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I have a varilable ND filter, but use it only for video. The sunlight is very bright in southern Utah USA in summer, and the filter does its job well when capturing video. I do get that X pattern, but as stated, only at the extremes and it has not been an issue.
Ian I use a K&F Concept Variable ND Filter. I find it works very well. No problems of exposure variability. I’m very happy with it. I use it for long exposures of waterfalls.
Same here. Both my fixed & variable ND filters are K&F Concept. Unlike cameras or computers, filters last for decades, so buy the best. Buy cheap, buy twice.
I use the 10-stop VND from K&F. I use it to cut the brightness on really sunny days in Australia. Works well, but I never take it past 9 stops to avoid X marks and the like.
Lens pen is an awesome tool to remove dirty spots on your lens, but, 1 - you're better buy original one, its much more durable than alternatives, and doesnt cost so much, 2 - it's not for total lens cleaning, there are cloth for that, and both need to be regularly washed
Thank you for the video. I’m in the middle of researching magnetic filter systems but haven’t settled on what to buy yet. There are just a few reviews on them. More are needed. As many others have said only purchase the original LensPen product but I also highly recommend quality clear filters to protect each lens so the pen never touches the coated lens surface itself. Take care.
There was a theme, namely don’t buy cheap! Ian, you mention lens pens, and the flaws of a cheap purchase product, but I use the actual LensPen brand, and it’s a super product. Ideal to pop in bag, doesn’t consume space, works great on lens and filters, especially the odd finger print, etc.. I never take my blower with me. And I’ve never needed to use the Zeiss wipes I have in the bag, other than for my glasses! David Maffin.
@@ian_worth I fourth the comment. The genuine Lens Pen has some kind of 'stuff' on the pad end, which cleans the lens or filter beautifully. The genuine article is substantially more expensive but worth every penny.
I definitely agree with this. You must use the name brand to have it work well. You also need to put the little suction cup end back in the cap while cleaning it to get it refreshed with the carbon covering. After a while you do need to replace them. Where I find the work best is on the tight inside edge part of the lens and filters.
Ha! I like the lens pen. It's a light, portable, takes up no space, brush. The retractable bit means (1) you don't get random muck on it (if you don't touch it with your hands) and (2) it's variable stiffness, the bristles being effectively stiffer when it's only partially extended. Safely knocks most duist off the lens in the field. The pad at the other end is silly, though.
I’ve used a lot of “cheap” gear in professional photography with mostly great results saving a ton of money. It’s a great way to get started if you can’t afford $200 for a single mounting plate, which is going to be most people. There’s tons of great affordable gear out there that will get the job done. In most cases, nobody will be the wiser. This even applies to you camera and lenses, you probably don’t need the newest best of anything and only a nerdy pixel peeper will see the difference. Buy affordable equipment, preferably used from an amateur photographer.
Thanks for reminding me of the lens pen! I thought the same as you did about it but I just hadn't tossed it yet. I am getting it out of my bag now to avoid any further embarrassment, thank you Ian!! CHEERS, the lens pen is gone!!
Variable NDs are definitely oriented for video. I never use them for photography. My own bad photo purchase was, in fact, a set of single-strength NDs. They vignetted terrible. I switched to a square system instead. I know there are current magnetic filters that are thinner and vignette less. I just can't be bothered since my squares work for me. P.S. I do regret buying a grad ND. I've learned to exposure-bracket instead.
I agree on the variable and filters. I’ve repurposed mine, for use with my analog canon AE1 which has a limited shutter speed, so when shooting wide open i can increase the effect to get some nice portraits with background blur in my film photography😂
Tripods and camera bags , I have spent far too much much on them my soulution in the end was to buy a rucksack that I fitted my camera bags into , The bags hold cameras safely and lenses. One holds accessories . The extra room and pockets I use for placing equipment that for the moment I am not requiring like filters flash lens covers into the side pockets. I lose less stuff now because they don’t fall out of the bag or get left in the floor . Wild life photography you can move quickly and so having a lot of space to drop and zip quickly help for quick movement ❤
I've found dedicated high quality hiking bags with a camera insert are great alternatives as well. A good camera bag that suites my needs would run me $500 When I can get the same solution and proper ventilation and better ergonomics with a hiking bag for half the cost.
