Graduated Neutral Density Filter system is on its way!

More Amazon Spending

After talking to my photography mentor Jon for a week or so, and reading a lot online, I've started down the road of adding graduated neutral density (GND or "grads") filters to my kit. I just think that they would have helped out a lot with my Chiricahua pictures, especially the shots in the canyon on the sunny days.

I've worked on some of those pictures, and I'm just not happy with them. First, I tried to shoot them with the intent of doing HDR processing in Photoshop CC or Photomatix. That took some time to shoot because my Nikon D3200 does NOT have exposure bracketing. I adjusted for the "correct" exposure, took that shot, and then worked 2 stop brackets in both directions monitoring the histogram to try to get the full range of the exposure.

The HDR results were less than stellar, and in fact, so disappointing that I gave up after a couple of them. First, it was windy which causes "ghosting" between the different shots. That's where, for example, a tree could be in one position in one of the exposures but bent over more one way or the other in a different exposure. The more exposures you add to the HDR processing the worse it gets.

The HDR software has "anti-ghosting" processing available but I think it ends up making the whole image soft at best.

And that's another thing I noticed. I just don't like the end image from the HDR process in either Photoshop or Photomatix - at least not when trying to create a "natural" looking image. I do like the "un-natural" images that can result, but they're certainly not representative of what the actual view was!

The picture above is an HDR with 2 exposures and doesn't look too bad at this size but the original has some bad artifacts around the border of the top of the left hoodoo where the sky is in the background. The originals don't have that bad border. And, the sky doesn't look right, and I still have blown out clouds. Frown.

Note: you can (hopefully) see a bigger version of the pic at my new gallery:

http://www.randymorter.com/photography/imaginery/Landscape/Chiricahua%20National%20Monument/index.html

I'm still working with the new gallery software so it's a work in progress so please be forgiving!

I really want to avoid post processing as much as possible and try to get the shot in the camera. Hence the desire to at least try a graduated ND filter. Thank you again, Amazon!

My choice

I read a lot, and as always, the interweb info can leave you bewildered if you let it. You just have to filter through it all and make the best decision you can and hope you're not buying stuff you'll regret or replace quickly, thereby loosing more money on the hobby.

I decided to go with the popular Cokin P-series mount. Here's a page with some good info: http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/filter/Cokin-Systems.html.

I read about concerns that it's not wide enough but mentor Jon assured me he's used them for years including on a 77mm lens and has not had any vignetting or other cast, etc., on the images due to the holder. The other options are the larger filters such as the Cokin Z-Pro series.

Doin' the 2 Stop

Jon uses Singh-Ray filters, but I think I'll try a Tiffen at first. I have some other Tiffens which I like; they haven't crossed my acceptability threshold yet. And, I just found out while investigating this filter that Tiffens are made in the United States. I'll buy local if I can!

I haven't ordered the actual filter yet - I'd told the wifey that I was done spending $$$ on the camera. Well, I had warned her that this would be the last thing I'd likely get for a while. My plan is that now that I've accumulated some gear to see if the bug keeps with me for a year or so and if it does, THEN I'll get my Nikon 610 or whatever's available then.

I plan to get the Tiffen p-seried .6 (or 2-stop) filter, with a soft edge. I'm setting up right now only for my smaller (and wider) lens (52mm). The hard edge is more suitable for a longer lens. I also like the Tiffen because it's glass. Even the Singh-Ray filters are plastic (resin).

There are a number of other brands I found mentioned such as HiTech and Cokin and Lee. I read a lot of good and bad about the HiTech and other cheaper brands. I didn't read anything bad about Tiffen, Lee, or Singh-Ray. But, my wallet can more easily afford the Tiffen (which still isn't cheap - the total system of holder, adapter, p-series lens cover (which may or may not really be necessary), and filter will cost about $170 or so).

I'll send off for the filter itself in a week or s
o. Then I'll have to go out on another photo trip!