What strength ND filters do you keep on hand?

[Darren Levine]

In looking around for opinions on this, i'm quite surprised to find that many shooters keep only .6 and .9 on hand, even for bright light.... I just picked up a set of 1.5. 1.8. & 2.1, and i already have a .9 on hand and a polarizer(.6ish)

To stop down to 4/5.6 in full unshaded sun the 2.1 does the trick, but im curious as to the other opinions on this?

for myself, i like to get my DOF down to just about where the actors pop out of the background, so im usually in the f4-8 area on a normal lens. my shooting situations are sometimes run and gun and sometimes more official, so i need to have options on hand, hence the set that i bought. and i am of the "as little glass in front of the lens as possible" mentality, so i prefer not to stack filters.

So....

Do you stack your NDs?

Do you always shoot in the shade?

Do you just stop down when shooting landscapes?

Or do you work on sets that can afford 50' silks and otherwise have completely controlled lighting and the sun is at your mercy and not the other way around?

Very interested to hear how others are working in this regard.

-D

[Ned Wilson]

In looking around for opinions on this, i'm quite surprised to find that many shooters keep only .6 and .9 on hand, even for bright light.... I just picked up a set of 1.5. 1.8. & 2.1, and i already have a .9 on hand and a polarizer(.6ish)


-D

Tiffen ND 3, 6, 9
Tiffen IR ND 12, 15, 18
Schneider Tru Pol 138mm
Tffen SE Grad 3,6,9 and 12

I don't stack them. IR ND's always on the outside tray.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

My "go everywhere" set I keep handy:

Formatt ND .3, .6, .9, Hot-Mirror, IR+ND 1.2, IR+ND 1.5
Tiffen 1/4 CTB, Grad .6, .9
Schneider circular pola

Polarizer is near useless with the hot-mirror / IR+ND filters. Only use one IR+ND / or mirror at a time because of reflective surface and it is the outer-most filter, obviously. MX sensor handles IR better than original M. It also seems better on EPIC than on the RED One... But as with most digital cameras, not just RED, the IR filter is pretty much required at ND 1.2 and up or in shooting environments where IR or reflected heat is intense.

I never stack more than two filters at a time unless I have a very good reason to do so. When it comes to putting filters/glass or stuff in the optical path, less is always more, IMO.

[Yousuf Abbasi]

Jeff, what is a "Tiffen 1/4 CTB" ? I thought Schneider made the CTB series, and Tiffen made the 80-series.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Ermagerd... Ya got me there, seems I got some wires crossed. It is indeed a Schneider 1/4 CTB, but I keep it in a Tiffen pouch. :P

I believe it's roughly the equivalent to a Tiffen 80C, which is a 3200K to 4300K conversion. Always seemed to work pretty well, but I don't shoot much under tungsten these days, still keep it handy because ya never know...

[Yousuf Abbasi]

Yeah, I just ordered my Schneider CTB 1/2 -- I figured it gets me closer to the 5600K mark, albeit with a loss of a full stop. I might get a 1/4 if I find that 1 stop is too much, but hopefully the 1/2 will be OK.

[Darren Levine]

Thanks for all the inputs.

a few more questions arise...

does anyone find any practical difference in using ND+hot mirror, vs ND with built in IR?

And being that im looking to keep as few filters on hand as necessary, would a polarizer be sufficient in lieu of a .3/.6?

and finally, a little poll: which do you use more often, a linear or circular polarizer, or do you find both necessary?

thanks again