Need a bit of help with spending $200.

[jdbb]

Hello all

I've been thinking about getting some filters for the camera and now I've got a $200 gift voucher to spend.

We're going on an eight week trip out to Flinders Ranges, Birdsville, Mt Isa etc and will do a lot more outback trips in the future. What filter/s would you recommend for landscape photography in these areas?

regards

John

[bigdazzler]

A screw on Circular Polariser for your 24-70, and some Neutral Density & Gradual Neutral Density filters. Must have filters for any serious landscaper.

If I had to choose 2 only, it would be a CPL and a soft GND8 (3 stops)

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day John

Darren's response is on the ball ... however if you still have any problems, I can lend you a couple of kids who will willingly spend your money for you :)

Regards, Phil

[David]

When I saw the word "we" I assume you are going with a person who MIGHT not been keen on getting up EVERY morning to join u on a sunrise shoot and you are likely to be doing most of your photography during the day when the sun is up and in your face.

That means you are going to be dealing with bright sunlit scenes a lot of the time so the first thing I would be getting would be (if you can only afford one of each) a 3 stop ND filter that will fit your 24-70mm lens. That should offer some protection from blown out highlights in shots in raw sunlight and enable you to have more control over the DOF of your shots and allow you to slow down the shutter speed for shots like waterfalls and seascapes where you want blur the water etc.

The second choice for me would be a toss up between a GND soft 3 stop filter or a CPL. I would be stretching the budget if necessary to get BOTH.

If you nominate the GND you are going to have to also buy a filter holder and an adaptor ring to have total control over where the GND sits in the frame and to keep it CLEAN between shots..people talk about using the GNDs WITHOUT an adaptor ring and holder but they don't tell u how easy it is to screw up the shot and get finger marks etc all over it.

I would on this budget go with the 3 stop (preferably soft) GND filter option as Darren suggested too. The GND will be useful for LANDSCAPES and SEASCAPES with a HORIZON LINE amongst other things.

A Circular Polariser is also a good landscape photography tool that I think is essential to have in your kit, particularly where REFLECTIONS of light are present like sunlight on the ocean or on the leaves of trees in a rain forest or on the glass on buildings.

For 200.00 you might be stretching to get reasonable quality filters if you go for the 3 suggested along with the adaptor ring and filter holder for your GND BUT you may not get to go back to those places again in a hurry so spending more than you hoped might turn out to be a very good investment that you will not regret.

The other thing u might want to do is do some good research on how to use these filters. You could start here -

http://www.redbubble.com/people/peterh111/journal/4421304-the-ultimate-easy-guide-to-neutral-density-filters

Good luck and hope u get a heap of gr8 images from your trip.

[soulman]

Yeah, I'd get a top quality polariser too. I have a Hoya Pro1. A 77mm version of that from D-D Photo is nearly $200. At least it will fit your 100-400 too though!

[jdbb]

Thanks for the reples.

That filter link is great - thanks David.

I ended up with a Hoya Pro1 circular pl - the budget didn't extend to anything else on this occassion.

I'll now start looking at gnd's and maybe Santa will come up with the goods.

regards

John