hi there ! how does a neutral density filter work and what is the difference with greens etc i was told they are good for waterfall pics
thanks:)

Neutral density means just that. They are neutral in colour and all they do is cut down the amount of light reaching the sensor. So rather than shoot at f16, you may be able to knock it back to f8 and thus avoid any diffraction effects. If you were doing a sunset shot a ND filter would allow you to slow the shutter down to get a blurred wave action.

A graduated ND filter only has the shading halfway across the glass so when you are doing a sunset shot you can shade out the sun and bring up anything in the foreground. One time I tipped it on its side and shaded out a nearby brightly lit bridge.

By using a ND filter and a grad at the same time you can slow the shutter to 30 seconds and turn out shots like John Waters does.

I haven't used one to shoot at green stuff but it sounds feasible.

Bill

thanks for that and if only i could do shots half as good as john waters does id be happy lol

Thanks for the clear description Bill. I have always meant to have found out for myself, but never did, so now I know. I would like to buy some of these in the future.

Sarge

im wondering if the ones on ebay for 20.00 are as good as the ones for over a 100 ?they sound the same

Hi Polly,
I use Cokin Filters. They're acrylic. I think I paid about $35.00 per filter for a P size, from Photocontinental at Mt. Gravatt a few years ago. Of course you also have to buy the filter holder and adaptor rings to fit your lens, but that wasn't too expensive either. You've probably been looking at Lee filters on e-bay which are glass, but also the best filters you can get. I would love to have a set of them.

BTW, check your Private Message box.

You get what you pay for with filters. My ND 400 for long exposure shots cost about $140. That was a screw on filter.
John

A neutral density filter shouldn't have any real effect on greens. I say "shouldn't" because some ND filters can cause a colour cast that might affect them. But generally, as others have noted, they simply allow a slower shutter speed.

For vivid greens though, a circular polariser would be more useful. Using them for waterfalls has two benefits - one, it greatly reduces the reflection off the green leaves so they really appear green, rather than white highlights. Secondly, they'll also slow shutter speed which helps with the water itself. Maybe, not as much as a strong ND filter on its own though, but you can always stack the two of them together. I usually do that for all my waterfall shots.