Neutral Density Filters

[Optikal iLLusion]

Ive been searching the forum as best i can looking for good ways to include the sun in landscape shots with out it looking terribly blown out. Saw a couple references to ND filters.. then looked them up on Google to see what their recommended uses are. Seems like its a good way to combat the issue. Filters such as ND and Polarizing filters seem to be an acceptable way to do this outside PP. Is this accurate? Anymore details someone might like to add? I feel that the sun can add a lot to a shot if captured correctly. The last few days here in East TN have been gloomy and rainy so i havent had an opportunity to go out and just practice..

[EmyB]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't a ND filter decrease the light coming from ALL sources in the shot, thus you'd need to expose longer to expose properly, thus the sun would be just as blown out? The only thing that changes is the shutter speed, the exposure will be similar.

Maybe I've got your question mixed up though.

[Optikal iLLusion]

Well its completely possible i misread those tidbits i read about them. Im pretty tired.

[gturner]

What you need is a graduated filter. ND filters are best for using slow shutter speeds in bright conditions, such as slowing down waterfalls

How To Use Graduated Filters

[Doug Sundseth]

An ND grad can be used to selectively reduce the sky exposure (when the horizon is reasonably flat, of course). An ND, as noted, will just reduce exposure. But you're never going to get detail in the sun and get anything else in the shot. It's kind of bright.

All you can really do is reduce the overexposure bloom a bit, which may be worth doing, of course.

[Optikal iLLusion]

Seems that PP would almost be a better option.

[RichardTaylor]

Not necessarily.

Get it right in camera and you can save a lot of time post processing multiple exposures.

Also keep in mind you may not always have a tripod or time to use it when etc when shooting (eg if you are on a bus tour).so that makes it harder to shoot identically framed pics.

[SteveGarner]

The difference in the brightness of the sky in a landscape and the land is the age old problem for landscape photographers. The human eye can see a much greater range of tones ( dynamic range ) than a camera can record, add to that the ability of the eye to 'auto adjust' quickly and constantly to the changing brightness levels looked at. The answer, as stated is the graduated neutral density filter - which darkens to sky relative to the land thereby balancing the light levels ( reducing the dynamic range of the scene so the maximum amount of detail is recorded in camera). The ND grad filters come in a range of strengths ie ND4,ND8. Shooting when the light levels are lower ( early morning/late afternoon ) is usually the norm aswell because the light difference is not as great and the colour of the light is also more dramatic.
Hope that helps.

[Optikal iLLusion]

Originally Posted by SteveGarner

The difference in the brightness of the sky in a landscape and the land is the age old problem for landscape photographers. The human eye can see a much greater range of tones ( dynamic range ) than a camera can record, add to that the ability of the eye to 'auto adjust' quickly and constantly to the changing brightness levels looked at. The answer, as stated is the graduated neutral density filter - which darkens to sky relative to the land thereby balancing the light levels ( reducing the dynamic range of the scene so the maximum amount of detail is recorded in camera). The ND grad filters come in a range of strengths ie ND4,ND8. Shooting when the light levels are lower ( early morning/late afternoon ) is usually the norm aswell because the light difference is not as great and the colour of the light is also more dramatic.
Hope that helps.

That does help. Thank you. Ill have to look around for reasonably priced ones now.

[Optikal iLLusion]

LOL.. none of those filters are really "cheap" but thats ok. Just didnt realize it. Ill probably wait on them anyway. Im not in a good place for immediate landscape stuff. That Hoya NDx400 sounds like a pretty cool one too.