Why Neutral Density (ND) Filters Are Important For Shooting with DSLR Cameras in Bright Sunlight
Neutral Density (ND) Filters - Why They Are Important For Shooting with DSLR Cameras Outside in Bright Sunlight: Tips for Professional Video Production by Web Video Crew http://www.webvideocrew.com
Zero2Sixty: Video Production Tips
This episode covers - how neutral density (ND) filters can be used when filming outdoors with DSLR cameras in bright sunlight to properly expose your shot without changing the shutter speed.
What is a Neutral Density Filter?
Simply put, the ND filter is to a DSLR camera what your sunglasses to you are. It comes in clear and grey lenses and is primarily made to reduce and modify the intensity of all wavelengths of colors. Aside from that given purpose, the ND filter serves countless other uses, some of them being the following:
Avoid overexposure—great lighting is a key to a great photo or film. The problem is, with too much light, details become virtually invisible and your shots become nothing but a clump of bright light. ND filters ensure proper exposure without the need to change shutter speed.
Gain greater depth—too much light renders shots bland since depth is lost. Contrary, by using the ND filter, your shots will retain and even gain greater depth.
Create smooth motion blur—shots of rivers, falls, and clouds passing by have always been fascinating, often even calming. However, normal shots of them tend to be dull, especially since the water and the clouds are captured frozen. By using a neutral density filter, you can capture the river's, falls,' or clouds' movement better, without any worry of overexposing the shots.
What Neutral Density Filter Should You Get?
Just like how sunglasses come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, there are also a handful of ND filters you can choose from. First, let us look at the four varieties:
1. Standard—the no-frills ND filter you can use in any and all types of circumstances. It's available in round (screw-in) and rectangular (best when using holders) shapes and are generally colorless.
2. Variable—are you a control freak or something of the sort? With two filters placed on top of each other, this round ND filter is the best filter for you.
3. Graduated—unlike the first two, the graduated neutral density (GND) filter changes hue from dark to light, with transitions ranging from fuzzy/blurry to a very solid line. Grad ND filters are available in round, square, and rectangular shapes to better accommodate lens sizes.
4. Reverse graduated—perhaps the least popular, the reverse graduated ND filter is almost exclusively used for capturing sunrises as it greatly tones down the spread light and the sun itself while retaining the details of the surrounding area.
To read more about Neutral Density Filters, view our blog post at http://blog.webvideocrew.com/article/...
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