The Canon Magazine 33
CAMERA SKILLS
THE DROP-IN SYSTEM
Things to consider with drop-in filters...
For the serious landscape photographer, a set of drop-in
filters is a necessity because of the versatility and control
they offer. Most holders also allow for a dedicated
polarizing filter.
PROS Drop-in filters can be used on different lenses,
and offer a huge amount of control.
CONS Glass drop-in filters offer great image quality,
but are heavier and bulkier than screw-in filters.Maximum control
When you shoot a
landscape, the horizon may
b e uneven acros s the
fram e, such as a mountain
scene, and will then need to
use a ‘soft’ graduated filter
rather than ‘hard’
graduated filters. Drop-in
filters give you more
flexibility to adapt.6 ND GRAD FILTER
Neutral-density graduated filters
are designed to reduce the light
entering the lens at the top of the
filter and graduate to no effect
about halfway down. This lets you
maintain detail in skies that are
brighter than the foreground.
4 VARIABLE ND FILTER
Neutral-density filters reduce the amount
of light passing through them, so you can
use slower shutter speeds or shoot with
a wider aperture in bright conditions.
A variable ND has a rotating front section
where you can change the strength of the filter
in light reducing stops – usually from one to eight stops.
5 EXTREME ND FILTER
Taking ND filters to the limit, extreme
NDs are much stronger than standard
NDs and appear completely opaque to
the human eye, so you have to focus and
calculate exposure before attaching them to
the lens. These filters are typically available
in 6-, 10- and 15-stop densities.7 REVERSE-GRAD FILTER
Reverse-grad filters are designed for use at
sunrise and sunset, when the horizon is the
brightest part of the scene. They have a hard
graduation from no effect that begins in the
centre of the filter, that quickly graduates up
to a full effect. This then graduates softly to
no effect at the top of the filter.Images:^ JamesAbbott