Variable Neutral Density Filters

[KidA]

I wasn't so sure where to post a question regarding filters, so i decided to post in miscellaneous... Hope it's fine.

I finally bought a medium format camera and of course, I'll have to update all of my filters. I like to travel as light, small and practical as possible, but of course, keeping in mind that picture quality is of utmost importance.

I'm looking to buy a variable neutral density filter. I don't care to spend even $125-$150 just as long as it's good, and I don't have to carry around 3-4 filters and have to switch between them. There is nothing worse than having to take longer to set up the camera than need be.

If anyone has any experience with variable density filters and found them to be good, please let me know. I'm also looking for a good circular polarizer if you guys have any suggestions. The filter threads will either be 62 or 67mm thread size.

 

[samcomet]

I wasn't so sure where to post a question regarding filters, so i decided to post in miscellaneous... Hope it's fine.

I finally bought a medium format camera and of course, I'll have to update all of my filters. I like to travel as light, small and practical as possible, but of course, keeping in mind that picture quality is of utmost importance.

I'm looking to buy a variable neutral density filter. I don't care to spend even $125-$150 just as long as it's good, and I don't have to carry around 3-4 filters and have to switch between them. There is nothing worse than having to take longer to set up the camera than need be.

If anyone has any experience with variable density filters and found them to be good, please let me know. I'm also looking for a good circular polarizer if you guys have any suggestions. The filter threads will either be 62 or 67mm thread size.

I haven't seen any "variable ND filters" but in the 60's I used to have a variable pola filter which was 2 poll filters stacked on top of each other and one rotated which changed the "apparent" density. I'm sure that they still exist (I've seen them at B & H in New York).

Good luck,
cheers,
Sam

 

[480sparky]

I'd recommend a Sing-Ray. Probably more than your budget, but it's one of the best out there.

 

[MattKing]

I have one of the cheap ones. It is not linear, nor is it calibrated in any way. So it is a bit difficult to use in a repeatable manner. It is supposed to go up to 10 stops, but it is hard to confirm that.

It matters as well if you are using one for colour. A variable colour cast is apparently common.

 

[samcomet]

I have one of the cheap ones. It is not linear, nor is it calibrated in any way. So it is a bit difficult to use in a repeatable manner. It is supposed to go up to 10 stops, but it is hard to confirm that.

It matters as well if you are using one for colour. A variable colour cast is apparently common.

Matt - Before I retired I was a Chief Lighting Technician in the motion picture industry and I remember that we once had a day-for-night interior sequence with the sun appearing out the window of a Bondi Beach (Sydney, Australia) flat. We had to gel the window down, somewhere around the 10 stop mark (3 x ND 9's + one or two ND 3's, if I remember correctly) and the scenery took on a decidedly deep crimson hue.... it was most perplexing back then and had to be "timed" out (colour corrected) for the release print.

I must admit though with my old variable pola (Yashica brand) filter, there was never any colour shift and it could ultimately go totally black. The circumference of the static pola ring had alignment marks inscribed on it so the position could be repeatable but as the camera was a TTL metering Electro-X, there were no indications of stops on the filter ring (only "correct" exposure LED readout in the viewfinder).

Anyway FWIW ........
Cheers,
Sam

 

[mesantacruz]

honestly a good 10 stop can combine a thin version.


here's a review online that's more truthful than most, and if you look hard enough, you'll see that most people who are truthful will agree.
http://jonasraskphotography.com/2014/05/12/nd-filter-dont-go-variable/

also, i would go with variable only if i was using a digital camera, with a non-variable filter, you'll know exactly what you're getting.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Polarizers do vary in darkness as one filter is rotated, but is it not a neutral density filter and will not act as one.

 

[Jim Jones]

In desperation, I used crossed polarizers to photograph a solar eclipse. It worked for that subject, but introduced artifacts near the edges of the image which could be cropped out.

 

[paul ron]

back in the day, double polarizers can vary from 1 stop to virtual black out.

 

[Sirius Glass]

back in the day, double polarizers can vary from 1 stop to virtual black out.

It probably still works the same way now. I do not think that physics has changed and in spite of digital photography photons can still be counted on to behave the same way now as then.

 

[KidA]

Thanks for the help guys. No variable density it is...

 

[wildbill]

vari-nd's are just two polarizers on the same ring. nothing new technology wise but I don't think I'd go for a cheap one.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

When I was messing with them, I had a circular on top of a linear or was it the other way round, I think they were both Hoya. Worked ok but at the darkest I had blue shift in the images. I just use standard nd filters.