ND Grads...hard or soft

[havoc]

Know it's probably been discussed before, but no time right now to use search (sorry).

What's the difference between hard and soft (assume it's the transition from shaded to clear), and:-
- which is better?
- (more sensible question) which circumstances are they more useful for?

Oh...final question - Cokin seem a fair bit cheaper than Lee and B&W. Are they good enough, as don't fancy shelling out well over £100.

Thanks,

Martin

[Andy M]

I bet you could have found your answer doing a search in the time it took you to write that out...

All the same, here's a few to start you off:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=248083&f=109&h=0&hw=ND+GRADS

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=199932&f=109&h=0&hw=ND+GRADS

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=292087&f=109&h=0&hw=ND+GRADS

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=225018&f=109&h=0&hw=ND+GRADS

[V6GTO]

I've got the hard set...no complaints here.

Martin.

[havoc]

Thanks guys.

The prices for Lee stuff really puts me off - I can't actually afford a full set of Lee kit (adaptor, holder, 2 or 3 grads, cleaning stuff = c.£200!) at the moment (barely afford the Cokin kit), but if Cokin aren't truly neutral, then the £60-70 for the equivalent Cokin stuff is almost wasted money.

Almost thinking about not bothering based on that paragraph, but am off to Vietnam in 10 days and figure it'd be very useful to have for the landscapes...so need to make a decision and purchase this week...

Any advice other than 'just buy the Lee kit and worry about money later' would be appreciated.



PS - why does 'hard' seem to be preferred, when to my mind it'd make the photo look less natural unless you had a 'hard' horizon dead-centre in the photo (which would break the rule of thirds and really restrict your flexibility in creating a shot)? I'm confused!!!

[gregorio!]

Martin, i had the same thoughts, and i'm happy with my Cokin P series kit. I found the cheapest online price here
The only extra thing needed is an adapter for your lens type. I bought a 52mm adapter for my kit lens from a local store for £6.50
Hard grads are ok if you line up the egde with the horizon, soft grads are easier to use without.

[longers]

havoc said:

it'd make the photo look less natural unless you had a 'hard' horizon dead-centre in the photo (which would break the rule of thirds and really restrict your flexibility in creating a shot)? I'm confused!!!

The filters can be positioned in the holders so that they cover as much or as little of the scene as you wanted so you'd compose as normal then slide the grad up or down in the filter holder (you can even turn the filter holder to an angle if you want - it doesn't need to be horizontal).

I've got the Cokin kit and am happy with it for now but one day I'll upgrade to Lee. The prices of the Lee grad's isn't too bad but the polarizer.....

Longers

[V6GTO]

longers said:

The prices of the Lee grad's isn't too bad but the polarizer.....

Longers

But the one I'd buy first would be the CP. I'm assuming that when you get to Vietnam the skys will be blue, and this lessens the need for a grad but is crying out for a CP.

Martin.

[-DeaDLocK-]

Advice I've been given is that if you have to choose only one ND grad to bring along with you, make it a 0.6 hard.

I also originally thought that getting a "hard" one was a bad idea, for the reason that you pointed out. However, try sticking the edge of a sheet of paper right at the edge of your lens and peer through the viewfinder. You will see that the "hard" edge gets blurred so much it actually becomes quite soft!

So a "soft" grad would actually be very soft in usage, which probably might not be ideal in as many circumstances as a harder graduation.

[V6GTO]

-DeaDLocK- said:

Advice I've been given is that if you have to choose only one ND grad to bring along with you, make it a 0.6 hard.

I also originally thought that getting a "hard" one was a bad idea, for the reason that you pointed out. However, try sticking the edge of a sheet of paper right at the edge of your lens and peer through the viewfinder. You will see that the "hard" edge gets blurred so much it actually becomes quite soft!

So a "soft" grad would actually be very soft in usage, which probably might not be ideal in as many circumstances as a harder graduation.

This is very true. When lowering a 0.6 hard grad down it'd impossible to see any edge, just a slow darkening of the subject.

Martin.

[havoc]

OK, done some searching, and The Digital Camera Shop www.thedigitalcamerashop.co.uk/ look a fair bit cheaper than Bristol Cameras or Warehouse Express. Anyone used them/heard of them?!?

Have decided to go for:-
- Hoya Circ Polariser (got one for the 58mm lenses, not for the 72mm)
- Cokin kit and 3 grads
- Cokin 72mm adaptor (maybe a 58mm one too)