jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Lots of links, but knowing before spending is always a good idea.

Graduated -
https://digital-photography-school.com/using-graduated-neutral-density-filters-for-landscape-photography/
https://www.techradar.com/news/best-nd-grad-filters-6-top-models-tested
https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/when-to-use-graduated-neutral-density-filters.html
https://mattk.com/why-graduated-neutral-density-filters-are-dead-to-me/
https://fstoppers.com/education/guide-graduated-nd-filters-and-when-use-them-landscape-photography-287522

ND -
https://www.lightstalking.com/quick-guide-to-understanding-nd-filters/
http://friedmanarchives.blogspot.com/2018/02/neutral-density-filters-vs.html
https://www.howtogeek.com/325803/how-neutral-density-filters-work-and-how-to-use-them-for-better-photography/
https://improvephotography.com/40253/nd-filters-30-filters-reviewed-compared/
http://www.alexwisephotography.net/blog/2009/07/23/neutral-density-reference-chart/
http://digital-photography-school.com/beginners-guide-buying-filters/
http://digital-photography-school.com/step-by-step-guide-to-long-exposure-photography/
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/10-Stop-Neutral-Density-Filter.aspx
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/neutral-density-filters.htm
http://www.alexwisephotography.net/blog/2009/07/23/neutral-density-reference-chart/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNtAXbaNr0
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/how-an-nd-filter-can-remove-crowds-from-busy-shots--27054

blackest Loc: Ireland

For graduated nd filters it depends on the scene what you need or if its useful with a fairly even horizon they maybe more useful you are essentially trying to compress the dynamic range of a scene.

As well as long exposures, nd filters can be used to control depth of field where shooting wide open would result in too fast a shutter speed.

For video shooting the rule of thumb is shutter speed twice your frame rate e.g 24 fps use 1/48th shutter speed. This is to ensure motion blur between frames. On an iphone at iso 22 bright sunlight can require 6 or 7 stops of filter.

nd 2 = 1/2 the light or 1 stop darker.

2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 (1 to 8 stops) so 6 stops is an nd64 for photographers that's pretty dark. But for video that's quite normal.

(don't forget to lock iso, shutter speed, and white balance).

For stills you don't need filmic motion blur. Really it depends what you want to do as to what nd filter values you need,

traderjohn Loc: New York City

How do you think that happened??

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Graduated ND filters are best used for scenes like bright skies and dark foregrounds [or the opposite], and sunrise/sunset type of images. Because they have a central area that gradually changes from clear to dark, you want to be able to move the "horizon" to accommodate your chosen composition. This calls for a rectangular filter, which can be used hand-held. I use Singh-Ray Galen Rowell. Hand-holding takes a little practice to make sure the entire lens is covered and also not to press hard enough to cause camera shake, but it is easy enough to do. I never liked the filter holder because it was cumbersome and switching back and forth between filter and no filter was not quick and easy.

The screw-in filters have the X problem if not properly used, and the "horizon" is at a set position.

There are different styles of Grad ND Filters besides the standard one ["soft edge"]. The "hard edge" has a sharp demarcation between light and dark. There are also ones known as Reverse Grad ND, which has the transition from the middle to the edges, with darkest area in the middle.

The standard densities are 1-4 stops, with 4 stops [or 1.2] being the one I prefer.

If shooting where the landscape is very uneven, such as mountains, these filters will not be as useful as when the horizon is fairly level. But they can still be used as long as you are willing to do some post processing to compensate.

Many say "do it all in pp", but the editing programs can NOT bring back blown out highlights. So if you cannot do multiple shots for HDR, you still may need to use a filter.

Indiana Loc: Huntington, Indiana

Well, the difference between the foreground and the sky in a sunrise/sunset setting is generally 2-3 stops. What you meter with your camera , is what you need. Most GND filters are in the 2-3 stop range with soft edge as the preference. Experience is the best advisor while manufacture sites along with professional photographers testimony is the best background. Good luck. I just bought the Breakthrough Photography 3-stop soft GND for a composition workshop at Cape Hatteras, NC

Vladimir200 Loc: Beaumont, Ca.

Some pros have decided to back off "graduated" ND filters. I went with their recommendations and got Lee 6 stop and another 10 stop...........not graduated. Since I'm not a pro, I cannot argue with those who still like graduated type.

uhaas2009

I have a breakthrough 10 stop filter. In Florida bright sunlight I can't almost see through the viewfinder but I got a pics on a main street where you can't see no cars on the street.....
The hoya variable ND creates a X-it's usable till you reach the X. And the Singh Ray3G-ss isn't strong enough. If I would buy again ND filters I would use 3+6 stops with the possibility to stack em. My 10stop don't have colorcast, vignetting or whatever.
Check breakthrough homepage they have some PDF guide...

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

What's your purpose for the neutral density filter? Will you be shooting still photos or videos? Are you wanting to use larger than normally possible apertures or longer than normally possible shutter speeds, beyond the range your camera is capable of doing without the filter?

If for video, you might consider the Variable ND filter. Expect to spend a lot for a good, multi-coated ones. The less expensive uncoated (which are under $200, but still not cheap) are notorious for ugly color casts and uneven effects. Even the pricey ones (some are over $400) aren't completely free of these issues at times. But for video, rather than have to buy a bunch of filters in different strengths, a Variable ND might be the best solution. The 1-stop to 5-stop range you mention might be useful for video... but is a fairly weak range for most still photo uses.

If just for still photos, you really don't need all that variety of strengths anyway. Probably one or two fairly strong ones will do. All you need is a significant shift in your exposure settings, after which you can fine tune things with your ISO, aperture and shutter speeds (video doesn't have as much flexibility with these as still photos do, which is why video needs more fine adjustability).

