ND Filters

dazdmc

dazdmc

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I'm needing to buy a set of ND filters. I used to have a rather large set of Cokin filters but gave most of them away when I gave up film photography. I have seen these variable ND filters that work in a similar fashion to circular polarisors, but they get very mixed reviews and can cause colour casts and dark patches in skies. I have also seen a set of Neewer filters which are quite cheap and get decent reviews but they almost seem too cheap ie £20 for a set of four, have any of you guys tried these cheap ones and can recommend them? Or should I just stick to a known brand and pay the extra?
 
I have only ever used lee, they have been fine but they are a little pricey!
 
I use Format Hitech Firecrest. They come with a foam gasket to stop light reflecting on the back of the filter.

Oh, and, on the whole, don't go for cheap unless you like spending time correcting white balance afterwards :p
 
I stopped using "square filter" ND systems years ago. They are too cumbersome and even with the foam gasket Joanna refers to, I kept getting annoying light leaks even with the Format HiTech Firecrest brand.

I still use the Format Hitech Firecrest brand as I have found them to be one of the most neutral ND products on the market but I've switched to their circular filters. Circular filters also have their drawbacks, but a friend told me about the Xume Magnetic system which became a eureka moment for me. Instead of screwing on the filters to the front of your lens, you just snap it on the lens and shoot. It changed everything for me. No light leaks, no screwing or fiddling with the filter connecting it to the lens. Regardless of which ND filter brand you choose, I highly recommend you look into Xume now owned by Manfretto, a reputable company. I know it's an added cost but it's worth it. I've posted a link below if you're interested.

Quick Release Filter Adapters - Manfrotto

Discover the best camera and video camera tripods, monopods and photography accessories from Manfrotto.
www.manfrotto.com www.manfrotto.com

 
stevenz said:
I stopped using "square filter" ND systems years ago. They are too cumbersome and even with the foam gasket Joanna refers to, I kept getting annoying light leaks even with the Format HiTech Firecrest brand.

I still use the Format Hitech Firecrest brand as I have found them to be one of the most neutral ND products on the market but I've switched to their circular filters. Circular filters also have their drawbacks, but a friend told me about the Xume Magnetic system which became a eureka moment for me. Instead of screwing on the filters to the front of your lens, you just snap it on the lens and shoot. It changed everything for me. No light leaks, no screwing or fiddling with the filter connecting it to the lens. Regardless of which ND filter brand you choose, I highly recommend you look into Xume now owned by Manfretto, a reputable company. I know it's an added cost but it's worth it. I've posted a link below if you're interested.

Quick Release Filter Adapters - Manfrotto

Discover the best camera and video camera tripods, monopods and photography accessories from Manfrotto.
www.manfrotto.com www.manfrotto.com

Click to expand...

Thanks Steven. Like you I gave up years ago with square filters having tried most of the good brands.
 
stevenz said:
I stopped using "square filter" ND systems years ago. They are too cumbersome and even with the foam gasket Joanna refers to, I kept getting annoying light leaks even with the Format HiTech Firecrest brand.

I still use the Format Hitech Firecrest brand as I have found them to be one of the most neutral ND products on the market but I've switched to their circular filters. Circular filters also have their drawbacks, but a friend told me about the Xume Magnetic system which became a eureka moment for me. Instead of screwing on the filters to the front of your lens, you just snap it on the lens and shoot. It changed everything for me. No light leaks, no screwing or fiddling with the filter connecting it to the lens. Regardless of which ND filter brand you choose, I highly recommend you look into Xume now owned by Manfretto, a reputable company. I know it's an added cost but it's worth it. I've posted a link below if you're interested.

Quick Release Filter Adapters - Manfrotto

Discover the best camera and video camera tripods, monopods and photography accessories from Manfrotto.
www.manfrotto.com www.manfrotto.com

Click to expand...

That's a great idea unit you want to add the graduated ND filter to your arsenal.
 
Perhaps have a look here

10 Stop ND Filter Test | On Landscape

With digital cameras, the ability to make long exposures using ND filters & to produce reasonably colour accurate work brought a renewed interest
www.onlandscape.co.uk www.onlandscape.co.uk
its a year or so old now but useful never the less
For subscribers they did a thorough review of Graduated neutral density filters that was interesting
I ended up going for H&Y filters, given they have a magnetic snap on design that does remove light leaks and supports graduated and neutral density filters.

The filters are made from gorilla glass so are optically flat, rather than resin and are robust and survive drops. The flatness does make a difference if you are a pixel peeper

I did learn the hard way with Lee glass filters, very expensive - bits of one still somewhere along the shore of Loch Assynt !
 
Thanks for all your helpful replies guys, and sorry for not replying sooner but work at the moment is keeping me too busy and too knackered!
I looked more in depth at the circular adjustable ND and quickly came to the conclusion they weren't worth it. For the moment I have bought a set of cheap cokin copies, not the filters, just the holder and adapter rings. I still have a few cokin filters in the attic that I'll dig out along with the dreaded christmas tree tonight, I might even find the horrible tobacco and starburst filters I thought were a good idea :)
As I said earlier I'm only really interested in 3 or 4 solid ND filters and maybe a grad or two so they won't break the bank to buy decent ones and not too much messing about.
 
dazdmc said:
Thanks for all your helpful replies guys, and sorry for not replying sooner but work at the moment is keeping me too busy and too knackered!
I looked more in depth at the circular adjustable ND and quickly came to the conclusion they weren't worth it. For the moment I have bought a set of cheap cokin copies, not the filters, just the holder and adapter rings. I still have a few cokin filters in the attic that I'll dig out along with the dreaded christmas tree tonight, I might even find the horrible tobacco and starburst filters I thought were a good idea :)
As I said earlier I'm only really interested in 3 or 4 solid ND filters and maybe a grad or two so they won't break the bank to buy decent ones and not too much messing about.
Click to expand...
Its the grads that will be the most challenging to correct any colour casts for, the solid ND are easier to correct for if you take a white balance card with you.
 
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