Help recommend me a filter...

barbs

barbs

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Kieran
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I know this has been asked before and I have searched. But what would you recommend for a decent landscape filter (for a Tokina 12-24 on a 77mm thread).

I am looking to push the shutter times a little to allow me to capture movement in the skies or smooth out water etc. So would you recommend that I go as far as a B&W 10 stop? Or would I be better going for a ND 6 or similar? Apart from a CPL I am completely new to filters so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
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Can anyone offer some advice?

Thanks.
 
To drop your camera down a few stops to capture movement etc then what you are looking for is ND filters and possibly ND grads if you need to balance the sky with the foreground.

Concentrating purely on ND filters have a look at a set of three Hitech ND filters, they come in 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 levels and cost approx £30 inc postage.
These filters are not screw on, instead they are slot in filters. A generic adapter plus 77mm ring can be had off Ebay for around £4.
The good thing with this system is if you need to use the filter adapter on a smaller diameter lens, all you have to do is get a new adapter ring.

Also with the slot in filters you can use up to three at one with ease so you get the right amount of stop drops required.

For more info on the Hitech filters have a look at www.formatt.co.uk or www.teamworkphoto.com
 
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Hi - I've got exactly the same camera as you so hopefully this will help. I've got both filters and the B+W 10 (some say 11) stop.
My filters are Cokin (slot in type) where you need an adaptor. I've got a collection of ND 2, 4 & 8 and same with GNDs. I use these alot as I do alot of landscapes. The GNDs work really well on bright skies to enabling accurate metering for the whole image. The NDs will slow down shutter speed but obviously this depends on how bright it is to begin with and your aperture. On a normal sunny day the ND 8 will reduce things about 3 stops. There is a slight hue with the filter but it can easily be sorted in photoshop. The filters can be stacked but I'm not a big fan of this as I reckon the less there is between the lens and the subject the better the finished quality of the image.
As for the B+W - I've had it about a month and love it. You can use it at midday on a water shot and produce a beautiful milky like finish to the water with maybe a 20 second exposure. HOWEVER the only down side is that exposures when it is dull can take forever - easily 4 - 5 mins on average depending on ISO and aperture for one shot. If you're happy waiting (I am) then it's no problem but can be a bit of a problem when people are about as you seem to be hogging the area waiting for your 5 minute exposure.
What you choose will really be dependent on what you want to shoot. I'll post a link to my flickr site to give you an idea of what I've done. Any that are long exposures are with the ND filters as I haven't posted alot of really long exposures yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22639914@N03/

Cheers
 
Thanks for the responses. That is exactly the advice I was looking for - really appreciate it. :thumbs:

I'll follow those links and get back with some options.

The B&W is pretty pricey so I might try the Hitec range to get me going and see if that is where I want to end up.... slipping these and a B&W past the missus might be a challenge!

caitjim - some great images there, that is the result that I am after. Especially like the Early Morning Calm shot.

Kieran.
 
Kieran - glad to be of help. The one thing I'd say is buy the best you can - I've learnt the hard way - It's better to hold off for a couple of (frustrating) months to get the right piece of kit. B+W is expensive but its great quality glass. When you get sorted let me know as I'm new to talkphotography and am interested in how things work out for you.

Phil
 
when you have the 77mm adapter ring mounted in the filter thread - then the "holder" clips into it

if you are using a 12-24mm you may find you need a WA Wide Angle holder to stop the holder itself causing vignetting probs at 12mm

I did on my 17mm Sigma

these WA Holders usually only have 1 slot to take 1 filter though
 
Yardbent said:
when you have the 77mm adapter ring mounted in the filter thread - then the "holder" clips into it

if you are using a 12-24mm you may find you need a WA Wide Angle holder to stop the holder itself causing vignetting probs at 12mm

I did on my 17mm Sigma

these WA Holders usually only have 1 slot to take 1 filter though
Click to expand...

thanks for that - more food for thought.
 
worth a read.........."cokin"

and - of course - the KR man.....(c) .."here"
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes. It's here - LightCraftWorkshop ND500MC http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/photog...raft-workshop-77mm-nd500mc-filter-p-2927.html .
Click to expand...

if I fit a 72mm -77mm step-up ring, will I be able to fit one of these ?

or will I get vignette - appears to me that the FOV of the 72mm at 18mm will "see" ok through the centre portion of the filter ?.:thinking:

ps
went to the Clyde last evening - couldn't get the D5000 down to a low shutter at f11 - so I guess I need an ND - yep still learning..:$
 
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Yardbent said:
if I fit a 72mm -77mm step-up ring, will I be able to fit one of these ?

or will I get vignette - appears to me that the FOV of the 72mm at 18mm will "see" ok through the centre portion of the filter ?.:thinking:

ps
went to the Clyde last evening - couldn't get the D5000 down to a low shutter at f11 - so I guess I need an ND - yep still learning..:$
Click to expand...

It depends what lens you're putting it on, sounds like you might be lucky with that combo but you never know until you try. I know that Light Craft are planning to make that filter available in other sizes, but no idea when.

There's another filter that I heard about just the other day, a ten-stopper from Heliopan which is a very distinguished German brand. It's here http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_244&products_id=10221 I know nothing about it other than it has a good pedigree, the spec reads very well with coated glass, the price is reasonable and I'd like to try one. It's also available in a range of sizes, has a front thread which is handy (The LightCraft one does not) and can be had in 2.0 density which is 6.7 stops when ten stops is sometimes too much.

barbs said:
Just ordered!
Click to expand...

Good! Good filter. Mine is about 8.3 stops I reckon which suits me fine :thumbs:
 
Richard...thanks
the Heliopan looks better for me having a 72mm available

whats the "front thread" handy for -- a hood..?

but I do have a 72mm adapter and Cokin "P" WA holder for my single 0.6 ND grad

would I be better to get a "P" series ND rather than have 2 systems..?
 
Yardbent said:
Richard...thanks
the Heliopan looks better for me having a 72mm available

whats the "front thread" handy for -- a hood..?

but I do have a 72mm adapter and Cokin "P" WA holder for my single 0.6 ND grad

would I be better to get a "P" series ND rather than have 2 systems..?
Click to expand...

Front thread is mainly useful for fitting a grad I think, which tends to go quite well with things like seascapes that are also ideal for the dark ND treatment.

But even then you get into all kinds of vignetting problems with the sort of superwide focal lengths that I certainly like to use. One other method is a couple of blobs of Blu Tack top and bottom (which is out of the field of view) and although it's not very convenient it is actually a good solution as you don't get any vignetting at all.

If you are into filters and have a square system (I'm not, and I don't) I think the Lee wide holder and their Big Stopper ND with grads is the way to go. It's a properly thought out system that works well and is high quality. Worth the extra cost really.
 
not really into ND filters either but found a few nice waterfalls on the Clyde, so thought I'd give it ago

not to the tune of £65/filter though .......:(
 
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