Neutral Density Filters

[Stratocaster]

Hello TPF!

I need something to reduce the amount of light that the camera recieves, and so my first thought was an ND filter. Now, there are quite a few ones with different values (x2, x4 .etc) and I was wondering if you had any knowledge or advice you could give me? I don't really know which value I will need to allow me to use slow shutter speeds in daylight.

Also, I read somewhere that using 2 polarizing filters is a better solution, as you can turn the 2nd one to get values of x4 to practically infinite. I was wondering if this was correct, and if it is a better option?

Basically, I'm looking for something to allow me to use slow shutter speeds in daylight. HELP! =P

Thanks a lot,

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

A 4X will block more light than a 2X. I think a 2X will block one stop of light and a 4X would be two stops.

It's hard to say what you would need because it would depend on the light levels and just how slow you would want the shutter speed to be.

I've also heard that you can use two polarizing filters but I've never tried it. Polarizing filters are considerably more expensive than ND filters.

I like to use a CP whenever I shoot outdoors and I have stacked an NF filter on top of that, to get a slower shutter speed.

 

[usayit]

Hello TPF!
Also, I read somewhere that using 2 polarizing filters is a better solution, as you can turn the 2nd one to get values of x4 to practically infinite. I was wondering if this was correct, and if it is a better option?

That is exactly what I do.....

I purchased two good quality polarizing filters and a UV filter real cheap from a camera swap. I popped out the polarizing filter from its rotating filter ring and replaced the UV filter glass in that non-rotating filter ring. I then simply stacked the polarizing glass in the new ring on the second polarizer. Works fine and sure a lot cheaper than the Singh ray vario-ND filter but now you essentially have stacked filters (and their disadvantages).

Just make sure you examine the filter rings if this is indeed what you plan to do.... some are not so easy to "extract" the glass. The reason I went through the trouble was that I found it very cumbersome to have two rotating rings stacked.