Help with Neutral Density filters (Page 2): How do you feel about stacking fixed ND filters? Someone one suggested to have an ND4, ND8 and ND16 (2, 3 and 4 stops respectively).

Triplets Loc: Reading, MA

bsprague wrote:

I think most only need two simple ND filters. br... (show quote)

How do you feel about stacking fixed ND filters? Someone one suggested to have an ND4, ND8 and ND16 (2, 3 and 4 stops respectively).

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Triplets wrote:

How do you feel about stacking fixed ND filters? Someone one suggested to have an ND4, ND8 and ND16 (2, 3 and 4 stops respectively).

That certainly works. You'll have some that will balk at that due to the possible reflections caused by all of the glass surfaces.

However, if one is cognizant of the direction of the light source, etc., those reflections can be reduced to being unnoticeable.

There is also the possibility of vignetting depending on the focal length of the lens on which the stacked filters are placed.
--Bob

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I agree. Stacking works. It may not be as "perfect" as a single filter of the same strength, but since the goal is to create a photographic effect, an artifact might even add to the total.

Tiffen makes a nice, reasonably priced, three filter kit in various sizes. I have one and have stacked all three and liked the result.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674658-REG/Tiffen_52NDK3_52mm_Digital_Neutral_Density.html

Triplets Loc: Reading, MA

bsprague wrote:

I agree. Stacking works. It may not be as "perfect" as a single filter of the same strength, but since the goal is to create a photographic effect, an artifact might even add to the total.

Tiffen makes a nice, reasonably priced, three filter kit in various sizes. I have one and have stacked all three and liked the result.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674658-REG/Tiffen_52NDK3_52mm_Digital_Neutral_Density.html

Very interesting...thanks.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Triplets wrote:

Very interesting...thanks.

The only filters I'd consider using are B+W. Incredible quality, optical and physical.
--Bob

wolfman

For screw on ND filters, I highly recommend the Breakthrough Photography
X3 brand. The 10 stop X3 tested as the world's sharpest and most color neutral ND filter.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/10-Stop-Neutral-Density-Filter.aspx

I do have one, and it does an excellent job, as described in the review.

I have since switched to the Lee 100mm system, with which you can combine a polariser, solid ND filter, and a graduated ND filter if necessary.

hcmcdole

wolfman wrote:

For screw on ND filters, I highly recommend the Breakthrough Photography
X3 brand. The 10 stop X3 tested as the world's sharpest and most color neutral ND filter.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/10-Stop-Neutral-Density-Filter.aspx

I do have one, and it does an excellent job, as described in the review.

I have since switched to the Lee 100mm system, with which you can combine a polariser, solid ND filter, and a graduated ND filter if necessary.

I have the Lee system too - quite nice for stacking up to 3 filters. My only complaint is the screw on polarizer pops the holder off much too easily while turning the polarizer so I have an expensive polarizer sitting in the bag, collecting dust. Have you experienced that?

wolfman

hcmcdole wrote:

I have the Lee system too - quite nice for stacking up to 3 filters. My only complaint is the screw on polarizer pops the holder off much too easily while turning the polarizer so I have an expensive polarizer sitting in the bag, collecting dust. Have you experienced that?

Do you have the new slimmer landscape polariser? There are not a lot of threads there. What I do is mount the polariser on the ring, then hold it up and adjust it before mounting it to the mounting ring on the lens, using the brass plunger as a reference point. That way once it's on the lens, there is no need to rotate it, works great! Or just turn it clockwise, and it won't come off.

hcmcdole

wolfman wrote:

Do you have the new slimmer landscape polariser? There are not a lot of threads there. What I do is mount the polariser on the ring, then hold it up and adjust it before mounting it to the mounting ring on the lens, using the brass plunger as a reference point. That way once it's on the lens, there is no need to rotate it, works great! Or just turn it clockwise, and it won't come off.

Maybe I will try it again. The brass plunger is the weak point in my opinion but Lee says they designed it that way so it would fall off from a bump. Yikes - hundreds of dollars on the grass or dirt...

wolfman

hcmcdole wrote:

Maybe I will try it again. The brass plunger is the weak point in my opinion but Lee says they designed it that way so it would fall off from a bump. Yikes - hundreds of dollars on the grass or dirt...

Maybe I'm missing something here. Are you saying that when you rotate your polariser, the filter holder detaches from the lens adapter ring? If this is the case, there is either something wrong with the holder itself or the adapter ring. It shouldn't detach that easily.

steveg48

Triplets wrote:

That has been suggested to me in the past and I find it to be good advice.

See later responses for why variable NDs cause problems. If you are taking long exposures greater than 30 seconds and on up into the minute range it is good to be able to calculate how long the exposure should be. This is based on the exposure time without the filter and the number of stops in the filter. Since variable filters are not calibrated this becomes guesswork/ trial and error. I have found that the only time variable filters are useful to me is ifI am are trying to take pictures in sunlight and I don't want to stop down too much because I want shallow depth of field. In this case I can still see through the filter and get a pleasing result, -if I don't get color casts or other artifacts. I stopped using a variable and went to a 4 stop ND for this. For long exposures I use a 10 stop or 16 stop ND. I also use a 10 stop + 4 stop stacked with a circular polarizer to get about 16 stops.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Triplets wrote:

Hoggers,

I'm having difficulty making sense of the numbers on an ND filter.

In one article I read ( http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/11/13/how-and-when-to-use-nd-filters-and-what-the-numbers-mean-2/ ), it says ND128 is a 7-stop reduction. But when I search ND filters at B & H, I see B+W ND110 that is listed as a 10-stop reduction ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/752927-REG/B_W_1066177_77mm_110_Solid_Neutral.html ).

Can anyone shed light on this for me?

This is one of my pet peeves: bad naming. It's one piece of glass, so it needs only one name. It's like something the German's would have made up in WW II if the war were about cameras.

Triplets Loc: Reading, MA

steveg48 wrote:

See later responses for why variable NDs cause pro... (show quote)

My error...I didn't see the word "variable" in the post I answered. I was actually saying that stacking was suggested and I thought it was good advise. Several folks have said they do not like variable ND filters.

Very nice images by the way.

Carl D Loc: Albemarle, NC.

I use the Cokin system and love it and with just adapter rings it fits all my lenses so when you break down the price it's not that expensive.

Triplets Loc: Reading, MA

Carl D wrote:

I use the Cokin system and love it and with just adapter rings it fits all my lenses so when you break down the price it's not that expensive.

Heard about them. Question -- any trouble with stacking the filters? Any light leak between them?