Shooting Water - ND Filters

[harrison1980]

Hi all

I'm wanting to shoot waterfalls and general moving water with slower shutter speeds, as shooting at a desired shutter speed at the moment (to blur the flow of water) ends up in the water looking bleached out. Would you recommend a ND4 (which slows the shutter speed down by 2 stops) or an ND8 (which slows the shutter speed down by 3 stops)

My camera is a Fuji Finepix S9500

Thank you for your time

Regards

Richard

 

[CT]

Hi Richard. I'll leave the landscape guys to answer your ND question, but just be sure that the bleached out look isn't due to reflections from the water, in which case a polarising filter can substantially reduce those reflections.

 

[markp]

I've got an ND4 that I use for some of my moving water shots, and on the whole it works well in all sorts of light. I think I might get an ND8 when the summer comes round just to try and make the water look a little bit smoother without bleaching it out. (I was using the ND4 on a Sony F828 up until I got my 400D)

 

[milou]

A ND4 should be ok or reverse two ND grads.

 

[Liberalis]

Combine a PF and an ND4 on a dull day, or if the scene is dark and the water is fluffy (plenty of bubbles) a PF and a grad ND upside down.

Oh and dont forget the tripod.

Hope it helps

Kris

 

[harrison1980]

Thanks to all for replies, think i'll invest in a Hoya HMC ND4 filter and see how i get on

Regards

Rich

 

[dod]

usually ND4 here as well