ND4 or ND8 filter what would you choose???

Box Brownie

Box Brownie

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Hi All

Bit of a quandry here :) I am a Canon user and will be hiring a 100-400 for an upcoming airshow (Yeovilton) now this has a 77mm filter thread and that is the same as my 24-105. NB max aperture on the 100-400 at 400 is f5.6 and my 24-105 is a constant f4

My dilemma is that at the few previous airshows I have been to to get decent prop blur (1/60 to 1/180 shutter range) I have used an aperture as low as f20 [Note - i really should check the average aperture I have had to use but from memory anywhere between f11 to f20] so to get the aperture back to 'best' end & assuming the typical variability of UK weather i.e. not always very bright clear skies :lol: should I buy the ND4 (2 stops) or the ND8 (3 stops) neutral density filter. It can only be one as the likes of B&W at approx £75 are quite pricey.:'(

Any user experience and feedback would be very welcome.

TIA :thumbs:
 
could you not get away with keeping you cash in your pocket and add filers in post processing?
 
GavSt said:
could you not get away with keeping you cash in your pocket and add filers in post processing?
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Hmmm!!! the ND 'effect' is not the sort of "filter" benefit you can get in PPing, at least IMO.

GFWilliams said:
If you're not going to use it too often, why not try an ebay one (or more than one..)

But If you go for only one, I'd go for an ND4
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Point taken to keep costs down but I see no reason to use a cheaper filter and then possibly having to overcome a colourcast (possibly) due to the poor quality of the filter. And no I am not made of money, quite the opposite with the way the jobs been going but I do like to get the best out of any kit I use if I can???

In respect of your thought that the ND4 is the more 'workable', I have now looked at a range of my airshow prop plane images and the usage of f20 is a rarity, the average falls between f11 to f16 so 2 stops depending on ISO selected will likely be more than enough.

Thanks both for the input :)
 
I would definitely go for the ND4 which gives you two stops which should be enough. If need be then you can slightly over expose the picture and bring it back in RAW processing if you use it.
 
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