ND Filters on The Fuji X-Pro1 to Shoot Wide Open in Broad Daylight:
I’ve been getting some emails asking for more info on ND filters, specifically for the Fuji X-Pro1, so I decided to make a post of it. Just to recap from my post about ND filters with Fuji X-Pro1, the whole reason for why I need an ND filter is because I want to be able to shoot at a wide aperture in broad daylight. Shooting at a wide aperture allows me to create an image with a shallow depth of field. Shooting like this lets me isolate the subject in the photograph, and helping me create beautiful bokeh.
Generally, the wider the aperture, the more light that you let into the lens. The problem with this is, in broad daylight, there is too much light resulting in overexposure if I choose to shoot at a wide aperture. I could adjust the shutter speed to compensate but there are many situations where the shutter speed on my X-Pro1 just isn’t fast enough (max speed is 1/4000 of a second on the X-Pro1). This is where my ND filter comes into play.
With an ND filter, I can lessen the amount of light that goes through my lens allowing me to shoot at wide apertures in daylight without changing the color. I find an ND filter extremely useful with a lens, such as, the XF 35mm F1.4 R lens or even the XF 28mm F2.0 R lens. The great thing about the two X-Pro1 lenses is that they both have the same filter thread, so you don’t need to buy two ND filters if you don’t mind switching them back and forth.
ND Filter Great For Landscape Photos:
Not only can a ND filter help you shoot wide open in daylight, it can also help you create great landscape photos. For instance, if you’re taking a photo of a beach, you might want to shoot at a low shutter speed to blur out the water. I use a three stop ND filter but there are many ND filters that reduce the amount of light that goes through the lens by nine or even ten stops. An ND filter like this, combined with a small aperture can help you photograph waterfalls or beaches with nice, silky-smooth, flowing water because by reducing the light that goes through my lens, I am able to shoot at lower shutter speeds.
Who Makes ND Filters?:
Pretty much, every filter company out there makes ND filters. Tiffen, Hoya, B+W, and Heliopan are just a few names that come to mind that make ND filters. As I stated in a previous post titled, ND Filter For The Fuji X-Pro1, I use B+W ND filters because I’ve used them for quite some time, and I know that they are built to last. The one that I use specifically is the B+W 52mm ND 0.9-8x with Single Coating (103) Filter, and it sells for $42.00. However, if you’re interested in just trying out an ND filter, you can purchase cheaper alternatives, such as, Hoya 52mm HMC ND8 Multi-Coated ND Filter for 22.45 or even a Tiffen Neutral Density 0.9 Filter for $15.95.
I hope this helps. Stay tuned for more photos, and equipment reviews coming up. Thanks for stopping by!
