Grad filters and accessories

djd80

Hi All

I've been looking at photos taken using grad filters over the last while and I decided I want to invest.

Only problem is though that I am not sure what I need.

Do I need a holder + filters or do they screw on or how does it work or what else do I need. The more I read and google it the more confused I am becoming.

Can I just buy them all together in a kit rather than having to buy them separately and where is the best place to get them online..

Cheers

Morrisseeee

Yes I know of two types of 'holder' filters, A & P. P is the bigger and more used version. A is OK for small diameter lenses, eg. 49mm. You can get different size 'screw on' connectors (that attach to the holder) for the different size lenses, ie. 49mm, 52mm, 58mm etc. You then slide in the desired filter or multiple filters.

You can olso get 'screw' on filters, ie. a 49mm filter that screws on to the lens directly. These can be stacked up obviously.
Check out 7dayshop for some examples, or fleabay for cheap holders.

This is my A holder, with 49mm connector allowing me to attach it to a 49mm diameter lens.

ThOnda

There are few different styles of filters and their mounts and I have the Cokin compatible system.

Please, consider the picture only as description, not a link to a specific store:


This system has a lenss adapter with a thread of your lense. Next one is the filter holder that slides onto the adapter. If you have more lenses with different filter thread sizes, you would need only adequate adapters. And the square filters slide into the filter holder. The selection of the filters depends on you.

And also position of the filters in the adapter affects the optical function of the filter. That is due to distance between the filter itself and some optical focal parameters I don't want to understand. Basically, if you have a graduated ND filter, the further you put the filter from the lense, the sharper is the graduated line visible in the picture.

CabanSail

Are you shooting Film or Digital?

The way I have heard that people like John Hooton use ND Grads is that he holds them in front of the lens rather than put them into a holder. This gives the advantage of being able to vary them in longer exposures & make the transistion softer.

You can of course use ND Grads on Digital as well as Film, as it is a traditional way of creating the image. You can also shoot RAW and apply an ND Grad filter in Post Production where you will have more control.

Calina

CabanSail wrote: »

You can of course use ND Grads on Digital as well as Film, as it is a traditional way of creating the image. You can also shoot RAW and apply an ND Grad filter in Post Production where you will have more control.

which provided you're not playing with flowing water is okay. If shutter speed is critical, then better to put them on the camera rather than using the software.

I use the Cokin system for my filtered shots.

djd80

Thanks for the replies...

I'm shooting digital for those who were asking..

So I'm going to need lens adapter, filter holder and filters themselves..

Whats the best site for this stuff would ye know?