Fixed strength or "standard" ND filters are also a lot less expensive. You can probably buy two quality ones for about the price of one of the less expensive Variables.

I'd recommend something like a 4-stop and a 6-stop, which you can stack if needed for 10-stop. Or maybe a 5-stop and an 8-stop filter. Whatever you choose, these give you three possible strengths of ND to work with, covering a pretty wide range.

If wanting to shoot sun spots or solar eclipses, that calls for stronger, specialized filters. They're around 16-stop, if I remember correctly.

B+W (not B&W) are a good brand... quality glass, good multi-coatings, brass frames. Their Circular Polarizers are excellent values... top quality at moderate prices. Their ND filters are not as great a value... priced about the same as some others of similar quality. I would recommend further research though, on any lower priced, less familiar brands to be sure they don't have problems with color tints.

Graduated ND filters are not necessary if shooting digital. It's usually 1 to 2 stop difference... 3 stops at most... and easier to just make two exposures and combine them in post-processing. When the difference is 2 stops or less, even a single image can work so long as it's a RAW file. That has enough latitude to allow a lot of adjustment. It's been years since I've used my the graduated ND filters, left over from my film shooting days. I only keep them in case I want to shoot some film and they're needed.

Graduated ND filters cannot be round screw-in type... they have to be the oversize rectangular type, so that the transition line can be adjusted for the scene being shot. The round screw in put the transition right across the middle of the image area in every shot. But all Grad ND has a straight line of transition and straight lines are rare in scenes. For that reason, handling the adjustment digitally in post-processing is nearly always better controlled and more precise than any Grad ND filter ever could be.

Bipod

Assuming you are shooting digital and you process RAW files with software,
then the goal of the graduated ND is to get the bright sky dimmed enough so that
the highlights don't burn out (i.e., so that the global contrast doesn't exeed the
sensor's dynamic range). Small adjustments you can make in PhotoShop
(or whatever software you use).

If the filter is too strong, you can fix that, too. So unlike with film, it's better
to err on the side of a slightly darker GND than you think you need.

There are two main uses for a GND: sunsets and other landscapes/seascapes.
Obviously, sunsets can get mighty bright. So it's pretty hard to cover them
with just one GND.

A GND can also be turned upside down to darken a snow field in the foreground
in order to photograph a rock cliff in the background.

Another strange use is to make people disappear from the foreground (by using
an extremely long exposure). For that you need an extremely dark GND. Haven't
tried it; don't intend to.

GND:
* Needs to slide up and down, so get a rectangular one in a mount: Lee, Cokin, etc.
* By one large enough to fit over the largest objective lens you plan to buy.
You can adapt a large filter to a small lens, but not vice versa.
* Get a soft edge if you do landscapes, hard edge if you do seascapes (nice flat horizon).
If you do both, get the soft edge.
* 3 stops will cover most situations (GND8) other than bright sunsets.
If you shoot film or don't process, I'd recommend 2 stops (GND4).
* Make sure the color really is a neutral gray, not brownish
* Glass is harder to scratch than plasic, but more fragile
* Get a coated one, especially if you shoot sunsets. Using a lens hood is tricky
with a sliding filter, so get a multi-coated one.

It's possible to mimic the effect of a GND by taking two images at different stops,
then superimposing them in processing with a suitable mask. But only if you've got a
tripod and nothing in the scene moves. I wouldn't waste my time. Another way using
multiple exposure (but more autmoatic) is to use HDR (if your camera has it).

ND filters are used for different purposes -- all of which involve allowing you to pick
shutter speed + aperture combinations that otherwise would give overexposure:
* To create motion blur, especially of running water (by making possible a long exposure)
* In very bright situations, when you are at maximum shutter speed to allow you to use
a wider aperture, in order to get a shallow depth-of-field.
* In very, very bright situations, when you are at maximum shutter speed, to prevent
highlights from burning out
* When using flash (when shutters speed is limited to max. synch speed), to prevent
having to use f/8 or f/11 (where diffraction starts to become noticeable on smaller
format cameras).

Which of these applies to you depends on your camera's maximum shutter speed, maximum
synch speed, format (e.g. FF or crop-sensor), and sensor dynamic range -- and above all
on where you shoot.

Since lighting conditions vary widely, it's possible to recommend a single ND strength.
I'd probably buy a two-stop (ND4) first -- that's just a guess. There is no "one size fits all shots".
You could also consider a kit -- if you think you'll be using it enough to justify the expense.

BTW, NDs can be combined: ND2 (1 stop) + ND2 = ND4 (2 stops). And ND4 (2 stops) +
ND2 (1 stop) = ND8 (3 stops). So with just three filters, ND2, ND2, ND8, you can get:
1 stop: ND2
2 stops: ND2 + ND2 = ND4
3 stops: ND8
4 stops: ND8 + ND2 = ND16
5 stops: ND8 + ND2 + ND2 = ND32

ND:
* Round screw-on works for me.
* If you shoot lenses with two different filter ring sizes, get an ND large enough to fit both
and an adapter for the smaller lens. You won't use the ND enough for the adapter to
become a bother.
* Don't pay extra for a fancy coating: the purpose of ND is reduced the transmitted light.
The purpose of coating is to increase transmitted light. Single-coated is fine.

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Here is the trouble maker, Neutral Density is NOT a filter, it is an attenuator. Other attenuators are gray cards, 90% reflectance cards (back of a Kodak gray card), a graduated scale that is included in the Kodak Color Separation Guide, them Color Checkers that you find used for 'exposure guides' as well as the neutral target that you create as an exposure check when recording an image to later import to a computer to check exposure.

Yep, it is important to first understand what you are speaking about so you can have the knowledge to understand what you are doing.

Bipod

Define "filter".

Usage in photography can differ from usage in electronics.