Neutral Density Filters
I can’t talk about these filters in any sort of technical way, but I can explain what I bought, and how good they are at allowing you to shoot dawn and sunset without losing all your sky detail.
I started off with a set of Cokin P filters. The filters sit in a plastic holder, that attaches to the front of your lens by way of an adaptor ring. The ring needs to fit the front element of your main landscape lens. When I used the Canon 20D the Cokin P was fine, with no vignetting, but once I bought the full frame Canon 5D, my lens had to be closed down to 24mm wide. This was unacceptable to me, since I like wide landscapes.
Looking into various other filters meant spending quite a bit more money, however, all the reviews showed Lee filters to be ideal. There are a couple of companies here in Oz that sell them, and after wasting time ordering and paying in advance to an overseas company, only to find that they were out of stock, with no idea of a delivery date, I asked for a refund and contacted Mediavision in Sydney.
Geoff was very helpful, and gave me a quote for a foundation kit, wide angle adaptor ring, a set of 3 neutral density soft graduated filters, and a full 0.6 ND filter.
Postage was only slightly extra, and I had them in my hot little hands within the week. Geoff also sent a Lee catalogue.
Mediavision Australia
Sydney Office:- 4 Monash Road,Gladesville NSW 2111
Phone:(02) 9816 4055 Fax: (02) 9816 1661
Melbourne Office :- 22 Yertchuk Avenue,Ashwood Victoria 3147
Phone:- (03) 9807 5133 Fax:- (03) 9807 7814
When I go to the beach, I take a bag with just filters and holder. They all have their soft cloth or soft vinyl bags, and it’s easier to slip them in and out of there without having to take off my backpack.
Before dawn I’ll generally just have the adaptor ring and holder on the lens, with no filter. As the sun gets closer to jumping up from under the horizon, the filters are brought into play. Usually I’ll add the 0.6 first, if there’s not much cloud around, and once the sun has risen, the 0.9 will be added on top. The soft graduation means that you can slide the filter up and down, even slightly below the horizon, and it doesn’t leave a solid line. I haven’t been in a situation where I think I’d need the hard grad, to be honest. The holder turns easily if you wish to switch to portrait mode, just remember to turn it back when you go back to landscape mode!
Because I live in Queensland where the sun is especially bright, all year round, it’s important to have these filters to make the most of a good sky. It’s near impossible to capture sky detail AND foreground detail without them. I don’t shoot in the daytime if I can get away with it, usually we pack up and leave the beach within 30mins after sunrise. I believe that you can still make good use of the ND grads all through the day, but I don’t have any real experience of that. Even shooting waterfalls can be easier when using ND filters, because it cuts out some of the light that might otherwise over-expose your image if you’re trying for silky water.
The only problems we’ve all had is when the sea mist is particularly bad. In that instance we are constantly looking for ways to clean the filters, and still haven’t come up with a satisfactory solution. If anyone can help, we’d be much obliged!
I hope this helps, as I said, not techy, but may be helpful for anyone looking to know what to buy…..
cheers
This has also been added to the tips and advice forum of All Seascapes Group forum
Basia McAuley
Thank you again Mel for sharing your knowledge,, I’m definitely interested in getting some ND filters so this is invaluable!
Mel Brackstone replied
Good luck, Basia!
Lorraine Creagh
I have a Cokin P filter. This information will be really useful. Thanks Mel .
Mel Brackstone replied
You’re welcome, Lorraine!
Shane Walker
I used the ND filters for the first time yesterday Mel, here is result Click here:http://www.redbubble.com/people/wiz66/art/2463074-2-cape-bruny-lighthouse
Mel Brackstone replied
Beautiful, Shane!
Shane Walker
Woops messed up here it is Mel
!
C J Hummel - ...
Thanks for this informative article, but I would be interested if you notice a slight colour cast from the Cokin filter system, as many users appear to be saying
Mel Brackstone replied
yes indeed I did, as I also have with my Singh Ray reverse grad. But not the Lees….
C J Hummel - ...
Thanks for that,
yes the Lees are superb, just so very costly, but well worth saving up for
Matt Penfold
Thanks Mel great info once again. Do the filters actually get spray on them or is is condensation? My partner used to have a watertaxi and she used a product called rain-x on the windscreen, it seemed to prevent anything attaching, condensation or spray. If the filters were uncoated then this might be worth a try, I don’t know if I’d risk it with coated filters.
Mel Brackstone replied
Hi Matt, it’s generally very fine spray…... we’ve heard of rain-x, but don’t want to bugger up the filters, since they cost so much….lol
Andrew Robertson
Great info Mel, cheers.
Mel Brackstone replied
Hope it’s useful, Andrew!
jadeast
I use a UV filter in front of anything I want to protect, It has saved many a lens and filter as well as camera threads over the years for me!
