Gradient ND filter question

Undisputed Truth

Undisputed Truth

Active member
Hello there everybody ive got a couple quick questions that you might be able to help me out on.
First, how much does a gradient nd filter affect darker parts of the image does it smush the blacks together and look noticeable, or does it have no affect on them?.....

Second Im looking to get either a polarized filter or a gnd filter for filming skiing, i think a gnd would be more affective, and i think a polarized filter would require the shots to be set up, any comments?........

O and is shooting with a polarized filter indoors stupid or does it depend on the lighting. Im probably going to eventually buy both lenses, but im looking to be enlightened by all you smart people

thanks a bunch!!!!!
 
1. On the ND side the density is one stop per .3 rating of the ND. Whether it smushes the blacks together depends on the dynamic range of the scene.

2. I can't picture an GND being used effectively on a ski slope. The pol would tend to reduce reflections and deepen the blue in the sky.

3. If the indoor scene has reflections you need to reduce then the pol might help.
 
GND filters are great for bringing the sky and earth into a similar dynamic range. A wisely placed GND can be virtually invisible. If however, your shot is moving, GND are a dead give away (except in a perfectly level pan). I don't shoot skiing, but have noticed that snow itself usually needs to be tamed as much as sky. You may find that depending on conditions, a GND works better on the snow, with sky transparent, or more likely does not work for what you are looking for.

Polarized filters work best on a sky at 90 degrees from the sun's direction. If you are shooting directly into or away from, it will not be very effective (except on reflections and glare). Again, if your shot is moving, the sky will look quite unnatural as it morphs from dark blue to light or white.

One more thing to note, a linear polarizer is more effective than a circular but affects autofocus on some cameras. Though, Cinematographers from DVXUSER never use autofocus (lol).

J
 
I'm shooting inside of a grocery store (with reflections) and then I will be shooting outdoors at night for a car scene, inside and outside of the car. Is a polarizer going to hurt my shots, while taking away the reflections?
 
No it won't hurt your shots, as long as you can compensate the exposure, it will help cut glare on the glass freezer doors, etc.

ND's would be a good idea for shooting on a ski slope as it will allow you to stay within the "sweet spot" of your glass, and maintain a nice DOF. On a bright day, snow can read anywhere from f/64 to f/128 and up, so having some .6 and .9, maybe even a 1.2 ND is always smart.
 
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