Hi,

I'm hoping one of the pros will be able to give me some advice about filters.

I bought a Canon EOS 500D off the refurbished store on ebay - I've always wanted an SLR and the price was too good to refuse! Then I bought the cheap Canon portrait lens (the 50mm f/1.8 one) and I'm now getting the sort of results I want out of portrait photography.

Anyway, back story aside...

One area where I don't seem to be able to get the results I want is in landscape photography. It's the old over-exposed sky/under-exposed land problem. I was hoping to invest in some natural density filters but there is so much out there I've no idea what to get. I don't want to spend a lot, I might spend more on better quality ones once I've had a go with some and know what I like.

I found these on ebay, ridiculously cheap: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/58MM-Neutral-Density-ND2-ND4-ND8-Filter-Set-uk-/190575144106?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item2c5f29ecaa

Or perhaps a grad like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/58mm-Graduated-ND-Filter-Gradual-Grey-Canon-Nikon-/260838270738?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item3cbb2c2712

Are these cheap filters going to be rubbish? I'm willing to spend a bit more than that, but the next step up from the cheap ebay ones seems to be £40+ per filter and I don't really want to spend that much...

What should I get?

Thanks,

Andrew

I think you'll find the neutral density filters better suited for longer exposure photos such as for smoothing water in a waterfall such as this:-

The graduated one would be better for landscapes and don't worry about the filters being cheap - it just means the other ones are overpriced!

As was said above full ND filters are for reducing light getting into the camera to give longer exposers or greater depth of field. To balance the exposure of the sky and the foreground you need grad filters. You will also be better off with a square/rectangular filter system. If you are going to buy more lenses in the future then they will probably have a different size filter tread on the front which means you need a new set of filters to fit the new lens.

With a square filter system you have a holder which the filters fit into and an adapter ring that screws into your filter thread and you connect the filer holder onto the adapter ring. When you do get more lenses then you just need a new adapter ring and use your existing filters.

Another advantage with square grads over round ones is you can slide them up and down in the filter holder. This means if you only have a small amount of sky at the top of the picture you can slide the graduation up so it just covers that section. If you have a large amount of sky in the picture then you can slid the filter down. With round grad filters the graduation is fixed so your picture will always have to have the horizon running through the centre.

Have a look at these Kood ND grad filter, a Kood adapter ring and a filter holder will cost around £20. A bit more than the filters you were looking at but if you are going use them then it’s a better investment. If you shop around you could get them cheaper.

http://www.premier-i...60_361_363.html

http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photographic/square-filters/p-type/kood-ptype-filter-holder-p-1256.html

There are 2 types of grad filters, hard and soft. If you will be doing mainly flat horizons go for the hard if you are doing mountains get the soft. which ever for of grad you get go for the 2 stop vesion which is best for general usage

http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photographic/square-filters/p-type/kood-ptype-nd4-soft-grad-filter-p-1281.html

http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photographic/square-filters/p-type/kood-ptype-nd4-hard-grad-filter-p-2085.html

Edited 4 March, 201214 yr by harryweld

You can get some decent deals from Amazon, 7dayshop & others, you can go to Jessops but you'll be paying a very hefty premium for it.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

As was said above full ND filters are for reducing light getting into the camera to give longer exposers or greater depth of field. To balance the exposure of the sky and the foreground you need grad filters. You will also be better off with a square/rectangular filter system. If you are going to buy more lenses in the future then they will probably have a different size filter tread on the front which means you need a new set of filters to fit the new lens.

With a square filter system you have a holder which the filters fit into and an adapter ring that screws into your filter thread and you connect the filer holder onto the adapter ring. When you do get more lenses then you just need a new adapter ring and use your existing filters.

Another advantage with square grads over round ones is you can slide them up and down in the filter holder. This means if you only have a small amount of sky at the top of the picture you can slide the graduation up so it just covers that section. If you have a large amount of sky in the picture then you can slid the filter down. With round grad filters the graduation is fixed so your picture will always have to have the horizon running through the centre.

Have a look at these Kood ND grad filter, a Kood adapter ring and a filter holder will cost around £20. A bit more than the filters you were looking at but if you are going use them then it’s a better investment. If you shop around you could get them cheaper.

http://www.premier-i...60_361_363.html

http://www.premier-i...der-p-1256.html

There are 2 types of grad filters, hard and soft. If you will be doing mainly flat horizons go for the hard if you are doing mountains get the soft. which ever for of grad you get go for the 2 stop vesion which is best for general usage

http://www.premier-i...ter-p-1281.html

http://www.premier-i...ter-p-2085.html

They look great, and I could certainly stretch to that sort of price point, and I get it about adjusting the fade point and fitting multiple lenses - very useful. The only thing that puts me off them is the size! They really do look pretty bulky and it's a huge unwieldy thing to have attached to the front of the camera. I'll have to think about it, I might just get a screw-on fixed one to try and see how I get on...

Save your money and bracket, then layer the exposures together in Photoshop.

Save your money and bracket, then layer the exposures together in Photoshop.

That takes the fun out of it

I disagree. I used to use filters for magazine work back in the film days and they were a massive pain in the arse. In my opinion of course....

As above, I always bracket and photoshop.

If you shoot raw anyway, its not that much more effort and easier to get better results IMO.

I disagree. I used to use filters for magazine work back in the film days and they were a massive pain in the arse. In my opinion of course....

Your right it is much easier I’ve done it before and will do it again, I’ve even done when I’ve used filters and cocked up the balance. With Raw files you probably don’t even need to bracket, there’s enough info to balance out sky and foreground from one shot.

The thing is I don’t get the same satisfaction from doing it that way, I like the discipline of sorting out what filter’s to use. I get far more satisfaction when I get it right that way than by sitting at home making out layers on Photoshop.

After following this thread and doing some reading I bought some ND lenses and CPL filter I think these two things cant be achieved that easily with photoshop.

Try using a polarising filter for landscape photography, plus it's good for seascapes or other scenes with water as it gets rid of the glare. I've been using one from 7dayshop for years, which costs under a tenner. Perhaps not the best quality, but I have no qualms with it.

Nope ND and CPL can't be faked properly - but grads can be dropped in with Lightroom. I barely even use Photoshop anymore.....

Above 2 topics spot on....Polarisers are essential in any camera bag.... possibly a ND X8

Nope ND and CPL can't be faked properly - but grads can be dropped in with Lightroom. I barely even use Photoshop anymore.....

Lightroom 3 is now going for less than £80!! in some places. I gather the all new Lightroom 4 isn't going to be much over £100 as Adobe have slashed it's price. Can't wait

7DayShop for cheap filters if you can't afford Hoya prices.

I bought this inexpensive set to try out (if anyone was interested):

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1497.l2649

I assume most of the non branded ones are made from similar/same manufactures and QC.

(plus im a little miffed about 7dayshop lately bcos they keep putting up 'accidental mispriced' products to draw customers in)

At those prices I'd say you might risk all and buy them and enjoy a little experimenting.

Then you could tell us all about them and maybe post an image or two.

Ah, yes I have bought them, received them and took them out for a spin. I think first one is ND8 and the 2nd one is nd4.. Think it was a little bright for nd2 so didnt take one. Let me find the pics...

Post processed.

Check out this nifty little app which takes away a lot of the guesswork in matching the filter to the exposure.