Wendy Slee
This is a subject I have wanted to learn more about, as I have tried unsuccessfully to buy ND filters in the past six months. Thank you so much Mel, for taking the time to share all of this…this is a really useful piece of information and I will certainly direct any business to the people you recommend as well.
Mel Brackstone replied
Glad to be of service, Wendy!
woof
thanks Mel!! this was very helpful… i just got IR-R72 filter… need to play with it
a lot more than i have… thank god it’s digital and not film…thanks again
Mel Brackstone replied
The R72 was my first IR filter woof….had a lot of fun with it on the Canon G2. It was totally useless on the powershot pro1 though, which is why I had that camera converted when I switched to the 20D…..
Paul Tupman
Thanks so much Mel for this valuable advice. I’ve not been taking landscapes seriously for long now and ND filters are definately on my wish list… I just never really new what I should be getting. This will definately help me out when I make my choices.
Thanks again… :-)
Mel Brackstone replied
You’re very welcome, Paul!
Diane Schuster
Enjoyed your info on ND filters. I have the Cokin holder and have used it for waterfalls and have liked the results, less blown out water. I’ve noticed though that there is a ND filter that screws onto your camera lens and have been seriously thinking about trying it because it is a little more convenient. Dee
Mel Brackstone replied
Hey Dee, I use graduated ND’s so the screw-on isn’t going to work for me, but it’s definitely got it’s uses for waterfalls, and yes, much more convenient!
PaulBradley
Nice work, Mel. I have the Cokin system, too, but use the Z-Pro, which work fine up to around 15mm on my 10-22mm (though I did remove the front holder, and now only have space for two filters). I have both ND and ND grads and use them more and more. I tried the Cokin R72 but didn’t like it – I now have a Hoya.
Mel Brackstone replied
Thanks Paul. I only used the Hoya Ir filters, both R72 and RM90, I think it was called…..but that one was lost in a baking accident….heh
NickMonk
Mel I use normal lens cleaning solution ( the cheap stuff in the non-descript bottle) and lens tissue paper. It works perfectly on my Lee’s. Not sure why you are having such a problem??
Mel Brackstone replied
I haven’t been game to try anything Nick. Thanks for the suggestion!
carol brandt
Again many thank for sharing your valuable expertise and advice, Mel. You’re a diamond.
Natsky
Wish I had read this before buying the Cokin P set! Used it for the first time over the last couple of days and having the vignetting problem…should have gone the next size up me thinks. Quite liking the results though and will definitely be playing with filters more. IR has me intrigued.
On the cleaning side I just used normal lens cleaner from the optometrist…great job and doesn’t seem to have done any harm.
Thanx for the post Mel…much appreciated.
JeffStockton
Thanks Mel. I have the Cokin system & use it for my 11-19 lens & YES i do have vignetting probs as well as an even bigger prob when i face away from the sun at sunset. The filter holder appears on my lens & in the captures i make & destroys the
entire capture so i will trade it for another brand. As for the prob you have with spray on your lens & filters I have read that placing a cheap lens cover on the camera just after you have set it all up & removing it seconds before you shoot works wonders.Hope this bag helps,otherwise a shopping may be the go….good luck
JeffStockton
That should have read…Hope this helps,otherwise a shopping BAG MAY be the go
Mishka Góra
Thanks for sharing this, Mel! I’ve been thinking about filters for a while but didn’t know where to start – much appreciated!
Noel Elliot
Mel. I have been using ND Grad filters for years to even out the exposure between sky and foreground. They are also useful for doing long exposure shots of ocean/running water etc. As for cleaning them, I use fluid for cleaning spectacles and a soft lens cleaning cloth bought at camera stores. It is also essential to have a hand pupper/blower to remove dust. I have also used the filters on their side to even out exposures where too much light is coming from one side of the scene, think outside the box. Theere is one thing to watch out for. If using extremely wide angle lenses, the holder and filter can intrude into the shot, not always obvious when taking the shot. A polarising filter used with the ND grad is also useful for darkening the exposure to get longer shutter times, even when the polarising effect is not used. I have a real problem with people who have “Blown out skies” because they do not use ND Grads and wouldn’t consider taking Landscape/seascape shots without the filters. The effects of these filters can not be properly replicated in photoshop and are essential kit when using DSLR’s. Looks like more photographers will benefitfrom your advice. Cheers Mel
Alistair Wilson
good advice mel, im using p series but can only get to 13mm on my 10-22mm other wise i get vignetting. if i get more serious i think im gonna have to upgrade as well!
Mel Brackstone replied
It’s an awful shame to have a lens that’ll go that wide, and yet not be able to use it when it matters! I believe Cokin make a larger size….although you’d still have to replace the holder as well.
pene
very helpful information Mel… i have 3 cokin filters (ND2, grey &gradual tobacco) but haven’t really used them yet… but i’m lucky enough to be having a week of workshops with Paul Pichugin next week so, i’ll get some use out of them then !! LOL
Scott d'Almeida 25 days ago
amazing