Advice needed on filters please.

Simonhi

Simonhi

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Simon
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I've had a look using the search function but have not been able to get a definite answer to the following question.

I have a Nikkor 10-24mm ultra-wide angle DX zoom lens on a D90 which I mainly shoot land and seascapes with and I need some filters. I already have a screw in Hoya HD UV filter to pretect the front element but have realised lately that in order to get nice long exposures I will need some ND and/or ND grad filters. :cool:

I have been looking at the Lee / Cokin 100mm x 150mm rectangular filters but think this type may cause clipping of the image when wide open at 10mm, which I would'nt want if spending circa £150-200 on a set of filters and holder :shake:.

Does anybody here use a similar system on a similar ultra wide lens ? Should I be looking at only screw-in filters, a la B+W, Tiffen etc ??? I don't want to go ahead and buy the wrong thing.

Thanks in advance.

Si. :thumbs:
 
plates and screw ins are used in different cases, if your a landscape fanatic then you might need the plate filters because they give more customability and flexibility, whereas if you do landscapes for a bit of fun and its just an odd thing then get screw ins, you wont get as much flexibility but you can still shoot landscapes and control conditions to a certain degree.
 
With a heavy ND filter you need screw-in to prevent light leaks, and screw-in will also prevent vignetting (clipping) with a super-wide unless you get a massive filter system.

B+W make the only heavy screw-in ND filters available, in 6-stops and 10-stops.

Lots of helpful stuff on here about using ND filters if you run a seach.

I would also get a polariser for sure (Hoya HD is nice) and IMHO you get a better result than a grad with HDR technique.

So you don't need a filter system! :thumbs:
 
HoppyUK said:
With a heavy ND filter you need screw-in to prevent light leaks, and screw-in will also prevent vignetting (clipping) with a super-wide unless you get a massive filter system.

B+W make the only heavy screw-in ND filters available, in 6-stops and 10-stops.
:thumbs:
Click to expand...

I've been looking at the B&W ones, possibly 3,6 and 10 stop screw in filters.

HoppyUK said:
Lots of helpful stuff on here about using ND filters if you run a seach.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look for "ND Filters" using the search function, before I searched "filters on ultra wide angle" and it didn't give much info.

HoppyUK said:
I would also get a polariser for sure (Hoya HD is nice) and IMHO you get a better result than a grad with HDR technique.
Click to expand...

I thought that polarisers can have funny affects on ultra wide lenses at the edges ? I have I read this wrong ? Also, I know I can apply and ND grad in Lightroom and thought that if I found myself doing it a lot I would just buy some ND grad filters becuase I would rather get it right in the camera than having to rely on it always when PPing.

Cheers for the advise anyway, I would still appreciate others opinions, there seems to be lots of good advice and inspriaton on this forum. :thumbs:

Cheers

Si.
 
Simonhi said:
I've been looking at the B&W ones, possibly 3,6 and 10 stop screw in filters.

I'll have a look for "ND Filters" using the search function, before I searched "filters on ultra wide angle" and it didn't give much info.
Click to expand...

Also search 'neutral density'.

I thought that polarisers can have funny affects on ultra wide lenses at the edges ? I have I read this wrong ? Also, I know I can apply and ND grad in Lightroom and thought that if I found myself doing it a lot I would just buy some ND grad filters becuase I would rather get it right in the camera than having to rely on it always when PPing.

Cheers for the advise anyway, I would still appreciate others opinions, there seems to be lots of good advice and inspriaton on this forum. :thumbs:

Cheers

Si.
So you don't need a filter system!
Click to expand...

Well, filter systems are very popular but I can't be messing with them. You can even do a work-around with a screw-in grad if yor're careful with f/number and framing, but like I say I don't like grad filters much. Sometimes they're great but nine times out ten there is a building or hill or something that breaks over the grad line and it looks terrible IMHO.

While I much prefer getting it right in camera, HDR technique (High Dynamic Range - search that too ;) ) is not the same as adding a grad in post processing. Not the same at all. HDR is not everyone's cup of tea either, but it's a good option. Check it out.

I really don't know why people say you can't use a polariser with super-wides. It's rubbish. Yes, you can get a patchy effect on blue skies because the polarising effect varies with angle and if you have a massive field of view that angle is going to change across the sky (depends on the position of the sun, time of day, latitude). Much of the time it is not even noticeable, if the sun is directly above for example or if there are clouds to break up the sky, but if it is noticeable, and you don't like it, then rotate the filter to dull it down or even reduce to zero. You still get the benefit of the polariser reducing reflections and increasing colour saturation on shiny stuff like leaves and grass and foliage whatever. My Hoya HD polariser is almost permanently fitted for landscapes, and because it only reduces light by 1.2 stops it's hardly noticeable. One of my better buys - £80 off Amazon :thumbs:
 
Cheers for the info Hoppy.

