Neutral Density filters are often ignored by photographers, but they have several uses and offer the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. ND filters appear grey and reduce the amount of light reaching the film, they have no affect on color balance.
They have four main uses:
- To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with fast films, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, cars, seas etc.
- To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background.
- To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (ie: above ISO400) and allow it to be used outdoors in blight situations.
- To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which would normally cause over-exposure.
| NDx2 (0.3) | NDx4 (0.6) | NDx8 (0.9) | |
| Shutter Spped/ Aperture Decrease | 1 Stop | 2 Stops | 3 Stops |
| ISO Film Speed Decrease i.e. ISO800 |
1/2 ISO400 | 1/4 ISO200 |
1/8 ISO100 |
Hoya Multi-Coated Technology (HMC)
To provide photographers with a higher quality professionals require, Hoya created the Multi-coated line of filters. These filters have a 3 layer coating system that further reduces light reflections off the surfaces of the glass, the average is only 1-2%. This means that 98-99% of the light striking the filter is going through it, and depending on the type of filter, into the camera lens and onto the film. These layers of anti-reflective coating are bonded to the surface of the glass in a furnace at a temperature of up to 800 degrees F.
In conditions of extreme light intensity, such as sunshine on snowy mountains or on the beach, or when using a camcorder, ND (Neutral Density) filters are recommended as essential.