H2 Landscape - Neutral Density or Polarized?

<p>I recently acquired a Hasselblad H2 (film back) with a 50-110 zoom lens. I also picked up two B&W filters (hard to find for 95mm), one linear polarizing filter and one warming filter. My question is whether or not I should pickup a split neutral-density filter for shooting mountain ranges and shots with big skies in the upper frame? I prefer shooting predominantly landscape, from a distance, sunset shots and panorama views. I've heard most people prefer a polarized filter but I've also heard the neutral-density filter can help tone down sunlight and make mountain and rock images pop more. So which one would give me better perspective or should I consider, at times, using both together?</p>

<p>A split ND won't do much good as a screw-in filter. You need a rectangular version that can slide in a holder (q.v., Lee, Cokin, etc). That way you can fine-tune its position to affect only the part of the scene you want.</p>

<p>This technique is most useful when you have a bright sky and a foreground in shadow, so you can reduce the light from the sky, keeping detail in both the sky and foreground. I wouldn't bother with a sunset. The sun is so bright you might as well expose for it and let the foreground go to silhouette.</p>

<p>I see no compelling reason to use both at the same time. A polarizer will darken blue sky and reduce glare on rocks and water, neither of which calls for a split ND. On the other hand, a split ND will darken a cloudy sky, on which a polarizer has no effect.</p>

<p>A non-split ND filter affects all parts of the scene equally. It won't make anything pop in that sense. It will let you use a wider aperture or slower shutter speed. This allows for selective focus (e.g., blurring the background) or creative motion blur (e.g., moving water), which can often improve isolation and composition.</p>

<p>Joe,</p>

<p>Most certainly use ND grads to enhance your photographs. Combine them with your polarizer too. As also said, use rectangular filters, such as Lee. For your 50-110mm lens you'll need the Lee 100mm Push On Filter Holder:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.leefiltersusa.com/camera/products/show/ref:C4761061684662/">http://www.leefiltersusa.com/camera/products/show/ref:C4761061684662/</a></p>

<p>I use grad filters for many photographs. Good luck with your H2.</p>

<p>Kind regards,<br>

Derek Jecxz<br>

<p>I think that the vast majority of serious landscape photographers will carry a polariser and at least one or two graduated ND filters. Very occasionally I'll use both together but its rare. </p>

<p>Joe,<br>

Unless you are only going to use the camera in Manual mode and meter via a seperate handheld exposure meter, the Linear Polariser is going to be next to useless.<br>

Autofocus cameras (as well as some manual focus ones),require a Circular polariser due to the beam splitting aspect of metering/focussing design. Linear ones will lead to incorrect exposure readings if used.</p>