Neutral Density Filters (ND Filters)

July 22, 2017

Neutral Density Filters (ND Filters)

Why use a neutral density filter?

What does a neutral density filter do? These filters reduce the amount of light passing through the camera lens without changing the color of the scene. They are especially useful in bright light conditions to help prevent overexposure. Neutral Density filters also allow proper exposure at a wider lens opening for reduced depth-of-field to highlight a key subject by making the foreground and/or background out of focus. ND’s are must have filters especially if you are thinking of doing more landscape and nature photography. Digital photographers, this neutral density filter guide will help you determine the best neutral density filter for your situation. ND filters are one of the essential digital camera filters. They’ll work just as well as b&w nd filters as they do for color photography.

Solid Neutral Density
IR Neutral Density
Graduated Neutral Density
Attenuator/Blender

Solid Neutral Density (ND filter)

These filters reduce the amount of light passing through the camera lens without changing the color of the scene. They are especially useful in bright light conditions to help prevent overexposure. Neutral Density filters also allow proper exposure at a wider lens opening for reduced depth-of-field to highlight a key subject by making the foreground and/or background out of focus.

Eliminates overly bright, washed-out images
Balances exposure
Controls depth-of-field
Allows slower shutter speeds to produce blurred motion effects
Available with High Quality – Water White Glass

Infra Red Neutral Density (IRND)

Is a combination of both an infrared control filter and a neutral density filter. An IRND is ideal for HD cameras, which have greater low-light sensitivity and, subsequently, an increased susceptibility to IR contamination. When using a standard neutral density filter to counter the increased light sensitivity afforded by the HD sensor, the effects of infrared pollution become more apparent. This filter combines an ND filter with a comparable IR control filter to eliminate the spill of infrared light reaching the sensor while still maintaining the extra exposure benefits of a neutral density filter.

Combines ND filter with IR Control Filter
Water White Glass
Eliminates overly bright, washed-out images
Balances exposure
Controls depth-of-field
Allows slower shutter speeds to produce blurred motion effects

Color Grad (Graduated) Neutral Density

Often, you want to balance light intensity between two areas within a scene. This is important outdoors to allow more sky detail while properly exposing the foreground. Exposing for the foreground will produce a washed-out, over-exposed sky, exposing for the sky will leave the foreground dark, underexposed.

Part clear, part neutral density, with a smoothly graded transition between
A Color-Grad ND.6-to-clear is often best for balancing sky to foreground
Neutral gray appearance drops exposure
Multi Coated, Digital HT version also available

Blender/Attenuator

The Tiffen Attenuator / Blender screw-in ND filters have been designed to offer a fine degree of neutral light control attenuation on wide-angle lenses. The smooth transition across the surface of the filter is designed to aid light control within your image area for a number of purposes, including maintaining a constant exposure range across your image when you have a bright sky. This ND grad features a density strength of 1.2 which allows you to increase exposure by four stops to suit individual situations.