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Author Topic: 10 stop ND Filter  (Read 11949 times)

rgs

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10 stop ND Filter
« on: March 26, 2012, 08:52:01 pm »

I'm considering buying a 10 stop ND filter. I've looked at several of the square alternatives but think the best approach for me may be a 77mm B+W screw-in filter. I do not expect to have a need for a size greater than 77mm but also will need 72mm, 62mm & 58mm so I will also need step down rings. I'm wondering if anyone knows if the step down rings risk light leaks. I may need to re-think this but I would like to avoid the big expense of the Big Stopper plus appropriate holder. Currently I use a few Cokin P size filters. Looking for any experience or comments that might be helpful. Thanks
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Paul2660

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2012, 09:23:13 pm »

The only thing I would look for is a magenta color cast on the darker B+W's.  Schneider makes the glass for most of B+W and I have
seen some magenta casting issues.  This is easy to test by putting the filter up against a white sheet of style, that allows light some
light pass through.  Their built quality is the best.  If you are going to use the filter a lot, then you might check to see if Heliopan makes
one as they use brass in their construction which is stronger and won't bend. 

With any good step down ring, you should be fine, no light issues, brands like B+W, Kalt, Bower, and Heliopan.  I prefer Heliopan since
they use brass.  For some reason it just seems that the brass rings are easier to get off, the aluminum ones seem to want to screw on
too tight and once on can be very hard to get off.  Occasionally I will tap a stuck ring which many times will get it started to free up. 

ND 3.0 or 10x is a lot of darkness, I have the High tech 10 stopper which is resin.  No color cast issues with it. 

Paul
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2012, 09:32:21 pm »

If you need more the one size, wouldn't it be more expedient to even just get a cokin holder and adapter rings for filter sizes? personally I use Lee, but its harder to get their accessories.
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rgs

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2012, 09:34:17 pm »

That HiTech is available to fit my Cokin P holder I think. Any light leak problems with that?
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pw-pix

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2012, 09:35:37 pm »

They all have a colour cast when you see a grpup test. The B&W is one of the better ones.
When I've seen odd colours it has been when I forgot to close the viewfinder eyepiece shutter during the long exposure.

I have a Lee 100mm square filter setup but I use a B&W 77mm screw in 10 stor ND filter too. I dont have a Big Stopper, they are so often on a lengthy back-order queue.

rgs

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2012, 09:37:39 pm »

"If you need more the one size, wouldn't it be more expedient to even just get a cokin holder and adapter rings for filter sizes? personally I use Lee, but its harder to get their accessories."

I've thought of that. I have a Cokin P and the HiTech/Formatt squares are made to fit the Cokin holder but there may be a light leak problem. If anyone knows for sure, I'd appreciate input. The Lee ones won't work and there's the long wait, $200 for the filter, $100 for the holder and $25-30 for each adapter ring.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2012, 09:39:20 pm by rgs »
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Brian Hirschfeld

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2012, 09:44:14 pm »

Those filters are good and I can't imagine there would be light leak if its all made properly. I didn't spec out the prices of the filters, but see if the Cokin solution with 1 filter and adapters is cheaper then the circular filters assuming your going something high end like a B+W (the only filters I personally use because of the Schneider glass) I would have to imagine the cokin solution is cheaper, more rapidly adaptable etc etc.
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Jerry Clement

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2012, 10:10:44 pm »

I  have a Hitech 10 stop ND filter, and use it with the Cokin holder. Yes there is a issue with light creeping in at the top or at the bottom, if you are not very carefull to center the filter in the mount. Even then, I find myself shielding the the filter within the Cokin holder, if I feel that there is going to be a problem on a long exposure.

torger

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #8 on: March 27, 2012, 04:57:33 am »

I have a B&W 10 stop 77mm filter. Used it with step rings, no problem with light leaks. The filter is not color neutral, easy to correct for in post-processing though. If you want exact color you'd probably need to do a custom ICC with a color checker, but auto-white balance in the raw converter can work quite well too.
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RFPhotography

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #9 on: March 27, 2012, 11:00:01 am »

If you're going to use one in a filter system (e.g., Cokin, Lee) then there will likely be light leaks.  Blocking the viewfinder for such long exposures is also key.  One way to get the filter tight against the lens (and this only works with a lens that has a petal-shaped hood) is to use rubber bands on the edges of the filters and stretch the bands around the petals of the hood on both sides.  Works well. 

As far as any colour cast, that's easily fixed with a custom WB.  I've experimented with a piece of welding glass (~12 stops) which is a deep green and a custom WB fixed the colour cast simply and effectively.
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rgs

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2012, 10:56:53 pm »

Thanks to all. I appreciate all of the comments. Although I like the HiTech/Cokin idea, I think I'm going to get the B+W round filter.
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rambler44

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2012, 12:51:23 pm »

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Wayne Fox

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2012, 03:24:27 am »

The color cast is due to IR contamination.  These filters were designed for film. It can be somewhat corrected in post. Tiffen has created a set of IR ND filters that provide a more neutral result. They were mainly created for video but at this point most cameras do both. Problem is I think they only go to 6 stops.  To get to 10 you would need to stack 2 which may not be feasible with some wide lenses.

« Last Edit: March 29, 2012, 02:36:55 pm by Wayne Fox »
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fredjeang

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2012, 04:53:02 am »

The color cast is due to IR contamination.  These filters were designed for film. It can be somewhat corrected in post. Tiffen has created a set of IR ND filters that provide a more neutral result. They were mainly created for video but at this point most cameras do both. Problem is I think they only go to 6 stops.  To get to 10 you would need to stack 2 which may not be feasible with wome wide lenses

Exactly.
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fike

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Re: 10 stop ND Filter
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2012, 09:06:52 am »

I've used a ten stop filter  a bit and it does have a magenta cast.  I also found it really annoying to use because it is basically completely opaque through the viewfinder or on live preview.  You will need to do all you setup and adjustments without it and then mount it and count-off ten stops (that is 30 clicks if you are in 1/3rd EV units) in shutter speed and/or aperture.  It is really inconvenient, particularly for the panoramic stitches I am frequently trying to make with it mounted.  In the case of panos, I have to depend entirely on the degrees marks on my panning clamp.

I also have a 6 (or is it 7?) stop filter that is much easier to use because you can actually see through it. 
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