ND Filters

[longisland.km]

I was browsing B&H's site over the weekend and found that they only sold three very dark filters: the Hoya ND400, the B+W #110 and the B+W #120. A bit of poking around the net also indicated the existence of a B+W #113 (although it might be discontinued). Are these the only ones around?

I ended up buying the Hoya ND400 on Sunday since it appeared the Hoya filter was the only one of the three with a multi coat. The B+W filters seem to be uncoated. Does anybody have one of these beasties to confirm?

I haven't had a chance to play with it yet - does anybody have experience with these dark filters? I am wondering if the advertised 9 stops of the ND400 is enough for what I want: sufficiently long shutters in daylight for waterfall and landscape shots.

[timmciglobal]

You could always stack ND's especially if you buy slim ones and filters with front rings.

Tim

[longisland.km]

Hi Tim,

they seem to be mutually exclusive though...pretty much all the slim filters I see have no front threads.

I suppose if I am really desperate, I could stack the ND400 with my 2 stop filter and my CPL...an effective 12 stops...and probably a vignetting monster.

[timmciglobal]

Step back and crop :p

Tim

[toriaj]

I am wondering if the advertised 9 stops of the ND400 is enough for what I want: sufficiently long shutters in daylight for waterfall and landscape shots.

You don't need high-power filters for waterfalls and landscapes, unless you are going for that eerie dark-daylight look. The ones you mentioned should be fine. Another tip is to shoot after sunset, or at least while your subject is shaded.

[noyjimi]

i agree with toriaj, you won't need something that totally sucks the light out

here are some shots from NY Finger Lakes a few months ago, from 5D, 24-105, CPL filter

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-057.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-079.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-061.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-114.jpg

[toriaj]

Wow, noyjimi, I love #2! Just beautiful.
longisland.km, I took this on a sunny day with NO filters of any kind (the waterfall was in shadow):

28134

[longisland.km]

You don't need high-power filters for waterfalls and landscapes, unless you are going for that eerie dark-daylight look. The ones you mentioned should be fine. Another tip is to shoot after sunset, or at least while your subject is shaded.

Actually, I am not going for a dark daylight look...I just want to get a sufficiently long shutter speed for a waterfall shot so that the water gets a "smoothed" look. Earlier this summer I was out at Yosemite for the day but didn't get a shot I liked primarily because I could only be there during the mid-day and it was a cloudless day - so I ended up with a really fast shutter speed. There was nothing I could do about it - stopping down to f/32 wasn't cutting it either. I couldn't be there later in the evening. I figure that if I had the ND400 filter, I could have gotten a three or five second shutter and thus gotten the shot I wanted even in full sunlight.

Regarding landscapes...I am referring primarily to large static things which attract alot of people who kind of walk in and out. I figure with a sufficiently strong filter, I can achieve a really long shutter speed and have these people simply disappear and leave me with a shot with (almost) nobody in it.

[longisland.km]

i agree with toriaj, you won't need something that totally sucks the light out

here are some shots from NY Finger Lakes a few months ago, from 5D, 24-105, CPL filter

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-057.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-079.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-061.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/noyjimi/20070529-114.jpg

Wow, I didn't realise the NY Finger Lakes had waterfalls like this - I like. Where specifically is this? The effect I want to be able to achieve even in full daylight is what you have in the second photo. Sometimes you can't wait for sunset or a cloudy day.

[longisland.km]

Wow, noyjimi, I love #2! Just beautiful.
longisland.km, I took this on a sunny day with NO filters of any kind (the waterfall was in shadow):

28134

Nice! This is the effect I want to be able to achieve even in full sunlight. I can't rely on blind luck to get every waterfall to be in the shadows.

[toriaj]

Thanks, and btw, it doesn't have to be luck ... it could be planning :D
Have a great time. :)