natural daylight and studio-type incandescent lamps respectively. As you can see by the calculator dial I am attaching, there were many nuances even within each major category and countless color temperatures in mixed and available light environments and othere odd lighting conditions and sources. If accurate color was desired, various strengths of cooling and warming filters were used. Daylight varies with time of day, weather conditions and othere atmospheric and environmental circumstances. Tungsten films were balanced for 3200 to 3400 Kelvins, however, this does not take into account many of kinds of incandescent light sources. Fluorescent lighting was especially problematic in that there is a discontinuous spectrum to deal with. CORRECTION filters were used to compensate for all theses differences or deficits. CONVERSION filters were used to use daylight films with tungsten lighting or tungsten films films in daylight conditions. Filter for fluorescent lighting were designed to replace the red/magenta segments of the spectrum that were usually absent in most older types of fluorescent tubes.

The good news is that in digital photography the automatic and custom WHITE BALANCE features, intrinsic in most digital, cameras easily addresses all the aforementioned balances so unless you are also doing film work, the need for theses filters has been mostly negatted. Much of this goes to accurate color reproduction in the final image. You can also intentionally warm or cool the allover color rendition of any image for creative purposes, changing or emphasizing a mood, enhancing a skin tone.

In black and white photography, however, some colored filters can be utilized to control contrasts and separation of tones- see the other attached chart.

A CIRCULAR POLARIZING FILTERS is a very useful accessory. It can darken and emphasize or dramatize syk-scapes, greatly improve color saturation by eliminating unwanted reflection on foliage and othere surfaces, enable shooting through glass without unwanted reflections and is indispensable in copying and reproducing old photographs, art works and documents. It is important to undersatd and familiarize yourself on the techniques associated with polarizing filters as to the angle of incidence of the ligh source (the sun) and the limitations for use with wide angle lenses in sky renditions.

SPLIT ND FILTERS can help where there is a significant differential in scene brightness such as that between the land in a landscape image and the sky in certain lighting and weather conditions. It's handy where the differential well exceeds the dynamic range of the system and can preclude painstaking or impossible post processing remedies. I recommend the rectangular versions that can be vertically or horizontally adjusted to enable positioning of the filter to accommodate the height of the horizon or the position of a window or other light source in the composition in a vertical orientation of the filter.

There are many opinions for and against filter usage. I prefer to handle all of the aforementioned corrections, whenever possible and practical, at the camera rather than relegating them to post processing. I find that the results are more accurate and authentic and this also minimizes processing and production times and costs. I find that small adjustments, tweaking rater that radical corrections, to contrast, color rendition and saturation in post processing are more easily performed and more effective.

Most proponents of filter usage will agree that using high quality optical glass and properly coated filters is mandatory in that lesser quality filters can introduce image degradation, distortion and loss of contrast due to flare.

(Download)


(Download)

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

If I may,
The Grad NDs are rectangular allowing it to be slid up and down to align the horizon with the graduation. I have never ran out of filter before I had meshed the horizon.
Also,, as mentioned earlier, CPLs do not work well with wide angle lenses. The amount of polarization is based on the angle of the filter compared to the light source (sun) so what you end up with is a varied degree of polarization from one side of the image to the other side of the image.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Always GREAT advice from Jerry!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Specific to graduated neutral density filters, here's a topic I started:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-564007-1.html

.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

This is what I do which could be totally different to what someone else does. I do not use warming filters, I make a color adjustment with my editor or I do a custom WB.
I do not use graduated neutral density filter to tone down contrast anymore, I usually go with HDR photography.

farnsworth52 Loc: W. Pa.

You can warm or cool your shot by adjusting White balance in camera.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

A warming filter is an old filter that was sometimes used with monochrome film.