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Photography Question 

Ryan Chai
 

Lee and Cokin Filters


Okay, I was looking at the Cokin Grey Grad ND's and it looks like it is giving the sample pictures a gray sky, hence the name. Does the Grad ND's that Lee have do the same thing. When I put the ND on w/ a blue sky I want a blue sky not a gray one. Anyone have any of these Cokin Grad ND's???

Thanks


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July 29, 2004

 

Jon Close
  Grad ND = Graduated Neutral Density. The filter itself has a gray color one one half, gradually turning clear on the other half. Though it is gray, it actually blocks all colors equally, hence the name neutral density. It will not make blue skies gray, unless you are using black & white film. In fact it is used to even out the exposure in a scene so that bright skies appear blue instead of pale or white.


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July 29, 2004

 

Ryan Chai
  The pictures I was looking at

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=14436&is=REG

had a dark gray sky. If I wanted a vivid blue sky but needed to expose the foreground properly would the Cokin turn the blue sky gray like this picture?


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July 29, 2004

 

Jon Close
  The sky in that sample is heavily overcast, not a clear blue sky. The "without" filter picture is the one in the upper left. The lower right "with filter" picture is simply not well done. It looks like they used a far darker ND than was needed in that situation. The sky has been darkened, but the foreground is extremely overexposed. I can't explain why Cokin or B&H would issue that pair of images as a sample.

More typical use is illustrated at http://www.adorama.com/ckp121s.html. The upper left "before" pic has a whited out sky with no detail, while the lower right "after" gives texture to the clouds without changing the foreground exposure.


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July 29, 2004

 

Ryan Chai
  Thank you for your input, I guess I will give the Cokin Grad ND a shot, that sample picture you had was a little better.

Thanks a ton! Happy Shooting

Ryan Chai


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July 30, 2004

 
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