Technique
RIGHT The H&Y 100 system has a drop- in polariser, which is positioned behind any other filters in use. Front-fitting filters are held in place by magnetism BOTTOM RIGHT Kase’s K9 filter system positions the polariser behind any other filters, and uses a drive cog to enable the photographer to adjust the polariser without needing to move from behind the camera LEFT Lee Filters has recently launched its 85 system for smaller format cameras, replacing its Seven5 system
Filters It’s simple: the filters every outdoor photographer should consider are the circular polariser, neutral density (ND) graduate and the extreme ND. There is one more and that is the protection filter, which every camera user should consider. Many filter makers offer protection filters in their range, but ultraviolet (UV) and skylight filters do the same basic job. There are plenty of other filters around, so it’s always worth checking out options. You may, for example, be tempted by mist or star filters or graduate filters that add colour rather than just cut down lighting levels. There’s also the infrared filter type that only lets invisible IR reach the sensor. To use this, you will definitely need a tripod, and effects vary from camera to camera. If IR photography is something you want to do seriously, the best bet might be to get a spare camera converted to IR capture only. But back to our core filters, the polariser, ND grad and the extreme ND. Taking the last named first, the extreme ND is an overall neutral density filter and starts from, say, a filter factor of 64X or 6EV and goes to 32,000X or 15EV and more. It simply lets you set much slower shutter speeds than normal to achieve effects that simply can’t be achieved in any other way, although those effects do not appeal to everyone. Milky water, blurred skies and street scenes where people seem to have vanished. If the idea appeals, it is worth getting a 6EV ND and 10EV ND – Lee Filters calls these the Little Stopper and Big Stopper respectively, and those names are now used generically.
If you find you like this style of shooting, then add the 15EV ND (Lee calls this one the Super Stopper), which will allow exposures of several minutes even in very bright lighting. The ND grad is half toned and half clear, with the transition between the two areas varying from hard or soft. Medium is an option offered by some brands. If you shoot a lot of unbroken horizons, buy a hard grad, but for scenics where trees or buildings interrupt horizons, go for a medium or soft grad. And they come in different strengths, with the 0.6 ND and 0.9 ND the most popular, with a top-to-bottom difference of 2EV and 3EV respectively. The third filter is the polariser, and of the three you could
argue that this is the one every photographer should own. It’s multipurpose, easy to use and its effect can’t be replicated in software. It can make a blue sky more intense, cut down reflections off water and glass, and kill glare off surfaces like foliage, rocks and painted surfaces, thus saturating colours. It’s also a gentle ND, absorbing 1 to 2EV of light. The polariser doesn’t work in every situation, so before fitting, hold it up to your eye and rotate it. For scenics, the polariser works with areas that are 90° to the sun. As a quick guide, stick your forefinger straight out and your thumb straight up. Point at the sun and rotate your wrist – where the thumb points is where the polariser has most effect.
If you want know more about polarisers and their effectiveness on surfaces such as glass, do a web search for ‘Brewster’s angle’. Filters are either a slot (or creative) system or screw-in. There is no right or wrong here, so buy the type that suits you. Kase recently introduced a system where there’s no holder, and you get a metal lens ring and the filters in a magnetised frame just pop on. With screw-in buy the size for your lenses. You might end up with identical filters in different sizes, or you could invest in some step-up/ down rings. Slot systems come in various sizes, with 75/85mm, 100mm and 150mm catering for different formats and lenses. Here, a holder is held on the lens via an adapter
ring and filters slide into the holder. Magnetism is used by some makers and offers a good alternative. For full-frame, especially if you have wide-angle lenses, the safe option is 100mm. Bear in mind that while 100mm filters from different brands can fit different holders, the holders and rings are not universal. For smaller formats such as APS-C and Micro Four Thirds, Lee has recently its launched its 85 system, which replaces the Seven5 system. There’s a full test of the LEE85 system in this issue. Cokin andHoya: intro2020.co.uk H&Y: phototeq.com Kase Filters: kasefilters.com K&F: swains.co.uk Lee Filters: leefilters.com Marumi: kenro.co.uk
Lenses are your eyes
We all visualise pictures in different ways and it’s fair to say that any lens can work for landscapes – from a pinhole and fisheye to macro and super telezoom. There’s no right or wrong, and much depends on your personal preferences and the scene you’re faced with. If you have a strong foreground, a wide-angle pointing down slightly will let you make the most of it and give your scene a solid base. If you’re up high, fitting a long lens will compress perspective and let you isolate interesting detail. If you are reading this, you probably already own a lens or two and perhaps you might be looking to embellish your outfit. Of course, the camera brands offer their own lenses and there’s always the independent option that can be less expensive with some unusual options, too,
which can give your shots an individual twist. Here are a few lenses that prove the point, and there are plenty more out RIGHT Sigma’s 10x 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM
there. If you like wide-angles, Irix has a 11mm f/4 for Canon EF and Nikon F and from Laowa we have just seen the arrival of a 9mm f/5.6 ultra-wide in L-Mount, Leica M, Nikon Z and Sony FE fits. If you want a wide and fast lens, then look at Sigma’s 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens. If you are a Micro Four Thirds owner, Voigtländer has a five-lens collection, each with a f/0.95 maximum aperture, perfect to enjoy some selective focus and bokeh effects in your scenics. If fast
aperture lenses appeal, for Canon EOS and Nikon F full-frame owners, there are four f/1.4 lenses in the Zeiss Otus family. Here’s a list of UK distributors of third-party lenses, so check out their latest products and see what they can do for your picture-taking.
Irix: swains.co.uk Laowa: laowalens.co.uk Samyang: intro2020.co.uk Sigma: sigma-imaging-uk.com Tamron: transcontinenta.co.uk Tokina: tokinalens.com Voigtländer: flaghead.co.uk Zeiss: zeiss.co.uk
ABOVE The Irix 11mm f/4 is one of the widest rectilinear full-frame lenses around – available for Canon EF and Nikon F
Issue 80 | Photography News 13
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