Filters for landscape

[Worex]

Hi all! Stuck between choices for ND filter, should I get the haida filters or the Lee filters?

Using a xt1 and xpro1!
Cheers!

 

[polar28]

If you don't need GND filter, screw on Haida ND would be a better choice.

 

[Worex]

Hmm don't think I will need the GND, will want to achieve very nice and smooth water effects for the photo

 

[silence]

I use the Haida 10stops and Cpl screw ons intensively with my X-T1+10-24mm. Works wonderfully..

 

[Worex]

Wow! care to share the pictures here! Would love to see how the haida perform in real life!

 

[polar28]

Wow! care to share the pictures here! Would love to see how the haida perform in real life!

X-T1 + XF10-24

Haida 10stops ND

Haida 6 stops ND

 

[silence]

Wow! care to share the pictures here! Would love to see how the haida perform in real life!

Haida 10 stops ND

 

[Worex]

Omgsh! They are really nice! Super love the Merlion shot! Thanks for sharing!

 

[RyanKhoo]

May I ask, at what time roughly you took these 2 shots ?

Thanks

X-T1 + XF10-24

Haida 10stops ND

Haida 6 stops ND

 

[polar28]

May I ask, at what time roughly you took these 2 shots ?

Thanks

Merlion is just after the sunrise, probably 7.10am, the other is after the sun has set quite a while, I remember, it probably 20 minutes after sunset.

 

[nitewalk]

If you no need GND yes i'd say screw on. And the haida ones give very good results. I'm using LEE for gnd since they have a 4 stops. You can't go wrong with either.

 

[e69087]

Hi,
I would like to know did u guys use the app called "long time" for easy calculation of the exposure time needed when using these ND filters?
Thanks.

 

[nitewalk]

Hi, I would like to know did u guys use the app called "long time" for easy calculation of the exposure time needed when using these ND filters? Thanks.

I use "aga-ration" to calculate. In any case you can just meter as it is without filters then multiply by the factor of the nd filter. Eg if you use 10 stops you can multiply by 1024 times (2^10). That means 6 stops is about 2^6 (=64) times. But note that this is only a general guide, as it is clearly not exact. And in any case you can add a bit and minus a bit to go for high key or low key shot. Just experiment with it.

 

[e69087]

Thanks for the info. Will experiment with the 10stop ND Haida filter i just got recently.

 

[Worex]

I bought a GND filter! Haven't tried using it yet, it's a haida 0.9 GND soft filter! Any advice before i use it?

 

[polar28]

I bought a GND filter! Haven't tried using it yet, it's a haida 0.9 GND soft filter! Any advice before i use it?

You will need to:

1. Meter (spot metering) separately the bright part (assuming is the sky) and the dark part (assuming the ground) to determine the dynamic range (how many stop) difference between the brightest to the darkest. Else use your eyes to "aga-ration" how many stop to use.

2. The number of stop in dynamic range will determine how many stop GND to use, could be 3 or 6 or 9 stop.

3. The GND you select, avoid making the sky darker than the ground.

4. If shooting with water body, you may need to combine with ND filter to smooth-en the water surface.

Cheers

 

[e69087]

I found one app (thru' the photo magazine) called "LE calculator". Seems quite useful because it has a timer to aid in the exposure control.

 

[Worex]

You will need to:

1. Meter (spot metering) separately the bright part (assuming is the sky) and the dark part (assuming the ground) to determine the dynamic range (how many stop) difference between the brightest to the darkest. Else use your eyes to "aga-ration" how many stop to use.

2. The number of stop in dynamic range will determine how many stop GND to use, could be 3 or 6 or 9 stop.

3. The GND you select, avoid making the sky darker than the ground.

4. If shooting with water body, you may need to combine with ND filter to smooth-en the water surface.

Cheers

Thank you chye guan! Will work on it! So excited about it!

 

[nitewalk]

Just to add on, in general, as long as you don't stack two GNDs you can avoid the situation where foreground is brighter than sky. I use 4 stops GND 90% of the time and i don't have a problem with that. But of course, it depends on the time you are shooting, so if you are shooting during blue hour or past it, 4 stops GND will probably have that situation.

In other words, just practise more and you'll be able to judge light.

 

[nitewalk]

You will need to: 1. Meter (spot metering) separately the bright part (assuming is the sky) and the dark part (assuming the ground) to determine the dynamic range (how many stop) difference between the brightest to the darkest. Else use your eyes to "aga-ration" how many stop to use. 2. The number of stop in dynamic range will determine how many stop GND to use, could be 3 or 6 or 9 stop. 3. The GND you select, avoid making the sky darker than the ground. 4. If shooting with water body, you may need to combine with ND filter to smooth-en the water surface. Cheers

For point 2, if you meant GND filter, i have not heard of 6 or 9 stops. 9 stops gnd will yield a 512 times difference between foreground and sky. 3,6,9,10 stops sounds more like ND but the context you were talking about sounds more like GND, which in general is available in 1,2,3,4 stops (with 4 stops probably only available for soft grad i think).