Dynamic range filter?

[superhornet59]

I was reading through an old 2004 issue of a photograpahy magazine (at 10 cents each for old ones at libraries, you should go! equipment may be old but theres loads of stuff on techniques, shot types, tips, and tricks of the trade, and it wont cost you a penny. okay, yes it will... but only 10 lol)

So anyway i managed to lose that particular issue the next day lol. in the meantime, i remember seeign an adertisement for a filter, which i forgot what it does, but in the picture it showed an increase in dynamic range (the dark parts got a little brighter, and the overexposed parts go better exposed).

what kind of filter was it?

 

[Digital Matt]

The only kind of filter that could possibly do this is a split neutral density filter, or a graduated neutral density filter.

They add neutral density to either exactly half the frame, or as a gradient from one edge to the other. You can use it to lessen the intensity of the sky by a certain amount, while not affecting the foreground of a shot, thus compressing the contrast range to something that can be captured.