|
|
|
UPDATED (May 2016)
Haida Neutral Density Filters 3 Years ON (May2016)
|
Well time really does fly and it has been three years since I started using the Haida range of Neutral Density Filters. To recap the Haida filters are:-
The Neutral Density (ND) Filters:
My initial reaction to these filters were what great value for money they were compared to the pricey Lee Filter System, but have they stood the test of time and am I still using them for my long exposure photography. Best read on to discover more......... |
Shipwreck SS Carbon
Haida 10 Stop ND Filter |
Fort Victoria Pier.
Haida 10 Stop ND Filter |
|
|
So what condition are the Filters in today? Well I am pleased to report the Haida Filters have stood the test of time.
I use them a lot down at the surf line so plenty of salt spray and they are as good today as they were when I bought them with nothing bad to report. No scratches, nothing has fallen apart, the black coating on the frame has not rubbed off and the white lettering is still the same as it was when new.
The plastic case they came in however is still not upto the job but so far I have not been able to get my hands on a set of Hoya type cases to put them in. I used to like the circular plastic cases that you twisted the top off.
Which filter do I use the most, well it is not the 10 stop. The 6 stop ND Filter is my goto ND filter at sunset time to blur the water in my seascapes an added bonus of the 6 stop is the cameras exposure metering system will meter with the filter in place, I find that adding +1 stop exposure compensation corrects for a slightly underexposed meter reading which saves time when working a beach where you are shooting quite fast. Upto 8" secs exposure time I can still bracket 5 shots with the longest at 32 secs (cut to 30 secs with the cameras max auto exposuretime ) which means I can shoot with the camera in aperture priorty AV or manual mode and have the camera's AEB (auto exposure bracketing) set to take 5 shots -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
I switch to the 3 stop Haida Filter as the light starts to fade away and my exposure times are more than 8+ seconds, the 3 stop Haida ND Filter keeps the exposure below 8 seconds meaning I can still shoot in aperture priority AV or manual mode with the AEB enabled.
The 10 stop I tend to use more during full daylight hours where 1/125 sec becomes 8 seconds or 1/30" sec becomes 30" seconds. If using the 10 stop at sunset it extends exposure times into minutes which is fine if you want to blur moving clouds but is overkill for just blurring water.
I still like to bracket my exposures when using the 10 stop ND filter and I do this using the Phottix Aion wireless shutter release it has a mode that takes 5 shots you have to program it for the shortest exposure time and it takes that shot and another 4 shots at one stop intervals ex. programmed for 8 seconds it will take shots at 8" 16" 32" 64" 128" seconds which would be -2, -1, 0, +1, +2. with 32 seconds being my base (0) exposure.
I use them a lot down at the surf line so plenty of salt spray and they are as good today as they were when I bought them with nothing bad to report. No scratches, nothing has fallen apart, the black coating on the frame has not rubbed off and the white lettering is still the same as it was when new.
The plastic case they came in however is still not upto the job but so far I have not been able to get my hands on a set of Hoya type cases to put them in. I used to like the circular plastic cases that you twisted the top off.
Which filter do I use the most, well it is not the 10 stop. The 6 stop ND Filter is my goto ND filter at sunset time to blur the water in my seascapes an added bonus of the 6 stop is the cameras exposure metering system will meter with the filter in place, I find that adding +1 stop exposure compensation corrects for a slightly underexposed meter reading which saves time when working a beach where you are shooting quite fast. Upto 8" secs exposure time I can still bracket 5 shots with the longest at 32 secs (cut to 30 secs with the cameras max auto exposuretime ) which means I can shoot with the camera in aperture priorty AV or manual mode and have the camera's AEB (auto exposure bracketing) set to take 5 shots -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
I switch to the 3 stop Haida Filter as the light starts to fade away and my exposure times are more than 8+ seconds, the 3 stop Haida ND Filter keeps the exposure below 8 seconds meaning I can still shoot in aperture priority AV or manual mode with the AEB enabled.
The 10 stop I tend to use more during full daylight hours where 1/125 sec becomes 8 seconds or 1/30" sec becomes 30" seconds. If using the 10 stop at sunset it extends exposure times into minutes which is fine if you want to blur moving clouds but is overkill for just blurring water.
I still like to bracket my exposures when using the 10 stop ND filter and I do this using the Phottix Aion wireless shutter release it has a mode that takes 5 shots you have to program it for the shortest exposure time and it takes that shot and another 4 shots at one stop intervals ex. programmed for 8 seconds it will take shots at 8" 16" 32" 64" 128" seconds which would be -2, -1, 0, +1, +2. with 32 seconds being my base (0) exposure.
You need to work out the maths for the shortest exposure which is simple enough to do. Take calculated shutter speed for the shot with the 10 stop ND filter then halve the exposure and halve it again so 32" would be 16" and then 8" seconds, so you would program in 8" seconds, simple.
This is useful if you want to shoot HDR without using grads ND filters typically the -2 exposure will be your sky the 0 exposure your forground and the +1 or +2 would be the water. Blend in Photoshop using Luminosity masks for more natural HDR or try the new blend to HDR in lightroom 6+.
This is useful if you want to shoot HDR without using grads ND filters typically the -2 exposure will be your sky the 0 exposure your forground and the +1 or +2 would be the water. Blend in Photoshop using Luminosity masks for more natural HDR or try the new blend to HDR in lightroom 6+.
Wooden Jetty LE.
Haida 10 stop ND Filter
Wooden Jetty LE. Haida 10 Stop ND Filter
|
Freshwater Bay LE Haida 10 Stop ND Filter
|
Fort Victoria Pier LE Haida 10 Stop ND Filter
|
Freshwater Bay Smoothy Haida 10 Stop ND Filter
|
By not using gradual ND Filters most of the time the bracketing enables me to work faster, no time wasted trying to line a grad up with the horizon, no salt spray to keep cleaning off the grads.
