Filters

[Boycie999]

Hi,
Ive been reading the forums for some time now and finally thought I should join up and ask for your help.
Im quite new to photography having brought a canon 450d about 6 months ago.
Ive started to get more experimental with things and some of the photos you guys post on here are awesome, if only I could get that good one day.....
I really fancy taking some long exposure shots of running water, streams and stuff. From what I have picked up I understand I need some kind of ND filter but having looked into them there are too many numbers and ive got no idea what im looking at. Can someone help me with what to buy to take some daytime long exposure shots and what else I may need. Ive got a couple of tripods and a remote release and only 2 quite standard lenses. The stock 18-55 and a canon 75-300.
Thanks in advance..............

[4Lmike]

Hi Boycie999, take a look at this website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_density_filte... it should help you understand the difference between the nd filters. That photo i took at virginia water which you just commented was taken using an ND8 filter, which effectively reduces the light intake by 3 f-stops (if you need more info on f-stops click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number )

[Boycie999]

Thanks mate

[JSS 911]

This might help a bit


BKS_ND_Chart by sinky 911, on Flickr

If you are shooting at a 1/125 then by adding a ND2 filter you can see the time is halved then halved again as you go up using stronger filters

Edited by JSS 911 on Saturday 8th January 21:44

[dibbly dobbler]

Hi Boycie. Try the Cokin P-Series - you'll need a filter holder, possibly an adapter ring depending on your lens, and I would suggest an ND8 (there are lots of other too but this is the one I use the most). It's not that expensive and will get you started on long exposure shots

[4Lmike]

Tip - always get filters with a large diameter as opposed to small. You can use step-up rings to attach large filters to small lenses but you can't attach small filters to large lenses.

[Toyless]

dibbly dobbler said:

Hi Boycie. Try the Cokin P-Series - you'll need a filter holder, possibly an adapter ring depending on your lens, and I would suggest an ND8 (there are lots of other too but this is the one I use the most). It's not that expensive and will get you started on long exposure shots

And then shoot in RAW and buy Photoshop to help correct the colour cast......



......really annoyed with mine.

[dibbly dobbler]

Toyless said:

dibbly dobbler said:

Hi Boycie. Try the Cokin P-Series - you'll need a filter holder, possibly an adapter ring depending on your lens, and I would suggest an ND8 (there are lots of other too but this is the one I use the most). It's not that expensive and will get you started on long exposure shots

And then shoot in RAW and buy Photoshop to help correct the colour cast......



......really annoyed with mine.

Are you stacking them Mark ?

[Toyless]

dibbly dobbler said:

Toyless said:

dibbly dobbler said:

Hi Boycie. Try the Cokin P-Series - you'll need a filter holder, possibly an adapter ring depending on your lens, and I would suggest an ND8 (there are lots of other too but this is the one I use the most). It's not that expensive and will get you started on long exposure shots

And then shoot in RAW and buy Photoshop to help correct the colour cast......



......really annoyed with mine.

Are you stacking them Mark ?

On occasion, yes.

I know its only when stacked the problem rears its head, but its just one those things that bugs me.
Probabaly beacuse I cant justify a Lee set !

[dibbly dobbler]

I had the same thing once but now just use the ND8 on its own and it works fine tbh.

I seem to recall it was Mr Paul911 that recommended them to me but he now uses Lee I believe!

[markmullen]

If you want to avoid the Cokin colour casts but don't want to spend Lee money Hitechs are a good bet, I've got a set of their soft grads, paid less than £50 for 1,2 and 3 stops and no colour casts even when stacked.

[Yellabelly]

[quote=JSS 911]This might help a bit


BKS_ND_Chart by sinky 911, on Flickr

quote]

With respect JSS911 shouldn't this chart be attributed to the originator, Landon Michaelson of bksecretphotography, at:

http://www.bksecret.com/photo/tips/BKS_ND_Chart.pd...

He took issue with another (Tomas Radzevicius) on flickr who posted it without reference to him as the creator. It seems to be the Tomas R version that you have posted here!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomasradzevicius/2267...

YB

Edited by Yellabelly on Sunday 9th January 00:31

[mathewb]

markmullen said:

If you want to avoid the Cokin colour casts but don't want to spend Lee money Hitechs are a good bet, I've got a set of their soft grads, paid less than £50 for 1,2 and 3 stops and no colour casts even when stacked.

At the expense of image quality though - I'm consistently disappointed with my photos up close, but that's the tradeoff with cheap filters.

[Mojocvh]

markmullen said:

If you want to avoid the Cokin colour casts but don't want to spend Lee money Hitechs are a good bet, I've got a set of their soft grads, paid less than £50 for 1,2 and 3 stops and no colour casts even when stacked.

That's very interesting thanks, wish I'd known about that BEFORE shelling out on cokin filters/adaptors etc.

Mo.

[paul911]

Toyless said:

dibbly dobbler said:

Hi Boycie. Try the Cokin P-Series - you'll need a filter holder, possibly an adapter ring depending on your lens, and I would suggest an ND8 (there are lots of other too but this is the one I use the most). It's not that expensive and will get you started on long exposure shots

And then shoot in RAW and buy Photoshop to help correct the colour cast......



......really annoyed with mine.

You can sort the colour cast out in camera by setting a custom white balance. Saves the faffing with Photoshop.

[paul911]

dibbly dobbler said:

I had the same thing once but now just use the ND8 on its own and it works fine tbh.

I seem to recall it was Mr Paul911 that recommended them to me but he now uses Lee I believe!

Don’t think it was me Mike, as I’ve had the Lee for some time now.

[dibbly dobbler]

paul911 said:

dibbly dobbler said:

I had the same thing once but now just use the ND8 on its own and it works fine tbh.

I seem to recall it was Mr Paul911 that recommended them to me but he now uses Lee I believe!

Don’t think it was me Mike, as I’ve had the Lee for some time now.

Hmm - a challenge! I shall try and find the post . I've been broadly happy with them anyway - other than the stacking issue they are fine for a cheapish starter.

[dibbly dobbler]

dibbly dobbler said:

paul911 said:

dibbly dobbler said:

I had the same thing once but now just use the ND8 on its own and it works fine tbh.

I seem to recall it was Mr Paul911 that recommended them to me but he now uses Lee I believe!

Don’t think it was me Mike, as I’ve had the Lee for some time now.

Hmm - a challenge! I shall try and find the post . I've been broadly happy with them anyway - other than the stacking issue they are fine for a cheapish starter.

Ok - I found the thread I was remembering here and it seems to have been me that came up with the idea but you are definitely down as an accomplice !

What a laugh reading through some of the sh*te I posted up early in 2010 - what's a 50mm, what's a fast lens do, what's my arse, what's my elbow