Filter and tripod help please
 

Hello all
Im looking to get a neutral density filter, the B+W 3.0 one, but have just been reading up on the graduated neutral deinsity filters and now I cant decide whats best to get.As I understand it the graduated one makes the top of the pic darker but keeps the lower part clear but doesnt the normal ND filter do this too? any advice would be appreciated.
Also Im looking for a good easy to use tripod, Ive got a redsnapper already but wanted something alot easier to set up quickly for when Im out and about instead of having to adjust and extend legs etc.It would be used for landscapes and alot of other stuff too actually.
Thanks again in advance
Joe

Correct.

No. A normal ND will make the whole image need a longer exposure time or smaller aperture.

Ok great thanks buddy
So what would be the all round best 1 to go for ?

They are different tools for different jobs.

Just as a screw driver is a different tool to a chisel.

As Ducan has said the Normal ND darkens the whole scene whereas the graduated darkens part of the scene.

The ND filter would normally be used to reduce the amount of light so a slower shutter speed can be achieved to give motion blur. Or a larger F-stop to give less Depth of Field (DOF).

The Graduated is normally used to darken part of the scene such as the sky to reduce the contrast range of the scene. A common problem it helps with is where sky is correctly exposed and the ground is very dark or the ground is correctly exposed and the sky is burnt out.

Thanks Rob
I think Im going to go for the grad then to be honest. Are they hard to use ? I dont mean are they hard to put on I mean are they hard to set up and get the scenery in the right position to seperate the top dark part to the bottom brighter part.

Hi Joe, Use of Graduated ND's depends upon your subject to some extent and to what end result you are looking for. I use ND's quite a bit - some are actual filters and some are added in post processing. I use mainly Cokin/Lee square or oblong Grad ND filters. This is because you can move them up and down or rotate and place the start of the graduated zone where you need it in the framed composition. This gives you more control. I use a 3xND for most shots but have a 6xND for more dramatic results. I also have a circular, Singh-Ray variable ND filter that goes from 1x to 8x full frame ND I use this together with the oblong Grads to produce milky seascapes. I also use what are called Reverse Graduated Filters - they start off darker in the middle and are useful for sunsets where the brightest part is in the middle part of the frame. I find with all filters that it is cheaper in the long run to buy a 77 mm filter and use stop down rings to place the filter on smaller lenses, rather than buying individual filters of the lens size. And with Cokin/Lee to buy the "P" size and again use stop down rings to attach the larger holder to smaller lenses. As for a tripod - you have to put up with legs for a sturdy base unless you use bean bags and a friendly environment.

Thnaks alot Andy
Thats a great help and great info.
Sorry for delay in response by the way

Hey all
Im really struggling to choose the right filter holder and stop down rings, and the filter to be honest.Sorry if im being dumb but Im really not clued up on choosing these filters, theres hundreds lol.
Would anyone be able to point me in right direction please ?
I want the Grad nd x6 filter and I Have the Nikon d90 and the lens that will be mainly used with the filter at the mo is the 18-105mm (67mm thread).
Any links will be much appreciated as Ive tried choosing but dont trust myself to choose correctly.
Thanks so much
Joe

Joe, personally, I'd chose the square Cokin system for filters as these can be used on any lens with the appropriate adapter (cheap). Which size of square Cokin filter system to go for depends on how deep your pockets are.

yeah the square ones with the holder is the type I want but like I said I'm struggling to choose which filter as there's loads. I know it's nd8 I think but there seem to b different types

So can you explain what you want? It's difficult for us to advise based on the information you've given.

ok
A graduated nd filter, the square one with a holder for landscapes that make the sky darker. Ive been told the nd8 ones are the ones which give dramatic pics. The trouble Im having is that there seems be loads of differnet ones with different types of holders, basically i need to know which holder to get and which filter ie p series,z series and so on as thats what im stuck on.
heres a link that shows a £50 z121s nd8 http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...ilter/p1000836
but then theres this http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...ilter/p1000667
which is a nd8 £17 p121f
and then a x121s for £56 http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...ilter/p1000920
this is what im stuck on and the holder for whatever filter i get.
Thanks

For each of th e links you've supplied, click on the "specifications" tab, and it will tell you which size the filter is. Pick a holder that fits the filter. The ones you have pointed to are series Z, P and X respectively, as indicated by the part numbers.

Typing in the text "filter holder" into the warehouse express search box, gives these results.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/sear...ilter%20holder
Pick a filter holder to suit.

Narrowing the results down a bit:
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/sear...er&brand=cokin

Hi again Joe, I think you will find the "P" size is best - I have several early "A" size but they are too small for todays lenses. The larger filters are intended for medium format or video cameras. Take you camera and largest filter size lens along to a shop and see how they fit. Get the holder and step down rings for your lens filter sizes. I tend to get Lee or Cokin branded filters as they are more consistent.

As a working photographer I only use the best tripods like Manfrotto and never settle for less, because my equipment is worth a lot of money and in order to protect my camera falling off I need a sturdy tripod. I'd recommend Manfrotto 190XPROB a sturdy and light weight aluminium tripod. It sets up in seconds with quick release legs for easy setup.

I'm very much an amauter with limited resources so my veiwpoint will be different than John's.
I've never had a camera fall off any of my ultra budget tripods - but they're not stable enough for any sort of challenging situation. (Wind, long lens, macro, long exposures...)
For general evening photography out & about they seem to work fine.
My second hand Manfrotto Triaut is rock steady, very easy to adjust (all the legs can be adjusted from the top) and has good height range (~2 foot? to over 8 foot without the head, or extending the column). However it weighs a ton, and even second hand cost nearly 10x the seven day shop one new.
It's great for studio work & digiscoping, but if I need to be portable forget it!

I've heard it said of tripods "sturdy, cheap, light - pick any two"
I suspect easy to use might be added to list, with out increasing the number of options you can pick :(

I think you'd have to see if you can find one of the increasingly rare photography shops and look at the range they have, as different people find different catches etc preferable. Have a good think about the other uses you might have for it before you commit as well -
How high/low do you need it to go?
How much weight might you put on it?
Do you prefer twist lock, or lever catches?
How hard will you be on it (frequent/professional use of occational/light)?
Do you want the ease of a ball head or the precision of a pan & tilt...?

All effect the right choice for you.

Its always worth remembering the tripod has to be able to take the weight of the camera and lens you use. When I moved from a Canon 350D to a Canon 7D (via the 40D) I found the Manfrotto kit I owned couldn't cope with the extra weight. The junior ball head on the 190xprob was not designed to take that weight
www.manfrotto.co.uk have a superb 'configerator' that lets you build a system around your needs. It shows you whether your choice of legs and head are balanced and the final outcome of what you want to use it for will give you the options to look for
Theres an old saying "You get what you pay for" and thats certainly true with Tripods - better to wait and get one that is suitable than buy a cheapo one that can't cope with the conditions you are asking of it.

Read this on the Cokin site http://www.cokin.co.uk/pages/main.htm As mentioned above you probably need the P sized filters.

Also see here, A grad ND8 may be too dark for normal looking landscape photos, http://www.cokin.co.uk/pages/grad1.htm

I have to agree, value for money you can't beat Cokin plus always lots on e bay. Phil.

This looks good but it doesn't seem to run on either of my 2 computers, it comes up in a small window which I can't make lager and half the content can't be accessed. Is it just me or is there a fault on their site?

Works perfectly ok for me. Vista and Firefox.

Harry