(Post Processing Note)
Grad filters in Lightroom allow separate adjustment to sky and foreground in post processing and if the sky still has burnt out highlights I can switch to PS and make a HDR image from my bracketed shots using luminosity masks. Kinda getting the best of both worlds
(Post Processing Note)
Grad filters in Lightroom allow separate adjustment to sky and foreground in post processing and if the sky still has burnt out highlights I can switch to PS and make a HDR image from my bracketed shots using luminosity masks. Kinda getting the best of both worlds
Cowes Breakwater
Haida 10 Stop ND Filter shot at around 11:00am in bright conditions |
Cowes Breakwater Sunset
Haida 6 Stop ND Filter |
|
|
I did however manage to chip the 3 stop ND filter and how I chipped it should be a warning to all of us
I was working the beach at Compton Bay, Isle Of Wight and moving fairy quickly as the tide was ebbing fast and I had set my tripod up on a sloping rock, I should have adjusted one of the legs to level the tripod but chose to just level the ball head and take the shot meaning the tripod was leaning forward. This was a decision I was about to regret.
I had one hand in my pocket on the camera's wireless remote release and my other hand was reaching into my coat inside pocket to get somthing when a gust of wind blew and the tripod toppled over.
It was like it happened in slow motion as I stood watching the tripod complete with my Canon 5Ds and Canon 17-40mm F4L lens tipping forward, I tried to reach it but couldn't get my hands out of my pockets quickly enough and all I could do was watch in horror as the camera and lens came down filter first onto a nice sharp piece of rock ouch! The sound it made as it hit the ground made me shudder and gives me nightmares when I think about it.
At first I just stood staring at everything on the ground in shock, fearing the worst I eventually picked the whole lot up off the floor and examined everything expecting the filter to be smashed to pieces and the lens broken, but wait no! Everything was intact and working just fine (heart rate lowers by 100bpm). The filter however did have a small chip in it where it had landed directly onto the rock and even though it doesn't show in photos I have replaced the filter at a cost of £31.00 from CG UK on eBay.
So why am I still smiling, well if the filter had actually broken, I have no doubt that the rock would have at the very least marked or even broken the front element of the Canon 17-40mm lens. At £31.00 I think I got away lightly it could have been a whole lot worse.
So there you have it the Haida Filters are pretty tough I can certainly vouch for this and they don't break that easily and I would still recommend them as the best value Neutral Density Filters available three years on.
All comments and suggestions welcome, just go easy on me I know I was a dumbass.
I was working the beach at Compton Bay, Isle Of Wight and moving fairy quickly as the tide was ebbing fast and I had set my tripod up on a sloping rock, I should have adjusted one of the legs to level the tripod but chose to just level the ball head and take the shot meaning the tripod was leaning forward. This was a decision I was about to regret.
I had one hand in my pocket on the camera's wireless remote release and my other hand was reaching into my coat inside pocket to get somthing when a gust of wind blew and the tripod toppled over.
It was like it happened in slow motion as I stood watching the tripod complete with my Canon 5Ds and Canon 17-40mm F4L lens tipping forward, I tried to reach it but couldn't get my hands out of my pockets quickly enough and all I could do was watch in horror as the camera and lens came down filter first onto a nice sharp piece of rock ouch! The sound it made as it hit the ground made me shudder and gives me nightmares when I think about it.
At first I just stood staring at everything on the ground in shock, fearing the worst I eventually picked the whole lot up off the floor and examined everything expecting the filter to be smashed to pieces and the lens broken, but wait no! Everything was intact and working just fine (heart rate lowers by 100bpm). The filter however did have a small chip in it where it had landed directly onto the rock and even though it doesn't show in photos I have replaced the filter at a cost of £31.00 from CG UK on eBay.
So why am I still smiling, well if the filter had actually broken, I have no doubt that the rock would have at the very least marked or even broken the front element of the Canon 17-40mm lens. At £31.00 I think I got away lightly it could have been a whole lot worse.
So there you have it the Haida Filters are pretty tough I can certainly vouch for this and they don't break that easily and I would still recommend them as the best value Neutral Density Filters available three years on.
All comments and suggestions welcome, just go easy on me I know I was a dumbass.
|
|
With the introduction of the new 12 and 15 stop ultra neutral density filters for shooting long exposures in very bright lighting conditions the choice of filter strengths is now better than it has ever been. The 15 stop ND filter turns a 1/125 of a second exposure into 256 seconds / 4 minutes 32 seconds for blurring even the most slow moving clouds in the middle of the day.
The new Neutral Density Filter Conversion Chart I have made below has been updated with the new 12 and 15 stop filters being added to the original 3, 6 and 10 stop filters for a very handy at a glance chart.
The new Neutral Density Filter Conversion Chart I have made below has been updated with the new 12 and 15 stop filters being added to the original 3, 6 and 10 stop filters for a very handy at a glance chart.
ND Filter Correction Chart quicker than any phone app.
If you would like a copy of this conversion card, click on the photo to open in a lightbox, then
above and to the right of the photo choose send as an eCard fill in your details for your free copy. When you get the eCard simply right click the photo and save to your phone for easy reference or print out and laminate for a quick and easy pocket sized correction chart.
above and to the right of the photo choose send as an eCard fill in your details for your free copy. When you get the eCard simply right click the photo and save to your phone for easy reference or print out and laminate for a quick and easy pocket sized correction chart.
Ryde House Jetty, Ryde, Isle Of Wight. Haida 10 Stop ND Filter
|
Outfall Pipes, Seaview, Isle Of Wight. Haida 6 Stop ND Filter.
|
