What is a ND stop Filter?
Here you can check main Advantages Of Using A 10 Stop ND Filter In photography, ND is used to mean Neutral Density. A neutral density filter is a special material attached next to the lens of a camera to filter out light hitting the camera’s sensor. ND filters are mostly made of glass or resin but other materials are also used. Read on to understand why the stop is included, or the more common terms such as 6 stop or 10 stop ND filter.
Why do I Need a ND Filter?
Most of us know the importance of good shutter speed and aperture size in a camera. Selecting the proper balance between the two can give you proper exposure but end up with undesirable features. On the other hand, a ND filter gives you more control of the scene making it possible to reduce shutter speed and increase aperture speed. A ND filter becomes essential when you need to capture details such as the flow of an ocean or filter out reflection from the sky.
What are the different types of ND filters?
Filters may be classified according to the effect they filter, their shape, or the number of ‘stops’. In regards to the effect, an ultraviolet filter is designed to keep out ultraviolet light from hitting the sensor. This was more pronounced back in the days of film as electronics are able to filter out UV today. On the other hand, a polarized filter keeps away polarized light, the photographer’s nightmare responsible for blue sky reflections.
Neutral density filters come in different shapes with the rounded and rectangular shapes being common. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages but that’s discussion for another day. The third classification is based on the number of stops, which describes the amount of light a product is able to filter out.
The 3 stop, 6 stop, and 10 stop ND filter Explained
These are the commonly used filter ratings used in the market. In photography, a stop is a measure of light in seconds. An increment of one-stop enables you to double the amount of light for a given camera specification. For instance, a one-stop filter would enable you to move from a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second by half to 1/125th of a second.
In other words, you are doubling the amount of light permissible to hit the sensor of the camera. For the same camera, a 3 stop filter lets you move to approximately 1/30th of a second. With a six-stop filter, you move to a quarter of a second while a 10 stop ND filter allows you to move to a ¼ (a quarter) of a second. The latter is a photographer’s dream came true as you can get more exposure for moving scenes such as waterfalls.
Other Types of Neutral Density Filters
Variable ND filter — also known as VND, this is a filter that gives the photographer the flexibility to choose the amount of filtration to use. This is achieved by a turning the ring of the filter. With the VND filter, you can play around the dial for different darkness levels.
Graduated ND Filter — the GND is a filter with transitions from light to dark. This filter is used to balance scenes with dark and bright sections. GND filters are commonly used by landscape and sunset photographers.
Central ND filter — as the name suggests, a CND has its edges lighter than the center. A CND is usually used to balance exposure when using wide-range lens.
So, which ND Filter is Good for Me?
This far we have reviewed the different aspects of ND filters you need to know. However, you might be wondering which filter is best for you. This largely depends on your need and the amount of money you are ready to part with. We have seen that the higher the rating then the longer the exposure time you can achieve. If you are a landscape photographer you do most of the photography during the day, we recommend a 10 stop ND filter. That’s because it is in between the extremes and it gives out quality shots.
The advantages of using a 10 stop ND filter
As observed in the foregoing discussion, strong ND filters give you great control over the exposure time. Depending on the original shutter speed you can get up to shutter speeds of 1000 seconds with a 10 stop ND filter, practically capturing streaks of moving objects. Photographers have taken advantage of this possibility to create interesting images. For instance, clouds are captured with streaks of motion ocean waves are rendered as misty fog. The reduced shutter speed also enables moving objects to effectively disappear. Other advantages include;
• Balancing light exposure on sensor
• Eliminating overly bright images
• Controlling the depth of field
• Creating blurred motion effects
Other Features to Consider When Shopping for ND filters
Filter Stacking
Photographers use the technique of filter stacking to achieve more ND stops than the individual filters. For instance, if you stack a 6-stop with a 10 stop ND filter, you get a 16 stop ND filter. However, this technology has the downside of forcing light to go through more barriers which may introduce some refraction.
Mounting
One of the debates that photographers are yet to settle is the best mounting for ND filters. The experts are divided for choice between square filters and screw on filters. With screw on type, the filter is attached to the frame of the camera using threads. These are usually smaller in size and easier to store or carry around. They are also cheaper than their square counterparts although they can only fit in their specified thread size. Once fixed, screw on filters are sealed to prevent light leak.
On the other hand, square filters are easier to swap and more flexible to use. They are mounted using adapter rings, overcoming the thread size challenge found in screw-in filters. However, they are more expensive. Square filters stack more easily and are more unlikely to vignette.
Final Verdict
Neutral Density filters enable you to reduce shutter speed, giving you more control over your photography. With a standard gauge such as the 10 stop ND filter, you can achieve high-quality shots even in extreme light conditions. Grab the filter of your choice today to improve your photography experience.