Neutral density (ND) filters are a must-have for both videographers and landscape photographers, but there are so many options out there of varying cost and quality that choosing the right one can be a daunting task.
The neutral-density filter, or ND filter, is a powerful lens filter photographers use to reduce the amount of light entering a camera lens in order to select exposure combinations that would otherwise result in overexposed images. This article is a basic guide to ND filters and how they are used.
Irix has announced its Irix Edge Variable Neutral Density Filters which it claims are among the slimmest and most compact that have ever been made.
In this article, I'll share a technique that I learned many years ago and that I still use occasionally. You can use it for removing people from a scene, but in this case, I will be using it to mimic one of a neutral density (ND) filter's main purposes: longer exposure.
Kolari Vision has announced a set of clip-in magnetic filters that fit between the sensor and the back of a lens. Compatible with the R adapter, or native RF lenses, these can be used to add rear filtering to RF lenses, or two layers of filtering when paired with the R filter adapter.
Photographer Nicco Valenzuela recently published a helpful "crash course" that covers everything you need to know to get started using lens filters for landscape photography. The video covers everything from the two main filter 'formats,' to the three main filter 'types,' to the various situations where you might want to use each filter for the best possible results.
Kolari Vision has just unveiled a line-up of high-end, ultra-rugged drop-in filters for Canon's special EF-to-RF mount adapter with a built-in filter slot. According to Kolari, not only are these the first third-party drop-in filters actually shipping to consumers, they're also some of the most durable and high-quality filters money can buy.
Kolari Vision's new KOLARI IRND Filter is a new jack-of-all-trades neutral density filter that's designed to perform evenly across both the infrared and visible light spectrums.
While digital photography and post-processing have done away with the need for certain types of lens filters, there are still a number of filters that can't be replaced by Photoshop. Here's a 8.5-minute video by DPReview on which filters you should still consider keeping in your camera bag.
NiSi has just launched the 150mm Explorer Collection of square glass filters. This new lineup of ND and Graudated ND filters promises the same professional optical quality, but uses a special hardening process to deliver twice the durability of a typical glass filter.
Have you ever seen long exposure images shot using 10-stop ND filters? They are visually energetic and dynamic due to the motion blur caused by the moving clouds over a long duration of exposure.
NiSi has unveiled a tiny new filter system for the fixed lens Fujifilm X100V, allowing X100 shooters to benefit from high-quality graduated ND filters, NDs, polarizers, the company's "Natural Night" filter, and more.
Photographer Karl Taylor recently put together a quick tutorial video that shows you how to use ND filters to "burn" a long-exposure in-camera while you're taking the shot. It's a neat trick, and a good solution for those times when a graduated filter won't work.
Moment just launched an exciting new product for smartphone photographers: a line of high-quality 37mm Cine filters and compatible filter mount that you can attach directly to your Moment smartphone case.
Light-painting photography is generally done in the dark since you need long exposure times to capture moving light sources as streaks. But use can also shoot long-exposure photos in bright sunlight using a neutral density filter. Photographer Eric Paré recently did just that, experimenting with doing light-painting in afternoon daylight.
NiSi has announced a new variable ND filter called the Pro Nano 1.5-5-stop Enhance ND-Vario. One of the filter's features is that it says has no dreaded X-effect.
Neutral Density (ND) filters are a great tool for producing unique photos in lighting conditions where a long exposure would otherwise not be possible. This 7-minute video tutorial goes in to detail about which filter to select for your scene, with before and after photos showing the effects possible.
The best time to shoot portraits (or almost anything) is golden hour, but it's not the only time. Grab an ND filter, a strobe, and this tutorial by Portland-based photographer Levy Moroshan, and you can capture dramatic portraits in the mid-day sun.
Gear company Syrp is best known for their timelapse motion controllers—like the Genie and Slingshot—but the company's latest release won't move your camera. In fact, we suggest you keep your camera very still when using it.
Hoya, Kenko Tokina's filter making branch, just announced a new line of IRND (Infrared Neutral Density) filters that promise to keep both exposure and infrared contamination at bay for the landscape photographers out there.