Split neutral density filter strength

<p>I would like to get a Lee split neutral density filter with the Cokin Pro Z holder. I want to use the filter primarily for mountain sunsets and sunrises. For now I can only afford to get just one, so was leaning towards the .9 soft. I noticed that they come in .6, .75, and the .9 strengths. If getting just one filter, would the .9 be my best choice? Thanks.</p>

<p>If you'd shot mainly with level horizons and particularly by the sea I'd support a 3 stop filter and indeed since migrating to digital with its much wider dynamic range than the slide film I used to use, a 3 stop is now my default value. However, Lee are a little harder edged than the HiTech grads I use , and you're talking mountains so very irregular skylines. I'd be inclined to play it safe and opt for the two stop (0.6) soft. If you're using digital, this may well be enough to capture detail in the sky and if so you can always top up the strength of the grad in post. </p>

<p>I'd agree w/ David. Worst case is that you need to bump it up slightly in post-p</p>

<p>Yes, David's suggestion seems right. It reduces the chance of getting a too-dark sky which looks so unnatural, but you see in many pictures where a ND grad has been used. David also mentions HiTech - have you considered them instead of Lee? They are much cheaper and up to about 1.2 pretty neutral. </p>

<p>John; wish I could agree with you on the neutrality of Hitech. There's a lot of good things about them and indeed I've used them for almost two decades, but my experience has been of all sorts of colour casts from blue through to purple/brown. I buy from the factory, explain that I'm professional so neutrality is important to me, but I still reckon I send half of what they send me right back after checking them out on white paper or a white north facing window sill. Normally on the second go they get it more right. Indeed I've retained here all the Hitech filters I've ever bought and if I put these on a light-box you'd be amazed at the variation in colour you see. And these are the ones I've kept and used! <br>

I have to say also that I've seen a distinct pinkness in white clouds resulting from the use of Lee filters too, and I've seen one or two on photo.net say that Singh Ray aren't immune either. So basically I get an acceptable approximation of neutrality through close examination and return when necessary. The thing that surprises me is that I had a lengthy exchange with a senior guy at Formatt (HiTech) more than ten years ago in which it became quite clear that they have the means to test for neutrality. What they plainly don't do is reflect that in a set of standards that mean they don't make or send out filters that are not neutral. Pity, for as you say they're cheaper than Lee, and I also like their take on gradations better - seems easier to avoid a visible "line" somehow.</p>

<p>All that said, and despite the fact that I do very often increase or fade the effect of my grads in post quite frequently, I still regard grads as an essential part of a landscape photographers kit.</p>

<p>David, maybe I've been lucky with HiTech but my ND6,4 and two 2-stop grads are well within my tolerance range (unlike Cokin etc). I have some screw B+Ws that at ND6 have a considerable red cast and the ND10 stop is almost unusable; the HiTech is much better at 6 stops. However what I often do, with any make, is to take one picture with no filter in which the colours are right and which can act as a template for correcting colours with NDs in post if necessary. Sometimes this just can't be done satisfactorily, sometimes it can. Yeah, my Lee filters are pretty good but I've nothing stronger than 3 stops. Where I really like Lee is the hardware - wide angle adapters and an easily removed holder, and the white 'lens caps' that fit over the adapters.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone for your comments and input. In the end I decided to go with the .9 Lee soft. Later I may add the .6 soft and a .9 hard. These things are ridiculously expensive. Hopefully they're worth it.</p>

<p>I received the .9 Lee soft grad. Other than feeling a little not too bright for spending so much on a piece of plastic, I'm very pleased with it and think I made the right choice going with the .9 grad. I may get the .6 hard grad someday to go with it. I haven't decided yet whether or not to get the Lee holder and wide angle adaptor, which will be another $150. I had bought the Lee holder when I bought the grad but had to send it back because it vignetted too much. From the reviews I've read, the Lee is better in that respect. </p>