The Complete Neutral Density Filter Guide For 2022

Want to add more drama to your landscape photos? Slow down a waterfall or blur the passing clouds? Need a way to darken the sky without losing detail in your foreground? The solution to all of this is to use a neutral density filter.

In this post, I’ll show you how to choose the best ND filters for a DSLR camera and some creative ways to use them to get jaw dropping landscape photos.

 

 

 

Best ND Filter By Category

1. Best Solid Round ND Filter

It’s a good idea to have a range of solid round nd filters in your camera bag. This will give you options when you’re on a photoshoot. Furthermore, round nd filters offer the ability to quickly screw on and unscrew filters as lighting conditions change.

My recommendation for the best solid round nd filter is this Gobe lens filter kit that includes 3 nd filters: ND8, ND64 and ND1000. This will give you a good range of light stops with which to work. Be sure to choose the correct lens size for your camera lens.

 

2. Best Solid Square/Rectangle ND Filter

Square and rectangular nd filters are much quicker to switch out than circular filters.  Simply slide them in and out of the nd filter kit holder.

My top pick for solid square and rectangular nd filters is the K&F Concept Square Filter. You can choose the ND8, ND64 or ND1000 version. And you can always add more filters to your kit.

 

3. Best Graduated ND Filter

Graduated nd filters offer landscape photographers more precise control over image exposure. By placing the darker end of the filter over brighter areas like the sky, you’ll allow the lighter end to better expose the foreground of your image.

As far as GND filters go, one of the best available is the Cokin Square Filter Gradual ND Creative Kit Plus. It includes a filter holder, along with three GND filters, a 1-stop, 2-stop and a 3-stop.

 

4. Best Variable ND Filter

If you want just one nd filter to carry instead of multiple filters, go for a variable nd filter. You’ll be able to dial in the right amount of nd stops for your image just by turning the outer ring on this dual-ring nd filter.

The best variable nd filter for your money is the K&F Concept 49mm Slim HD Multi-Coated Variable ND Neutral Density Adjustable ND2 ND4 ND8 to ND400 Lens Filter. Go from 2 to 8 stops with the turn of a filter ring in no time.

 

5. Best Filter Holder System (Neutral Density Filter Kits)

If you want an all-in-one nd filter solution, I recommend getting a neutral density filter kit. These typically come with the nd filters you need, plus the ring adapter to attach to your camera lens and an nd filter holder.

My recommendation for the best nd filter kit is the Cokin Expert ND Creative Kit. It includes a filter holder, 4 adapter rings, a 2-stop hard nd filter, a 2-stop GND filter and a 3-stop hard nd filter.

 

What Does An ND Filter Do?

Neutral density filters (ND filters) act like sunglasses for your camera, either for a portion of the frame or for your entire shot. ND filters are usually rated from 1-10 stops.

In other words, that’s the amount of stops by which you can reduce your shutter speed once you’ve mounted the filter on your lens. ND filters serve a couple of purposes.

1. Balance Exposure In Your Image

First, nd filters allow photographers to balance the exposure of their image when light conditions aren’t optimal. If you’re shooting a sunrise on the beach and you need to bring down the highlights in the sky without darkening your foreground subject, this is exactly what a graduated neutral density filter can help you accomplish.

2. Create Amazing Effects By Using Slower Shutter Speeds

Putting a dark nd filter on your camera lens allows you to use much longer shutter speeds. This has fantastic effects on things like water, moving clouds, car lights, people, and all sorts of other things. By reducing your images exposure by several stops of light, you’ll be able to create an amazing array of drama and interest in your photos.

NOTE: If this is already over your head, you might want to check out our “Start Here” page: Landscape Photography For Beginners.

 

 

For example, I used a B+W 77mm ND 3.0 (10-Stop Filter) in the photo above to make the crashing waves against the rocks look milky on a bright sunny day. By reducing the amount of light I needed to make a balanced exposure, I was able to leave leave the shutter open for 30 seconds, blurring the movement of the water. In my opinion, a good 10-stop filter is one of the best ND filters for a DSLR camera you can own.

 

 

Some Creative Ways Of Using ND Filters

It’s not just about balancing exposure. Landscape photographers also love using nd filters to create drama and dreamlike effects in their photos.

The significantly slower shutter speeds that neutral density filters open up a whole new world of possibilities for landscape photographers.