Same here. I can use any bag any size with any gear in pouches and camera inserts. I have a backpack with a zip opening on the front so I can access gear very quickly. The frame and back are properly made for load bearing and well ventilated. Back loading camera bags are awful for ergonomics and way overpriced.
I'm using two sling over camera bags. A smaller and a bigger one. Both rather cheap, great value for the money. The bigger one holds two big lenses, a body, two smaller lenses, flash and accessories. In a pinch I can attach a travel tripod. Yet it still looks rather small. Fully packed it gets a bit heavy, though, so I usually do not bringing the tripod and the smaller lenses I hide in the hotel room if I don't need them.
I just want to say that I received my zine and prints, they are amazing. Absolutely worth the wait and the exorbitant custom charges . Thank you very much.
Cheers Ian for this video. There are a few things from your list that are on mine as well... cheap neutral density, check, and cheap quick release plate also. I actually ordered the Andeor one about two weeks and ago. I opened it twice before the security catch stopped working.... and promptly sent it back. I would be curious about options that are easy and quick to use if you or others have any thoughts. It will be mounted to a manfrotto video head. Excellent instructive info Ian, look forward to the next one. Cheers Nico
Calocloth is a very big cleaning cloth that I bought from a camera shop. They come in a zipper bag and they work very well. Back in the seventies and eighties, I used Calotherm cloths, and they were impregnated with a cleaning solution. I assume this is the modern version.
Thanks for this Ian. I have a pile of this stuff! But in fairness sometimes these products do work reasonably ok for a while. It is a learning curve very often when you first start into photography, but as long as you do not spend too much you soon find out what works, and what works for you - which is the important thing. This video is very helpful to point beginners in the right direction. I also corrected the pronunciation ‘policeman’ in a separate comment!
Yep... "Buy cheap and you'll buy twice." Many of those cheap out-of-China gadgets, such as the generic 'Arca-Swiss' compatible tripod plates, are made of the lowest grade aluminium. I'm all for recycling aluminium cans, but you can be sure that genuine Arca Swiss products have been through the most stringent quality controls. I use a number of Linhof cameras, and before then, (and still do) Hasselblad film cameras. I have always used their original Quick Coupling plate. And the current Linhof coupling plates for the heavier gear. Thanks for your video. It's all good advice. 🤝
Great video Ian, thanks! I would agree to the majority of the items that you mention, but I do love the original Lens Pen, they have worked wonderfully for me! Maybe you got a cheap knock-off, but the original one do work with the help of the Rocket Blower, essential piece of equipment!
Hi mate, I use the Freewell v2 hybrid CPL/VND 3-7 stop, and it doesn't have any problems with the crossing or patchy exposure. I researched it pretty thoroughly before I spent the money on it. Have used it at 17mm on APSC, if that informs your opinion at all. But I really rate the filter.
Thanks for the info. Never purchased a variable ND filter but have thought about it. I often wondered if the polarizing would be problematic. Even a regular polarizing lens has problems with wide angle lens. Bad purchases - I have a closet full of camera bags that I never use. Adapting hiking bags has been more successful. Another was a sling strap. They all have a swivel hook attaching to a single point on the camera. When hiking, the camera is just not stable. Back to two attachments to the camera to keep it from swinging all over the place.
I've a k&f concept variable filter with a CP. Not great for freezing water. To be honest I rarely use filters now I mostly bracket and use the best exposure in my opinion. The dynamic range on digital cameras is very good for editing For cleaning lenses I use a fibre cloth. I have UV filters on all of my lenses for protection and to keep the lens underneath clean So my breath and rubbing with the cloth on the filter does the trick 📷 👍
Great video! The one of those I do like having is the brush pen. I agree about the felt end. Mine doesn't shed the strands, I got lucky. The rocket bulb is the go-to, but sometimes something sticks a bit and getting out the cloth takes more time, and then the cloth gets dirty too, so I try to save the cloth for when I need to really clean the lens, and I use the pen to knock off single particles. My bad photography purchases include a whole drawer full of worthless cheap filters. I could have bought a couple high end filters for the price of all the cheap ones! I also buy a lot of stupid lenses and pretend it is a collection.
