Using GND as ND Filter

[airkev]

I saw another thread about using a ND filter as a GND filter (not an effective

idea) but Im wondering about the reverse.I have a Singh-Ray 3 stop hard GND

and noticed I could fill the frame on my EFS 17-55 with just the tinted

portion with no untinted areas visible.Havent actually practised it yet but

seems like this could be a way to save from buying ND filters.Anyone ever try

this or know any reason why it wouldnt be effective?.

[david_henderson]

Can't see much reason why this wouldn't work so long as it really does cover. Frankly I don't make a lot of use of a ND filter so its a good filter to be able to improvise rather than carry.

[frank_dzambic]

Sure, I've done it many times. You still have to hit the DOF button (stop down to your shooting aperture)while you're placing it though, to make sure it really does cover the entire lens aperture. You can even get really fancy and use one GND as a plain ND filter, and then stack another one over top of it to be used as a GND filter, like if you had a stream in the foreground, with bright sky in the background, and you wanted to blur the water more than you could by simply stopping down.

[airkev]

Thanks,,,Ill give it a go.

[studor13]

Kevin, the cost of a couple of Hitech NDs are not that expensive compared with a Singh-Ray.

 

You would kick yourself if you got that one water shot in a thousand that you needed to lose say 6 stops(1.2 ND plus polarizer)and found that at 17mm there was a gap, or even worse found the problem only when you got onto the PC.

[airkev]

Yes Andy,, I know Hitechs are a good value,,,I just ordered 5 HiTech GNDs for the price of 2 Singh Rays :-).One of the reasons Im looking to cut costs on NDs since I got the gamut of HiTech GNDs.Your recommendation is duly noted,,,thx.