The use of Graduated Neutral Density Filters...

[w7xman]

This post hopefully will highlight the effects and take away a bit of the mystery surrounding split filters.

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BorealChickadee asked the other day:
I know there are graduated(and reverse graduated) "gray" filters that can be used to correct the overexposed sky issue. Is there anything that could be handheld over the lens of a point and shoot. This question isn't as farfetched as it sounds. I've had good luck handholding a polarizing filter over my p&s.
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Graduated Neutral Density filters (GND's) are the most useful landscape photographers tool next to a polarizer. They are a piece of glass that is smoked on the top, and clear on the bottom, allowing you to selectively darken a scene. Here's different variations I found in picture form on pbase:

http://www.pbase.com/otfchallenge/image/19228021

THese filters can easily be held in front of the lens or put in adaptors. They come in different stops (darknesses) allowing you to experiment given the contrast in a scene.

I took this series below right before the holidays, and it shows really well how they help balance the exposure of a scene. Note how the first picture has an overexposed sky, and underexposed rocks.

Also note that I think that the effect is a bit overdone in this series (as I held back the sky perhaps a bit much), but demonstrates what the filters do well...

No Filter:

Two stop GND:

I'm pretty sure others on the board use them, hopefully they can build upon this basic knowledge...

 

[pudgy_groundhog]

We just got a new camera and a set of GND filters (I'm not sure of the stops). When deciding which one to use, do you meter the sky and the foreground separately and decide how many stops different it is? Or trial and error? We haven't tried these out yet, but I'm anxious to give them a go.

 

[w7xman]

Metering is the best way to go, but experience will dictate it after a while. Sunset over snow usually only needs 1-2 stops/a field of flowers will need 3. But it depends on how bright the sunset is as well.

Have fun with them...

 

[BorealChickadee]

I went to a couple of sites to look at these filters and I must admit to being "in the dark" so to speak. I don't know if there's a solution for me but I"ll ask. Right now I only have the digital point and shoot and a Minolta film which doesn't get much use anymore (sound familiar?). So I'd like to get a GD filter to handhold on the P&S. They're costly (at least the ones I linked to). Costly enough that I don't know if there's a cheaper one for my use. And what stop to try out first?

Any suggestions for brand, style (some I see are traditional filters in rings), stop?

Maybe this just isn't a possibility without having a DSLR? But darn, I'd like to try this out!

Signed,
Clueless & Confused

 

[ghassert]

I asked pretty much the same question in the "What caused this?" thread. Maybe it's time for a thread on various filters and their uses?

Glenn

 

[w7xman]

I went to a couple of sites to look at these filters and I must admit to being "in the dark" so to speak. I don't know if there's a solution for me but I"ll ask. Right now I only have the digital point and shoot and a Minolta film which doesn't get much use anymore (sound familiar?). So I'd like to get a GD filter to handhold on the P&S. They're costly (at least the ones I linked to). Costly enough that I don't know if there's a cheaper one for my use. And what stop to try out first?

Any suggestions for brand, style (some I see are traditional filters in rings), stop?

Maybe this just isn't a possibility without having a DSLR? But darn, I'd like to try this out!

Signed,
Clueless & Confused

Hey Chickadee,

Sorry to perhaps add to your confusion. I'll add some more specific advice. To enhance the pictures of your point and shoot, I would get square Cokin "A" size filters. They are small and relatively cheap by comparison. (~20 a piece I believe, compared to ~100 for Singh Ray)

As for stops it depends on the scene. If your shooting mostly midday, I'd first buy the Cokin 120 filter. Sunrise/sunset, get the Cokin 121. Ideally get both and experiment.

Here's a link to help:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...sgr=&shs=&ci=4031&ac=&Submit.x=19&Submit.y=11

Once you are ready to shoot with them, simply hold them in front of your lens. You can orient them any way you wish. you need about 2.5 hands to do this, but a little practice and you'll develop a method.

Hope that helps.

 

[BorealChickadee]

Hey Chickadee,

Sorry to perhaps add to your confusion. I'll add some more specific advice. To enhance the pictures of your point and shoot, I would get square Cokin "A" size filters. They are small and relatively cheap by comparison. (~20 a piece I believe, compared to ~100 for Singh Ray)

As for stops it depends on the scene. If your shooting mostly midday, I'd first buy the Cokin 120 filter. Sunrise/sunset, get the Cokin 121. Ideally get both and experiment.

Here's a link to help:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...sgr=&shs=&ci=4031&ac=&Submit.x=19&Submit.y=11

Once you are ready to shoot with them, simply hold them in front of your lens. You can orient them any way you wish. you need about 2.5 hands to do this, but a little practice and you'll develop a method.

Hope that helps.

Great information! Exactly what I was looking for- an introductory method to get started. Using them by hand on hikes I'll probably sooner or later (likely sooner) mess one up so I didn't want to mortgage the house for filters. This is going to be a lot of fun to try! The DSLR has to wait, as my new toy for this year will be a Hornbeck canoe, which of ocurse now I can use to get me out and take back water shots with my new GD filter.

2.5 hands, huh? Well, if I can unzip my bike bag, take out the camera, turn it on and shoot while flying down the carriage roads on a bike, then I think I can find that extra .5 hand for the filter.

Thanks again!