ND - Graduated neutral density filters - which one to get?

[haring]

I like the look ND filters create. Which brand should I get? Is it really important to get an expensive one? Is there a visible difference?

How do you use them? Do you screw them on the lens or hold it in front of the lens when you take the photo? I saw both.

I am sorry about my silly questions. I have never used one.

Thanks,
Otto

[Elmo]

First there are two general types screw-in and the square/rectangular types. I do not recommend the screw-in types as the offer difficulty in angular orientation and vertical positioning. Square/rectangular can be hand held or used in a holder. I do it both ways depending upon my mood.

As for buying expensive ones, my only recommendation is do not buy Conkin. In the old film days Conkin worked great but the newer Conkin;s when used on digital cameras often give a color cast, Some folks seem to be able to correct this in post processing, I cannot do this to my satisfaction.. I can correct the apparent color cast but if I burn or dodge in post I gain another color cast in those areas. This is a color cast that is difficult at best to compensate for.

[JackieWilson]

Hi
I too would like to get a ND filter
Can anyone give me real specifics about which to buy
I have a Nikon D3100
I guess I am asking all the questions below + which one? I have looked on t'internet and the amount of hits I get is too much for me to take in
Any help would be great
Thanks
J

Originally Posted by haring

I like the look ND filters create. Which brand should I get? Is it really important to get an expensive one? Is there a visible difference?

How do you use them? Do you screw them on the lens or hold it in front of the lens when you take the photo? I saw both.

I am sorry about my silly questions. I have never used one.

Thanks,
Otto

Originally Posted by Elmo

First there are two general types screw-in and the square/rectangular types. I do not recommend the screw-in types as the offer difficulty in angular orientation and vertical positioning. Square/rectangular can be hand held or used in a holder. I do it both ways depending upon my mood.

As for buying expensive ones, my only recommendation is do not buy Conkin. In the old film days Conkin worked great but the newer Conkin;s when used on digital cameras often give a color cast, Some folks seem to be able to correct this in post processing, I cannot do this to my satisfaction.. I can correct the apparent color cast but if I burn or dodge in post I gain another color cast in those areas. This is a color cast that is difficult at best to compensate for.

[Krusty79]

I bought a Lee .6 (2 stop) graduated ND filter from Calumet online last year. Many of the photographers on Flickr that I admire seem to use Lee and some folks on this site have recommended Lee. It cost me $90. If I had to do it again, I would have bought the stronger, 3 stop filter, as there is usually WAY more than two stops difference between the bright sky and dark foreground. In fact, I think I'm going to have to break down and get the 3 stop filter so I can stack them, as I still sometimes get blown out skies, even shooting late sunset shots.

I hold mine by hand for now, partly because I don't want to spend $75 for the Lee filter holder! I don't notice any color shift with the Lee filter.

I would NEVER get the screw-in type because they force you to put the horizon in the middle of every shot. What genius designed it like that?

[Thunder_o_b]

I have been using Cokin for years and nave never had any color cast, digital or film. Highly recommend them. Welcome to COKIN.COM

[sk66]

IMO, it really depends on your needs. I seldom ever use a graduated ND, so the cheap circular ones are fine for me (I frame loose and crop to get the gradient line where I want it)...
That said, the larger glass ones like Lee are "better" if you use them seriously....You can do some things with the plate ones you can't with a circular, like move it during exposure to further spread/fade/shape the transition line or make a darker ND "lighter".

[SwissJon]

The saying "You get what you pay for" couldn't be more true with filters.. I've had terrible colour casts with cheap Cokins.

Lee are the Rolls Royce of filters, and once you get them, you'll never regret. An expensive outlay, don't kneel on them!

I'm going to be buying a 3 stop Lee ND grad and a 3 and 6 stop B&W ND filter. My camera has the ability to alter exposure by 2 stops, so a 3 stop seems to to be a good investment.. B&W have a good reputation for not colour casting either.

Cokin (That I use at the moment) have a reputation, if you don't get a colour cast, you're the exception, not the rule. Buy once, buy expensive (B&W or Lee) or buy cheap and buy twice

[Thunder_o_b]

I wonder if Coken has fallen into the trap of lowering quality and selling on their name? All my Cokens are a quite a number of years old, as are the ones of people that I know. That happened to Brigs and Stratton engines, once one of the best that turned to junk years ago.

Very sad if that is the case.

The Lee filters have always had a good name and will fit in the Cokin mount, which I believe is less costly.

Coken gone bad?……….Bummer

[OsmosisStudios]

Im with SK66: I generally dont need/use grads.

I have 2 screw-in ND filters: a Hoya HMC 3-stop filter and a B+W 10-stop filter.

[Krusty79]

In all of the reviews I have read for Cokin for the past couple of years, Thunder is the ONLY one who has said there is no color shift in the ND grad filters. Everyone else said they are greyish. But then, they don't cost $90 like the Lee filters.