Learn how to harness one of the most useful filters for photographers: the neutral density filter.

Neutral density (ND) filters are essential for capturing high-quality photos with effects that can't be replicated in post-production editing. Just what does an ND filter actually do and when should you employ one? Here's what you demand to know.

What does an ND filter exercise?

A neutral density (ND) filter is a type of dark filter that easily attaches to the front of a camera lens, to control how much light enters the camera's sensor. Since a neutral density filter only affects light levels, it doesn't take any impact on image colour, contrast or sharpness.

Essentially, it's like a volume control for light. By reducing the amount of lite that comes through your camera lens, a neutral density filter lets yous shoot in harsh lighting weather and dispense your photos to achieve really creative results.

how to shoot in harsh light

Why do photographers use ND filters?

Past reducing light entering the lens, a photographer can create a number of desirable image effects, many of which wouldn't be possible in bright conditions. With an ND filter you tin can do i of two things:

ane. Use a wider aperture to capture beautifully shallow depth of field

two. Use a slower shutter speed to capture long exposures and motion blur for a longer menstruation of fourth dimension.

Wider apertures are nifty for portraits, when you want the person in the photo to be the sole focus of the image, and the background to be soft and non in focus.

With slower shutter speeds, yous can add move or blur to objects that are moving, while keeping the rest of the scene static. This effect is especially awesome when shooting moving water, such every bit waterfalls or choppy waves. It adds drama and visual appeal to an prototype.

Do ND filters touch paradigm quality?

Whether lens filters impact image quality or not is ane of the most debated topics in photography. But in short, the answer is no. Most 'before' and 'after' filter shots used for comparing testing show that lens filters, including ND filters, don't adversely touch on image quality. Every bit long as you lot use high quality lens filters, you won't come across a noticeable departure in image quality.

When should you use an ND filter?

An ND filter has uses in virtually whatsoever blazon of photography. But it really comes into its own when used for outdoor or mural scenes, when it's important to exist able to adapt to changing light. By adding motion or shallow depth of field to images, you can bring otherwise dull scenes to life.

Some groovy uses for ND filters include:

SUNNY AND HARSHLY LIT SETTINGS

When the sun is very vivid or you're shooting in harsh lighting weather condition , it'due south hard to capture the perfect shot. This is where a neutral density filter comes to the rescue. It lets you employ a broad aperture to achieve a shallow depth of field, without causing any overexposure.

Cutting dorsum low-cal reaching your camera reduces depth of field and isolates an image from its background. This makes information technology announced sharper, without causing overexposure. Brute or bird images tin be brought to the fore without any groundwork interference when using this filter, for case.

Shot using a Urth ND1000 filter

CLOUDS AND FOG

ND lens filters also earn their worth when used to capture clouds and sky scenes. This clever filter tin can blur the movement of clouds making them appear more than dramatic, streaky and magical, giving your scene an extra helping of visual intrigue.

Shot with an Urth Variable ND8-128.

Leaf AND FIELDS

Many landscape photographers shoot images of foliage and fields, and capturing the perfect scene tin can often prove tricky. With an ND lens filter helping to block out lite, it's easier to add visual intrigue by capturing a shallow depth of field.

Shallow depth of field shot with a wide discontinuity of f/2.two using an Urth ND64 filter.

WATER AND Movement

If y'all take photos of h2o in move , such every bit trickling streams, gushing waterfalls or the ocean being dilapidated by waves, an ND lens filter is indispensable to achieve the perfect, ethereal shot.

By using longer exposure times, this filter can capture silky, softened, smoothen, foggy, dreamy or blurred furnishings from water. This adds drama and atmosphere to a scene, bringing it to life. It likewise helps to describe the viewer in, without whatever distracting overexposure. It's perfect when introducing motion to a unmarried role of your image, whilst keeping the residue of a scene static.

After using an Urth ND256 lens filter to use a slower shutter speed and create motion mistiness.

CITYSCAPES

It'southward frequently causeless that an ND lens filter only has a place for shooting sky, water or leafage. Only, if you're a cityscape lensman, you'll likewise find this filter earns its place on your photographic camera lens.

In particular, scenes of moving vehicles, sports matches or crowds of people can exist blurred or distorted to slap-up effect. This helps to add together atmosphere to images that may otherwise appear flat or static.

Tiresome shutter speed.

VIDEO AND FILM

The beauty of using ND filters for video and film is that you lot can shoot a shallow depth of field and achieve a dramatic upshot. Especially when shooting in harsh lite, and when the sun is intense, an ND filter tin reduce the lighting right back while capturing a really cinematic feel.

