Kase Buyers Guide: Neutral Density Filters

Over the past 3 years, I have exclusively been using Kase Filters and have recently moved to their excellent new magnetic system. Kase filters are simply the best filter I have used, and I have tried quite a few over the years. If you are interested in purchasing filters for yourself I can now offer a 5% discount code, please follow the link HTTPS://KASEFILTERS.COM/REF/NBURNELL/ and use the code: NEIL when purchasing.

If you’re just starting out in your filter journey, you will have come across a multitude of filters, so where do you begin? What stops do you need? Do you need graduated filters and what about variable density or filters for astrophotography? This ND Buying guide will help guide you through what is right for you and what to avoid.

Let’s start with fixed f-stop neutral density (ND) filters. Each ND filter will reduce the light reaching the camera sensor by a number of f-stops. The higher the f-stop, the less light is allowed to reach your camera sensor.

3-stop ND Filter

For landscape photographers, a 3-stop is often overlooked but can become very helpful around sunrise and sunset where you may not want a long exposure, to capture cloud definition and creating more impact in your photograph. A 10-stop is not particularly suited for sunrise and sunset as it often goes beyond the ideal exposure range and can result in exposure times that exceed the sunrise or sunset itself. I generally use a 3-stop ND to create movement within waves or sometimes to create ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) Images. Using the 3-stop ND will give you approximately one second exposure time in overcast or soft light at the beginning or end of the day.

6-stop ND Filter

The 6-stop ND filter is a landscape photographer's second best friend. Right next to the tripod. A 6-stop ND filter is great for anyone who wants to shoot long exposure sunrise or sunsets, waterfalls and capture moving water. It is without a doubt one of the most used and versatile fixed ND filters.

Most landscape photographers, if you asked them what one filter would you only carry into the field, would be the 6-stop ND. A 6-stop ND is an ideal filter for shooting waterfalls, cascading rivers and sunsets in the mountains, or even on the coast and urban environments where you want to reduce human movement from a composition.

If you primarily shoot landscapes and work in the outdoors then acquiring a 6 stop would be highly recommended.
Anyone looking to shoot coastal, urban environments, and abstract Black and White photographs, a 10-stop ND is the better choice, however, also consider shooting with a 6-stop at low ISO range 50-100 or stacking a 3-stop and 6-stop for great versatility.

10-stop ND Filter

The 10-stop ND filter is a must for anyone considering coastal long exposures or abstract Black & White or urban long exposures, especially in brighter light conditions. With a 10-stop ND filter, you can push exposure times beyond many cameras maximum standard shutter speeds which is typically 30-60 seconds depending on the brand and model of camera.

This means using remote shutters or Intervalometers you control shutter speeds as you will typically be working in minutes, not seconds, because of this you can achieve some dramatic results if the technique and composition are strong. In summary, the 10-stop ND filter isn’t suitable for sunrise or sunsets and often not the primary choice for many landscape photographers working in wooded or mountainous regions. More often is the prime choice for many coastal photographers, wishing to prolong exposure times and to achieve clean and minimalist compositions.

16-stop ND Filter

The 16-stop ND filter can be considered a specialist filter, this is used almost exclusively with landscape photographers wishing to achieve long exposure times resulting in ethereal cinematic images.

A 16-stop ND filter is almost exclusively used in coastal or urban environments to extended the shutter speeds into minutes and will require gradient filters to help control the balance of light across the composition. This choice of filter often requires more skills out of the camera, with the increased use of post-processing with programmes such as Adobe Photoshop to blend and stack exposures.

Some difficulties in this area of photography come from colour casting. Cheaper resin ND filters can impact the colour balance and result in unpleasing casting across the photograph. Using a premium filter, such as Kase’s Wolverine glass which has virtually no colour casting, makes your work visually more pleasing and means less work in post-production, fixing casting issues from filters.

For this reason, the 16 stop ND filter would be advised when you are confident in long exposure photography.

VISIT: HTTPS://KASEFILTERS.COM/REF/NBURNELL/

5% DISCOUNT CODE: NEIL

If you have any further questions regarding filters or my Long Exposure Workshops, please drop me a message using the contact me button below.