What brand of ND filter should i buy?

[hamlet]

What brand or model of ND filters do you trust the quality the most? I want to purchase one, but i would want to get it right the first time when it comes to the quality of the filter. Your recommendations are greatly appreciated.

 

[480sparky43 42]

Stick with the name brands..... Singh-Ray, Tiffen, Hoya, B+W, Lee. Obviously they cost money, but it's an investment.

 

[KmH]

What brand of ND filter should i buy?

The best you can afford.

You also need to decide how much light you want the ND filter to block.
Many people buy 2 or more, each of which stop a different amount of light.
If you have a .3 and a .6 ND filter, the 2 can be stacked to also give .9 of filtering.
You get 3 for the price of 2.

Look for features like a brass body, and coatings. Coatings can help minimize a variety of issues.
Brass will not react chemically with the lens body like aluminum can and corrode if left in place over time.

 

[hamlet]

How can you tell what material its made of? Its nowhere listed on the websites. I mean why would the big brands make that mistake?

 

[480sparky43 42]

How can you tell what material its made of? Its nowhere listed on the websites. I mean why would the big brands make that mistake?

Short of buying one and sending it out to a lab to have it analyzed, you really don't know and just have to trust the manufacturer.

 

[KmH]

How can you tell what material its made of? Its nowhere listed on the websites. I mean why would the big brands make that mistake?

Schneider makes the B+W brand. (B+W, Not B&W)
https://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=679&IID=3259

Click on Mount:

This filter uses our standard B+W F-Pro filter mount, which has a front accessory thread and is made of brass.

Click on Filter Coating:

Each glass surface is vacuum coated with one layer of Anti-Reflection coating. This single layer helps to prevent internal ghosting and reflections. It also improves light transmission from approximately 92% (uncoated glass) to over 98%.

 

[usayit]

I only go with B+W although I do have Heliopan which I feel are a bit over priced. Go with the best. Use step up rings .

I use two 3-stop and 10-stop.

Both are 60mm in size and I use step up rings accordingly.

 

[hamlet]

This is invaluable information. Thank you very much.

 

[table1349]

Singh-Ray or B+W in the square/rectangular design. 100x100mm/100x120mm. You will need a holder and mounting rings, but dollar for dollar you will get a better value since you should be able to use them on virtually any lens in your collection with the exception of super telephotos.

 

[Josh66]

Use step up rings

I started out doing this, but have slowly been buying filters I already have in smaller sizes. More expensive, yes - of course. But there are times when step-up rings just will not work.

For example, lens hoods. Another example, my medium format camera, a folder, cannot use a filter more than a few millimeters larger than the correct size, due to the proximity of the cover to the lens. Large filters just won't fit.

 

[astroNikon]

Does anyone have a concensus list of
High Quality
Medium Quality
Stay Away From Quality
for filters ?

Yes, I know ... I might as well ask to be sent to Saturn for a weekend photography session with Kathy Thorson ... but I might as well ask.

 

[480sparky43 42]

.......
Stay Away From Quality
for filters ?
......

Cheap ones and 99.975% of 'em listed on ebay.

That said, I did get my top-notch Vari-ND Signh-Ray off ebay. But it was over 3 c-notes.

 

[astroNikon]

so

Stay Way = anything less than $20 especially plastic filters

Medium = Hoya

High - B+W, Singh, Heliopan

 

[480sparky43 42]

Pretty much.