- Location
- Milwaukee, WI USA
- Name
- Luke
I stopped by the camera shop this morning (such a quaint concept in these modern times, I know, but I like bricks and mortar stores) so I could pick up a ND filter. I'm heading to a baseball game this afternoon and we're expecting a sunny day and want to be able to shoot wide open. The nice man behind the counter (who has worked there forever) handed me a variable ND filter where you basically spin 2 attached filters around (on of them is polarized) to get anything from no blockage of light to up to 6 (or maybe 10, I didn't ask) stops of light blocked. It was a ProMaster brand (which to me means some cheapo garbage made in China...however I'll admit it's possible I'm wrong). I bought one of these types of variable ND filters before. It was a Polaroid brand. It also was a piece of garbage, but for the $30 I paid for it, I was expecting amazing results....just the ability to block a bunch of light when I needed it.
Now the one he is showing me looks EXACTLY the same and it is $99. I said I'd prefer just a regular old ND filter....maybe a 3 stop.....if they carried a high quality set of 3, I would also consider that as well. "Nope, this is it. This is all you need. It's super high quality glass." I turned and left with no ND filter and now I'll probably need to leave the RX1 home today
So now I'm online looking for what that store should have carried and have a massive array of options. My impulse is to get the most light stopping power I need in a quality brand. Are there any holes in that logic? Even if I don't need 6 stops of light stopping power for a specific shot, the high ISO performance may make up for it. But I would think most of the time if actually need the ND filter to cut back on light (and I'm just talking enabling the use of f2 without blowing the photo....not any "trick" shots where I want to do long exposures), that having a couple too many stops wouldn't be the end of the world. Or do you think I'd be better off getting a set of 3 filters and stacking them when I need to?
I need to get my stuff together for the game. I'll enjoy your advice later. Go Brewers!
Now the one he is showing me looks EXACTLY the same and it is $99. I said I'd prefer just a regular old ND filter....maybe a 3 stop.....if they carried a high quality set of 3, I would also consider that as well. "Nope, this is it. This is all you need. It's super high quality glass." I turned and left with no ND filter and now I'll probably need to leave the RX1 home today
So now I'm online looking for what that store should have carried and have a massive array of options. My impulse is to get the most light stopping power I need in a quality brand. Are there any holes in that logic? Even if I don't need 6 stops of light stopping power for a specific shot, the high ISO performance may make up for it. But I would think most of the time if actually need the ND filter to cut back on light (and I'm just talking enabling the use of f2 without blowing the photo....not any "trick" shots where I want to do long exposures), that having a couple too many stops wouldn't be the end of the world. Or do you think I'd be better off getting a set of 3 filters and stacking them when I need to?
I need to get my stuff together for the game. I'll enjoy your advice later. Go Brewers!