Lessons Learned - Landscape Photography Necessitities

[jointdoc]

Is there a need for ND filters if you bracket your exposures and use photoshop to blend in the correct exposures?  I took a course at Maine Multimedia this summer and my instructor said she quit using ND graduated filters and used photoshop with multiple exposures.

[thebowtie]

Is there a need for ND filters if you bracket your exposures and use photoshop to blend in the correct exposures?  I took a course at Maine Multimedia this summer and my instructor said she quit using ND graduated filters and used photoshop with multiple exposures.

Good question. I have been experimenting with a 58mm Hoya graduated ND4 filter for my 50mm f/1.4 and have found that it plays havoc with the focus mechanism - of my old 50D and now my 5Dmk3. Focus is slow (partly a property of this lens) and I suspect due to using Evaluative TTL - although Center-weighted average doesn't make it noticeably better.

I have conducted some test shots recently to see if there's a better way - and like your experience, have found that I can get as-good or better using photoshop, provided I prepare a little more and do some Exposure bracketing.

What I see as the advantage of using post, is that you can make the exposure look anyway you like - whereas once you have shot it with an Grad-ND filter - there's no way back.

The IQ on the 5D3 is so much better than my old 50D, that I'm quite happy to do it in software now.

[Eli]

Is there a need for ND filters if you bracket your exposures and use photoshop to blend in the correct exposures?  I took a course at Maine Multimedia this summer and my instructor said she quit using ND graduated filters and used photoshop with multiple exposures.

You can blend multiple exposures, it's what I do most of the time, but sometimes you just need to get it right in one exposure, especially during sunsets or sunrises when every minute counts, an example would be if you're taking a long exposure for motion blurred water and the sun is just in the right position with the light hitting perfectly where you'd like it, by the time you finish and take the second exposure the sun and light could've changed.

But yes, most of the times it is easier just taking multiple exposures and blending them together.

[96Brigadier]

Is there a need for ND filters if you bracket your exposures and use photoshop to blend in the correct exposures?  I took a course at Maine Multimedia this summer and my instructor said she quit using ND graduated filters and used photoshop with multiple exposures.

Part of the answer is what you enjoy doing.  For me I enjoy getting the exposure correct when I take the picture, for others they enjoy doing it in post processing.  I am doing more post processing than I used to do, and recently purchased Photoshop.  I suspect I'll end up doing some filter effects in Photoshop once I know how but I don't think it will end up replacing my filters since I like to do it in the field.

Personally I have the Lee system:

1x Foundation kit
1x Upgrade kit
**the above two together are equivalent to the Professional kit**
1x each of .6 / .9 Soft Edge ND
1x each of .6 / .9 Hard Edge ND
1x Big Stopper
1x Filter pouch
1x Singh Ray LB Warming Circular Polarizer (fits in the Lee holder)

Yes it is costly but I am happy with the pictures I can produce in the field.