Good video and some useful advice, but I totally disagree about rectangular GND filters, whilst they are perhaps becoming less relevant in modern digital photography and cameras with large dynamic ranges, I continue to find them indispensable. I do blend exposures when a GND isn't a practical option, but I do find the few seconds it takes to fit a GND is quicker than blending images in post production. Also, they allow for creative decisions in the field and they allow me to be creative with exposures and particularly using them at an angle when the sky is brighter on one side of the frame, allowing me to balance exposures which again save post production time.
Great video Ian. I went through a photography journey along the way I learned what works and what doesn’t work. Circular magnetic filters, exposure bracketing and exposing the highlights works best for me. Now I have to sell all my dust collection gear. 😅
Some great points made, Ian. By coincidence, I almost got my ND grad out yesterday evening for the first time in months. The reason being that I was doing 30/40 second exposures facing the bright western sky and the thought of doing brackets of three didn't seem to appeal. The light could change over a longer time frame and the tide was coming in. Perhaps the "almost" in that first sentence says it all though!
A terrific video and straight to the point. I would add to your list useless cheap tripods which wobble, slip and have heads which in all honesty you would be dubious about mounting an Action Camera on, never mind something heavier and decent. Liked and Subscribed 😀
Interesting video Ian. As a hobbyist I’m happy using a variable ND, having purchased a reasonable one with good reviews from K&F. I’ve found that if you avoid going over the max or min settings it works well. Agree you need to treat with a bit of caution though and quality counts no doubt.
Totally agree with all of those Ian, if you want smaller boxes of the Zeiss Wipes, Asda Opticians sell them for £2.00, not sure how many in the box though but if people don’t have the cash to pay out for a box of 200, myself included, the smaller one comes in handy for very little money.
Some one probably already pointed it out but when you use the lens pen you clean the swab end by putting the cap on and turning it back and forth. Most likely in the instructions. The size of pen made for sensor cleaning is the most brilliant solution I have used for a decade with no more issues of streaks from wet cleaning. Fortunately todays camera need less cleaning anyway. It is actually a very good product when used the way it was designed.
Great topic Ian. Yup, I went for the 2-in-1 lens cleaning pen early on and used it once. My biggest regrets are: #1 not having bought weather sealed gear initially and #2 not having bought into the Fujifilm ecosystem sooner. I'm still working my way out of (my workhorse) non-weather sealed gear and into, Fujifilm gear, although I've got a great initial Fuji setup. Thanks Ian. Cheers.🙏
I love my Variable ND filter. But I use the Peter McKinnon Polar Pro Mist 2-5 stop ND and it's fantastic. Don't see any of the issues you talked about. But the X pattern is usually because you're in between the ND amounts. Which the Peter McKinnon one has a slight haptic feedback when you get to the proper stop. So you always know when it's in the right spot, providing you don't bump it. I've definitely made some bad purchases though... I have an entire corner dedicated to them where I don't use any of them hahaha. Including a super cheap 400mm lens from an unknown brand when I was first starting out hahaha.
Yes, we get into some traps when talking about accessories! I personally realized that the square filters, thought I bought I good set from NiSi, it was difficult to get them in place and in my first trip to Portugal with them, I mis-attached the holder to the lens and it felt from the lens into the street below the bridge I was trying to take the picture, braking the glass and twisting the holder, also found difficult to use their CPL for whatever reason. I ended buying the Kase Magnetic set and have been working ok. Another one causing me trouble is the battery pack, as it is heavy and in this trip to Colombia it has turn out to be a real pain as the hikes and ocean boat trips make it difficult to carry, not something that I am going to throw aways just yet but so far an inconvenience.
