Comments on: Fstoppers Reviews The Singh-Ray Variable Neutral Density Filter: A Must For Any Landscape Photographer

By: Sham Bhangal

Sham Bhangal — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Worth noting that variable ND filters are also indispensable for the ‘DSRL film’ look when shooting video. For that you need to keep wide (around f3), 1/50 on shutter, and 25fps.
As that leaves you with nothing to control exposure, you instead use a variable ND.

By: KIVIKO

KIVIKO — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:23:00 +0000

not bad. Lighting certainly not as expressive but still good

By: Anders Petersen

Anders Petersen — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:49:00 +0000

If you want quality, don’t use vari-ND or dual polarizers. But if you want a vari-ND for whatever reason, get a linear polarizer for your circ-pol, because any vari-ND is simply two polarizers stuck together. Might as well stick em together yourself.

By: Anders Petersen

Anders Petersen — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:47:00 +0000

You want a linear polarizer, because you do NOT want the quarter-wave filter that creates the circular polarization.

You’ve misunderstood what a circ-pol does. Circ-pol is just a lin-pol with a quarter-wave-filter, which creates a circular polarization such that the autofocus can be used. A Lin-pol will not always work with polarization, because the mirror polarizes the light by virtue of being a mirror.

By: Anders Petersen

Anders Petersen — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:47:00 +0000

You want a linear polarizer, because you do NOT want the quarter-wave filter that creates the circular polarization.

By: Anders Petersen

Anders Petersen — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:47:00 +0000

You want a linear polarizer, because you do NOT want the quarter-wave filter that creates the circular polarization.

By: Anto de Chav

Anto de Chav — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Linear affects AF systems in modern 35mmm DSLR.. best to stick with circular.

By: Richard H. Weiner

Richard H. Weiner — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:09:00 +0000

This particular line of filters IS expensive but not so when compared to others (such as B&W). The beauty of this review and others that I’ve seen is that we can be educated and prepared. Some will go for the high end and some will find the hacks. The thing is that every opinion (and even yours) is valid and I believe that the readers have enough smarts to be able to pick out the pros/cons of each.

But lambasting others for expressing their thoughts not in line with yous isn’t helpful.

By: JVP404

JVP404 — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 04:56:00 +0000

I don’t have exact numbers, but in my experience hss will reduce flash exposure by two or more stops at distances of just 10-12 feet, since hss uses multiple small pulses rather than one large dump of light.

So suppose an outdoor portrait with subject in light shade, but background in sun. Ambient background is one stop too bright at ISO 100, 1/250, f 4; but flash is just right at 1/2 power. Reducing ambient 1 stop by going to 1/500 requires hss, which now leaves flash underexposed 2 stops. Instead, the ND allows you to drop the ambient by 1 stop, keep 1/250th, and crank the flash up full power to negate the ND.

Yes, in this case you could also close the aperture to 5.6 and crank the flash, but if you want to keep the aperture at 4 for aesthetics, it sounds like a good idea.

By: John MacLean Photography

John MacLean Photography — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 03:44:00 +0000

Why did my reply get deleted on this comment? Here’s a repost:

The only difference between linear and circular polarizers is the former is for older film cameras and the latter is for “newer” (not so much anymore) cameras with more modern metering systems. The optical quality of B+W filters should remain consistent between the two.

Best,
John
http://www.johnmaclean.com