I seem to have confused things with graduated effects and HDR, I know they are two completely separate things. If I'm right (and I am relatively new to this) applying a graduated filter one is trying to stop down the effects of a bright sky in order to retain detail in the mid and darker tones whereas HDR is using bracketed exposures to give a greater dynamic range than is achievable with one shot ?

I'll probably get a polariser based on your recommendations, if it does produce strange effects then I will either learn how to use it properly (which may be the case) or I can use on another lens which may be the Sigma 50mm 1.4 I may be getting soon !!!

I'll probably get screw in ND filters to be on the safe side, are there any rules about stacking them, i.e if I get a 3 and a 6 can I stack them to make a 9 ??? And, do they have to have the UV Filter removed in order to work properly ???

So many questions !!!

Cheers

Si.
 
Hi Si,

I use Lee filters. I have a wide angle filter adaptor ring onto which the filter holder itself clips. The ring screws into the lens. The wide angle adaptor doesn't stick out as far as the "normal" filter rings so there's less chance of vignetting.

Also, if you restrict the number of filter slide holders on the assembly you'll also reduce the chance for vignetting as the sides of the holder wont stick out as far.

I used this on a Canon 30D (1.6x crop) with a Sigma 10-20 with no vignetting.

The Cokin P series wont be any good for you as you will get vignetting with them.
 
I've recently bought the Lee foundation holder, 77mm super wide angle adapter ring and a couple of Hitech 100mm filters and absolutely love it. It might be a bit more costly than using Cokin but it's worth every single penny of it!
 
Simonhi said:
Cheers for that Claire ... What Lee filters do you use ? Also, do you use screw-in and square / rectangular filters at the same time ?

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Si.
Click to expand...

I can use a B+W 110 or regular 'thick' UV filter PLUS 77mm WA adapter, filter holder (with all three slots) filled with ND grads (I have a 0.9 soft, 0.6 soft and 0.6 hard).

You can remove the slots one by one on the filter holder, but I've never found the need to.

:)
 
one thing to note is a polarize will not work over the full view on a very wide angle. This is due to it only working when at 90deg to the sun, and when you look at the field of view you will see its not possible.
the other point is how thick the filter mount is, more then one filter will likely come into view. oh and i never use any filters apart from polarize or nd not grads or uv.....
 
Simonhi said:
Cheers for the info Hoppy.

I seem to have confused things with graduated effects and HDR, I know they are two completely separate things. If I'm right (and I am relatively new to this) applying a graduated filter one is trying to stop down the effects of a bright sky in order to retain detail in the mid and darker tones whereas HDR is using bracketed exposures to give a greater dynamic range than is achievable with one shot ?
Click to expand...

You got it.

I'll probably get a polariser based on your recommendations, if it does produce strange effects then I will either learn how to use it properly (which may be the case) or I can use on another lens which may be the Sigma 50mm 1.4 I may be getting soon !!!
Click to expand...

You will only get the patchy sky effect in certain conditions at very wide focal lengths. Rotate the filter to reduce it or eliminate it, or increase the focal length. It's easy enough, plus all the other benefits of polarisers are unaffected.

I'll probably get screw in ND filters to be on the safe side, are there any rules about stacking them, i.e if I get a 3 and a 6 can I stack them to make a 9 ??? And, do they have to have the UV Filter removed in order to work properly ???

So many questions !!!

Cheers

Si.
Click to expand...

I think Claire has has answered all these questions. I'll just say that using two or more filters runs the increased danger of reduced image quality with extra air-glass surfaces and more glass/plastic in the way (most grads for example are uncoated acrylic).

You need screw-in heavy NDs as already mentioned, plus the only decent ones I know of are the screw-in B+Ws. Be aware that most of the dark ones are not very neutral either, so brush up your custom white balance technique or you'll need to fix it in post processing.
 
HoppyUK said:
You got it.

You need screw-in heavy NDs as already mentioned, plus the only decent ones I know of are the screw-in B+Ws. Be aware that most of the dark ones are not very neutral either, so brush up your custom white balance technique or you'll need to fix it in post processing.
Click to expand...

I've ordered a 10stop B+W screw-in ND Filter from Amazon to start with and as and when the Lee filters are available again I will probably get the holder and a 1,2,3 stop ND Grad kit if I find the need.

It's all a bit new to me still and can be quite confusing, I suppose the best thing is to just get out there and see what works, and what doesn't gets sold !!!
 
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