Use a neutral density filter to create these really cool effects:

• Make moving clouds appear soft
• Smooth out waves and choppy water
• Make waterfalls look milky and dreamlike
• Turn car headlights into streaks of color
• Blur moving tourists or even make them disappear
• Capture lightning from a thunderstorm

 

 

How To Use An ND Filter

Follow these steps for the easiest and most effective way of using an nd filter:

1. Place your camera on a tripod.
2. Switch your dslr to Live mode. This will allow you to easily see the adjustments you need to make in real time.
3. Lock in the camera setting you don’t want to compromise. For instance, if you want to maintain a wide depth of field, set your aperture to anywhere from f/8 and above.
4. Place your neutral density filter over your lens. If you’r using a round nd filter, simply screw it onto your lens using the built in threads. If you’re using an nd filter kit, mount the filter holder to your lens first, and then slide your nd filter into the holder.
5. In order to prevent light leak, make sure your nd filter completely covers your lens. Additionally, if you’re using a variable nd filter or a graduate nd filter, be sure to adjust it to your desired setting or effect.
6. Next, using Live view, adjust your other camera settings until you have your desired exposure (Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO). Be sure to turn on your Live View histogram overlay to make sure you have a well balanced exposure.
7. Finally, make any desired adjustments to your neutral density filter placement and take your shot.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by longexpo_addiction (@longexpo_addiction) on May 1, 2020 at 9:42am PDT

Stacking ND Filters

One more way to use neutral density filters is to stack them. By putting more than one nd filter on your lens, you’re able to reduce your overall exposure by even more stops of light.

By stacking nd filters you can:

1. Make crowds of people disappear. For example, you could setup your camera and tripod in a crowded place like the Eiffel Tower. If you stack multiple 10-stop nd filters, you could leave your camera’s shutter open for several minutes. This will make anyone who is moving through your frame disappear, leaving you with an image of a crowded iconic landmark all on its own.
2. Take photos of the sun. This can normally damage your camera’s sensor. However, by stacking multiple neutral density filters, you’re essentially putting a dark pair of protective sunglasses on your camera. Just be sure you don’t do this too often, as you could end up damaging your camera’s sensor over time. WARNING: Because of the harmful UV rays from the sun, DO NOT use your camera’s optical viewfinder while taking solar photography. You could do damage to your eyes over time. Either use your camera’s Live View or use a separate electronic viewfinder.
3. Combine slower shutter speeds with exposure balancing. For example, you could capture a long exposure image of moving clouds during a sunset at the beach. Just use a higher number nd filter like a 6-stop or 10-stop filter and combine that with a lower number graduated neutral density filter, positioning your GND filter so that it darkens the brighter sky while letting more light fall on your foreground at the bottom of your frame.

 

Types Of Neutral Density Filters

ND filters come in several shapes and sizes. Here is a list of the most common types of nd filters for dslr cameras.

Circular ND Filters

These filters screw onto your camera lens using the same kind of threads as any other dslr filter. Circular nd filters come in various sizes to match the size of different lenses.

Graduated Neutral Density Filters (GND Filters)

GND filters have a coating that transition from light to dark. They’re more commonly found in square or rectangular nd filters as they allow photographers to slide them up and down in their holder for the optimal position.

This filter is used primarily to bring balance to your photographs. It reduces the dynamic range of the scene you’re photographing. And it allows you to capture proper details in both the highlights and shadows of your image. Think of a GND filter as half a pair of sunglasses where only the top half are shaded.

For example, they work exceptionally well for capturing sunrises and sunsets. Just position the darker end of the GND filter to reduce the brighter area where the sun is and the lighter area will allow more light to expose your foreground.

Yes, you can reproduce the effects of a GND filter in Lightroom, but I’d much rather get it right in camera so I have more flexibility in my post processing workflow.

 

 

In the photo above, you can see that I was exposing for the rocks in the foreground. So I had to use a soft GND filter in order not to overexpose the sky.

 

There are 2 types of Graduated ND filters:

• Soft Edge Grad: Contains a smooth taper from the dark end to the clear end, which gives you softer transitions in your image.
• Hard Edge Grad: Has an abrupt demarcation between the dark end and the clear end, which is useful when you have a very flat horizon line in your image.

Variable ND Filters

These filters are dual ring circular nd filters that contain multiple nd stops in one filter. You can quickly increase or decrease stops of light by simply rotating the variable nd filter. The most common range of variable neutral density filter is a 2-stop to 8-stop VND. The advantage of VND filters is the ability to carry just one nd filter with you. The disadvantage of these filters is that you might get varying degrees of filtering in one image since you have to “dial in” the exposure you want.

 

Polarizer Vs ND Filter

Most people don’t realize it, but a polarizing filter is also considered an nd filter. Many polarizing filters have a 2-stop effect. But the difference between a polarizer vs nd filter is that a polarizing filter also darkens blue skies, cuts down on glare and allows you to see farther into water. These last two things are very hard to recreate during post processing. So it’s better to use a polarizer on the front end to achieve these effects.

 

No Limits To Neutral Density Filter Experimentation

Now that you know what the best ND filters for a DSLR camera are and what you can do with them, go out and experiment to your heart’s content!

And if you get some shots you’re really proud of, post a link to them in the comments below.

Happy shooting!

P.S. Watch my photography gear reviews to help you save money on things like the best external hard drive for photographers and the best table top tripod.

Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API