saxman71 Loc: Wenatchee, WA

I recently purchased an item from Adorama where said item was reduced in price a week later and the company was kind enough to give me some store credit for the difference. So I thought I would use that credit to purchase an ND filter. My goal with the filter would be to smooth out water. Having never owned or used an ND filter I am looking for some advice on the number of stops associated with such a filter that I should be considering to achieve that goal. Feel free to suggest a brand that you have used and like. I have a circular polarizer from B+W that seems to be well made. So I am leaning towards B+W for the ND filter but am open to other suggestions. Thanks for your help. I know I could learn a lot by just googling this question, but what fun would that be?

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Breakthrough claims to be the most neutral in color. Formatt Hitachi put the ND material between two layers of glass. B+W and Hoya are teo more great manufacturers. You can not go wrong with any of these.

saxman71 Loc: Wenatchee, WA

Thank you. I appreciate the response.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

After trying the Lee filters, I prefer the screw-in filters. Although a 10-stop filter is the most effective at blocking light, it works best in full-light. A 4- or 6-stop filter is more useful in a wider group of situations. My ND filters are all B+H.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Also, 3, 6, and 9 stops, from looking here and elsewhere, seems to be a good start for ND filters.

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Just a heads up about ND filter no.s, there are a few different ways to delineate this and there is a chart about a quarter way down this link that sets it out nicely:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/hands-on-review/a-guide-to-neutral-density-filters

My 10 stop is from break through, works well for me. Mostly use it to smooth out water.
Have fun.

Blues Dude

You really should buy a set of ND filters to give you the most flexibility.
I have a set of K&F Concept filters that work very well.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I use ND8 (-3 stops) and ND64 (-6 stops). But I don’t like cotton candy waterfalls, so I use them for outdoor video filmmaking at 24fps/1/48 second (180-degree shutter angle, which can be set on advanced Lumix cameras).

saxman71 Loc: Wenatchee, WA

I appreciate the suggestions and information. Thanks to all of you who replied.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

And my auto-correct loves me too much. The one filter manufacturer is "Formatt Hitech", not "Formatt Hitachi".

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...My goal with the filter would be to smooth out water..."
Chris my compliments on your epic pbase gallery... wonderful diversity latent within...

Ok this task requires a decent tripod in addition to and ND filter...
My choice has always been the glass from B&W and my favorite 10 Stop ND for smoothing an aquatic venue.
The value of "Stops" is a personal artistic choice, however the vendor choice is a commercial one.
Why? I was penny wise and pound foolish only once... the "cost effective" ND variant imparted a horrific magenta cast that was a bear to correct in post. (btw, I"m with BassmanBruce on the 10 Stop ND choice)

Food for thought... lots and lots of suggestions by UHH members who aren't posting their "claimed" results. You might be wise to ignore those who regurgitate only what they have heard not so much what they have experienced. Enough said.

Below please find some of my experience with B&W optics.

First Image: Camera: Nikon D700 (1/640) f/11; ISO: 200; FL 250mm
Lens: Vintage (circa 1989) AF 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Nikkor

Second Image: Camera: Nikon D700 f/11; ISO: 200; FL 250mm
Lens: Vintage (circa 1989) AF 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Nikkor
Filter: B&W 62mm 10 Stop ND

All imagery taken in Great Falls VA National Park (Mather Gorge)

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Nikon D700 f/11; ISO: 200; FL 250mm; Lens: Vintage (circa 1989) AF 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Nikkor

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burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Very nice work on both images.

I like the first one best. It's closest to what my eyes see at waterfalls. Ever since I saw my first felt painting of a waterfall at a craft show in the 1970s, I've always thought the ND effect looked like a felt painting of a waterfall sold on a street corner by a starving artist who also painted Elvis on felt.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...I like the first one best..." totally agree Bill, albeit the OP was after the iconic Niagara Falls "Post Card" scenario... One use I find intriguing is to calm sea shore breakers into a velvety smooth effect (but I'm not game for dragging my kit into a salt spray environment)...

btw, I assisted a commercial architectural shooter who used a very strong ND Filter to remove traffic flow from in front of a building we were task to capture... shockingly effective!

Blues Dude

You making fun of my favorite Elvis painting? Them's fightin' words, mister!!

saxman71 Loc: Wenatchee, WA

Thank you for the kind words Thomas and the advice.