ND and PL Fliters Combined: So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool. Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance...

Jagnut07 Loc: South Carolina

So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool.
Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance sky?

In other words will an ND do this anyway and is there any issue with using both types of filters together?

Any advice?

lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

I'd say try it!

What have you got to loose but some time.
It's not like you're wasting film. If it doesn't work, delete.

But before you trash can the bad ones. Post one or six. I wish I had kept some of my failures to show where I started, and where I finished. Let us know how it worked.

alx Loc: NJ

Jagnut07 wrote:

So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool.
Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance sky?

In other words will an ND do this anyway and is there any issue with using both types of filters together?

Any advice?

The ND will do NOTHING to cut reflections or enhance the sky.

travisdeland Loc: deland, FL

I use a CPL and ND combo often, when shooting water. I only use use "solid" ND filters(i.e. 3, 4, or 6 stop vs. variable) with a CPL. Generally, the rule of thumb is to stack the CPL last, so that it can be adjusted, and adjust through live view. Be careful when stacking as the frame depth of the stacked filters can show up in the image, depending on how wide you shoot.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I am in agreement with the gentleman that have suggested to try the combo. A polarizer reduces or eliminates reflections from non metallic surfaces and there are usually plenty of reflections around a water fall. A polarizer is also a ND filter though slightly more sophisticated.
Polarizers have a filter factor of 2 stops at full polarization and I have used them many times while shooting a water fall instead of a ND filter.

Just keep in mind that even very expensive ND filters tend to shift colors, easily removed in post.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That should work. Don't use a very wide-angle lens as that may produce some uneven polarizing effect along with the possibility of vignetting in the corners of the image. That would be due to the stacking of the filters.
--Bob

Jagnut07 wrote:

So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool.
Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance sky?

In other words will an ND do this anyway and is there any issue with using both types of filters together?

Any advice?

wildconc2001 Loc: Chicagoland

Jagnut07 wrote:

So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool.
Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance sky?

In other words will an ND do this anyway and is there any issue with using both types of filters together?

Any advice?

As you increase the number of stops and time , you also increase the contrast and glare. The polarizer is the answer in combination to control that. The disadvantage is the number of stops you are creating making long exposure times. These images should always be taken on a solid tripod.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Jagnut07 wrote:

So, taking a photo of waterfall and water pool.
Use an ND filter to get fluffy water. Can one or should one use a CPL as well to cut reflections and enhance sky?

In other words will an ND do this anyway and is there any issue with using both types of filters together?

Any advice?

I have stacked them on many occasions but it always depends on the situation, so it always depends on the user to make that decision. I never had any issues doing that. I have stacked as many as 4 grad's at a time without any issues!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Should be no problem combining them, so long as the ND filter is a fixed strength (i.e., it's NOT a "Variable ND").

Variable ND are essentially two Circular Polarizers stacked.... adding yet another C-Pol on top would cause all sorts of problems.

But so long as it's a fixed strength ND (one or more, if needed), should be fine with a C-Pol added to the stack.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Should be no problem combining them, so long as the ND filter is a fixed strength (i.e., it's NOT a "Variable ND").

Variable ND are essentially two Circular Polarizers stacked.... adding yet another C-Pol on top would cause all sorts of problems.

But so long as it's a fixed strength ND, should be fine with a C-Pol added to the stack.

FYI: There are combination C-Pol/ND filters... all in one. But they are EXTREMELY expensive (not to mention, super specialized). I'm pretty sure Singh-Ray and Breakthrough Photography make them. There are probably some others, too.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

This may work for some shots but be aware that if you add a PL filter it will also increase the contrast between the lighter and darker areas in the water.

charlie71

I’ve combined the 2 many times when shooting waterfalls. Especially if I want a longer exposure. The PL filter adds another 1 1/2 stops to your exposure

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Variable ND filters provide their own unique set of problems and probably should be avoided. That was the advice of an optical engineer at B+W.
--Bob

amfoto1 wrote:

Should be no problem combining them, so long as th... (show quote)

Jagnut07 Loc: South Carolina

Thank you to everyone that responded to my question. Very much appreciated.

It seems the consensus is NOT to use a Variable ND but stacking fixed ND and CPL is fine. I had been considering purchasing a variable ND but you have helped me decide against that.

Thanks again. Great to have you folks as such a valuable resource.