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Old 27-01-2012, 09:39 AM
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hotspur (Chris)
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Graduated Filter kits for beach photography.

Hello.

After seeing Mike's stunning 'Orange Dawn' images,it has got me keen to look at graduated filter sets.

I found this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....ht_6038wt_1030

I imagine much more money could be spent on this type of product.But really would only get use 3 or 4 times a year-if that,so not real keen on spending too much.

Has anyone used a similar budget kit in the link? or any thoughts on these?

I did notice the more regular ND graduated filters that screw on to lens,some around $30 ish dollars-maybe that would be better for a very casual user? Here is one similar http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/2905...d=310385955925

When I collected my lenses,I made sure all were 77 mm,across the board,so as to make these episodes a little easier.

Any advice appreciated-thanks
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Old 27-01-2012, 10:22 AM
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I just bought the Conklin z series before Xmas, haven't had the chance to try them yet but I'll let you know when I di. Should be in te next couple of days.

I paid $300 inc the ring attachment for my lense.

Sandy
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Old 27-01-2012, 10:42 AM
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I've used Cokin P series for the last 10 years, I can recommend them. I haven't tried a cheaper alternative like the one you link to. The Cokin system and fitlers aren't particularly expensive in my mind, although I can't remember exactly how much they cost, but I wonder if it's not worth just getting proper Cokin ones. It's something you can build up over time, I now have lots of adapter rings for my lenses and quite a range of filters for astronomy and landscape use, but started off with only a couple.

In recent times I've bought my Cokin filters from Digital Camera Warehouse

With modern digital there is a balance between using graduated filters and 3 shot HDR. I find the graduated filter is used less, but still has it's place. Perhaps worth considering if HDR can do what you want.
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Old 27-01-2012, 10:43 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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I got the ones like the ebay listing you linked to. Their cokin clones. I didn't see the need to pay big $$ for genuine cokins.

I only use them sparingly too, but am starting to use them more for sunrises/beach stuff where you want to have a slower shutter speed, or you want the graduated one so the sky is darker and not get blown out.

I reckon it would be a pain to try and screw them onto the lens each time. And much more difficult to stack them.

The adapter that goes on the front is easy to screw on, and then you can slide the filters in and out and stack them as much as you want. And when you turn the camera on the side, just turn the adapter on its side.
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Old 27-01-2012, 11:01 AM
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I didn't have much success with my Cokin filters - I don't think they were very clear.

I now take two exposures of such scenes and blend the images in photoshop with layer masking, rather than HDR.

The only filter I really use is a polariser, as you definitely can't recreate that in PS.

DT
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Old 27-01-2012, 11:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman View Post
I got the ones like the ebay listing you linked to. Their cokin clones. I didn't see the need to pay big $$ for genuine cokins.

I only use them sparingly too, but am starting to use them more for sunrises/beach stuff where you want to have a slower shutter speed, or you want the graduated one so the sky is darker and not get blown out.

I reckon it would be a pain to try and screw them onto the lens each time. And much more difficult to stack them.

The adapter that goes on the front is easy to screw on, and then you can slide the filters in and out and stack them as much as you want. And when you turn the camera on the side, just turn the adapter on its side.

Thank you Mike,and other gentleman for your kindly and informative replies.

Your thoughts Mike,really help.-I not considered the aspects given.

But,it certainly something I would very seldom use.But an image like your 'Orange Dawn' would be something I'd like have an attempt at achieving,and
having a large print done.

At $32 for the 'knock-off' set,I think I'll get them and have a play. If I lived near beach or I depended on good filters that got
used all the time,I'd certainly buy a better brand.

Thanks again
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Old 29-01-2012, 09:09 AM
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Octane (Humayun)
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Buy cheap and you get garbage which leaves colour casts, that cannot be white balanced out. The Cokins are the worst you can buy, as well as their clones. The sky does not have a magenta cast.

All my landscape work utilises grads.

The least you would aspire to purchase are Lee or Hitech filters.

Then, it goes up from there. $200-$400 for 6x4" resin systems.

Filter holders are unnecessary, and, in some cases are detrimental to your image, leaving gradation bands in your images, particularly when using cheap stuff.

It's easy to handhold and dither the filter during the exposure, so you can lessen their effects, and make them less noticeable.

The goal is to create an exposure which looks natural, and, not be obvious a filter was used.

For example, http://users.tpg.com.au/octane2/oms2.html was one where I used a 3-stop filter and its use is unnoticeable.

H
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Old 29-01-2012, 09:56 AM
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An example of layering in PS

Here is an example of layering two different exposures together to simulate the effect of an ND grad. Obviously only works with a static subject, but this applies for most landscape work.

First one is exposed for the sky, second for the water and rocks. Third is a combination of the two with a graduated layer mask used to blend the images.

I prefer this method to filters and there's less to carry in my bag and no concerns about colour casts or quality of filters. I'm always shooting panoramas and stitching them in PS, so don't mind doing these sort of merges in PS. You could use a HDR process, but I felt this method would yield an image less manipulated by a mathematical algorithm! I'm not too fanatical about getting everything right "in camera". Astroimaging certainly cured me of any concerns about post-processing!

DT
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Old 29-01-2012, 11:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidTrap View Post
Here is an example of layering two different exposures together to simulate the effect of an ND grad. Obviously only works with a static subject, but this applies for most landscape work.

First one is exposed for the sky, second for the water and rocks. Third is a combination of the two with a graduated layer mask used to blend the images.

I prefer this method to filters and there's less to carry in my bag and no concerns about colour casts or quality of filters. I'm always shooting panoramas and stitching them in PS, so don't mind doing these sort of merges in PS. You could use a HDR process, but I felt this method would yield an image less manipulated by a mathematical algorithm! I'm not too fanatical about getting everything right "in camera". Astroimaging certainly cured me of any concerns about post-processing!

DT
The big thing for me that is missing with this technique is the ability to substantially increase the exposure time to get the water motion to give you that dreamy effect. To me the sense of motion brings a beach dawn/dust shot to life.
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Old 30-01-2012, 09:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OzRob View Post
The big thing for me that is missing with this technique is the ability to substantially increase the exposure time to get the water motion to give you that dreamy effect. To me the sense of motion brings a beach dawn/dust shot to life.
You can always add a 9stop ND filter to achieve that for the foreground. The ND grad filters that Chris is talking about are usually 2-3 stops on the top half, but clear on the bottom, so you don't get a long exposure.

DT
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Old 30-01-2012, 09:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidTrap View Post
You can always add a 9stop ND filter to achieve that for the foreground. The ND grad filters that Chris is talking about are usually 2-3 stops on the top half, but clear on the bottom, so you don't get a long exposure.

DT
The kit has an eight stop ND filter, that is why I mentioned it. Here is a kit listing:

1 x 77mm Ring adapter
1 x Filter Holder
1 x ND2 Filter
1 x ND4 Filter
1 x ND8 Filter
1 x Graduated Gradual Grey Filter
1 x Graduated Gradual Orange Filter
1 x Graduated Gradual Blue Filter
1 x filter case

Original Manufacture Package
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Old 30-01-2012, 10:36 PM
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ND8 is 1/8 the light transmitted, so it's 3stops - confusing nomenclature.

My 9 stop filter is ND400. Absolute bugger to focus through, but you can get 10+sec exposures in broad daylight!

DT
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