The beneath short film is shot with an Urth Variable ND2-400 Lens Filter. Hither you lot can read more near how it was filmed.

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Portraits can be beautifully enhanced past ND filters for the same reasons they brand landscapes and then interesting. You can play around with depth of field in bright atmospheric condition, use motion blur to powerful effect and bring your subject field to the foreground with infrequent clarity.

Shallow depth of field shot with an ND16.

How do I know which ND filter to use?

ND filters come up in a lot of different shapes and sizes. Just like a camera, the best way to effigy out which one you prefer is to experiment. There are a few different types bachelor on the market place:

Stock-still ND FILTERS

Stock-still ND filters cake a stock-still f-stop of light from inbound your camera. The lower the ND number, the less light information technology blocks from entering your camera. For instance, an ND4 filter blocks out 4 f-end of light, and an ND1000 blocks 10 f-stops of light.

Fixed ND filters are usually preferable for photographers who tend to stick to the same level of lite exposure or shoot in conditions where yous can take your time to set up a shot or alter filters if you need to. They're also stackable, meaning you lot tin use multiple filters at the same time.

ND FILTER Chart

Employ the chart below to understand the light reduction and transmission that results from each type of ND filter.

ND Filter Light Reduction Light Transmission Best Light Conditions
ND2 ane f-stop 50% Low calorie-free
ND4 2 f-stop 25% Low low-cal
ND8 3 f-cease 12.v% Depression light
ND16 4 f-end 6.25% Depression light
ND32 v f-cease 3.12% Bright low-cal
ND64 half dozen f-stop 1.56% Bright light
ND128 7 f-stop 0.78% Bright calorie-free
ND256 8 f-stop 0.39% Harsh light
ND512 9 f-end 0.19% Harsh light
ND1000 x f-stop 0.x% Harsh light
ND10000 13 f-terminate 0.01% Harsh light

VARIABLE ND FILTERS

As the proper name suggests, variable ND filters can be rotated to cover a number of f-stops. This offers corking flexibility – it means you lot don't demand to keep changing filters every fourth dimension you want to alter low-cal levels.

Variable ND filters are great for photographers who work with irresolute light conditions, when you need to shoot fast. They're also great for photographers who are new to ND filters and desire to experiment with different options. More on variable ND filters hither.

GRADUATED ND FILTERS

You might as well come up across graduated ND filters. These differ in that they reduce calorie-free across only one-half your image. You might choose to use this filter if you desire to darken the groundwork of a scene, normally the sky, but leave the foreground untouched.

Depending on the fade effect y'all want to achieve, you tin likewise find soft-edge and difficult-edge graduated ND filters. The soft-border type produces a smoothen fade and is perfect for use with uneven horizons or when objects, such as mountains, cover part of the sky. On the other mitt, difficult-edge filters transition from low-cal to night quickly, so they're perfect for even horizon shots like the ocean at dusk.

ND CPL

An ND CPL filter is an ND filter combined with a circular polarising/linear (CPL) filter . Substantially, these filters cutting polarised low-cal from a scene to reduce glare and heighten both dissimilarity and colours.

Multifunctional ND CPL filters are useful for when you lot want to command both glare and light, without having to stack multiple filters to achieve the desired effect.

Agreement ND filters and f-stops

An f-stop specifies the aperture of a lens. It'south adamant by the focal length of the lens divided by the diameter of the discontinuity.

The smaller the f-stop number, the wider the aperture, and the shallower the depth of field. Only usually if you try to use a small f-stop number in a brightly lit setting, the wide aperture ways y'all're letting a lot of lite into your lens, resulting in an overexposed epitome.

This is where ND filters come in to block a certain number of f-stops of calorie-free, so you can utilise those smaller f-stops and wider apertures in whatever setting.

The nigh common f-finish densities for ND filters are those with 2, iii or four stops. If you desire to cake out fifty-fifty more than light to capture extra long exposures or residuum low-cal in harshly lit scenes, choose a stronger ND filter with a college number, similar an ND1000.

You can also combine ND filters to attain a larger f-cease and heave the density force, only exist conscientious not to end upward with an undesirable vignetting consequence . If you use a high density filter to get long exposures, consider using a tripod with your camera to stop move.

Visit our quick guide to aperture to go a better understanding of f-stops.

Which ND filter is all-time?

If you're new to using ND filters, there's a lot to go your head around. The all-time advice is just to put one (preferably a proficient quality make) on your lens and experiment with what it can do. Not sure which one to start with? Check out our buyer's guide to ND filters to assist you lot cull the right 1.

ND filters are some of the coolest camera accessories to play around with, allowing yous to create unique photographic effects and unlock new creative possibilities. Notice Urth's collection of ND filters online.