Great video Ian as usual. I have bought so many pointless gadgets and items for photography and RUclips over the years😊I’ve avoided the variable nd filter though 😊 lens pens are hilarious but sadly I am guilty of buying multiple back in the day 🤦
I'm casual photographer, and I have one bridge camera. A Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II. I don't go out looking for goods pics, like the pros do. But If I go out walking or E-MTB biking, I take my Lumix. The only filters that I use are, a ND8, and a CPL filters
Very useful video, thank you! I had a variable ND filter on my list of purchases, but having listened to your comments I have removed it. I do however own one of those pen brushes you covered, which I find to be very good. You can vary the stiffness of the brush by varying the amount that you push it out of the body and so far all of the bristles have remained intact. I don't use the pad on the other end though as the brush is all I need.
I bought some grads and never used them. I find I can get better results with my raw image editor (NOT LR). One of the best purchases I've made is a clip-in sensor protector that means I never have to clean my camera sensor.
I use a variable ND filter and like it. It’s a Var Fader II by Fader Filters. It’s up to a 10 stop. I haven’t had any issues with it. After seeing your filters I kind of liked the way they worked. But using a screw on fixed ND filter makes focusing difficult and time consuming. I like the idea of the stick on or magnetic ones.
Finally got a piece of brush out of my Pentax ks2. Wont be using that again. Wish i knew About these things earlier but thanks Ian. Now to get a better filter set. Keep up the grrat work.
I did purchase a variable ND filter in the past. More recently, I bought a set of regular ND filters to avoid the uneven exposure problems Ian mentions in this video.
I use the Polar Pro Peter McKinnon VND’s. I have the Mark I’s & II’s. Use them for both photo and video. They are certainly at the higher end, but well worth it to me. No issues at all.
Nice video! It goes why put a cheap piece of equipment on your expensive camera. It’s like rolling the dice and hoping you don’t come up craps. You need to buy quality equipment not cheap, hoping it doesn’t break equipment.
100% agree about the graduated ND Filters. Wasted money on 2 Nisi Grad ND's. (soft & hard) Only time I've used either one of them, I royally cocked up the shot because of the filter. That exposure is baked in. What they don't tell you is that by using them, you're essentially doing a bit of destructive 'editing'. Fortunately, all my other stupid purchases haven't broken the bank as much as the Nisi filters (I loved all my other ND Nisi filters though).
I tried VND filters for a while and gave them up. Worst purchase for me was an expensive set of LEE Filters with the quick release lens mount. Over priced, the ND 10 is too blue in caste and the lens bracket doesn’t stay clipped on well. Good video
One thing about the Zeiss wipes (and most wipes like that) while they don't have an actual expiration date on them, I have found that they do tend to dry up after 2-3 years so maybe buy them in smaller quantities unless you clean your lenses regularly and will go through 100 or 200 of them within 1-2 years as they will eventually dry up. For filters it's important to buy good quality filters. It's not really a consumable that you would go through (like a battery or even memory cards, both of which I call consumables) and they can last for many years if you take care of them, so it makes a lot of sense to invest in some good glass filters (CPL and ND if you need ND filters). They might cost you a few hundred dollars up front but if you take care of them, the cost of ownership is not that bad, maybe $50 per year or less if you get durable quality ones and not the cheap ones (the cheap ones will work for a period of time, but you may run into IQ issues -- such as bad color casts, or even loss of sharpness in some cases due to the quality and type of glass used). The only questionable one I have had in the past, was lens cap "leashes" (basically tethers for lens caps). They worked fine but I would still ocassionally lose lens caps and found it was just better to keep them in the bag or in my pocket if i Had to versus letting them dangle from the lens or camera (plus if you're doing a long exposure, if that cap blows around in the wind, that can cause vibration). Luckily they were not expensive by any means, and maybe a few dollars each but I stopped using those after a short while as they were frankly more annoying than they were worth/did any good (not to mention I would actually LOSE lens caps when the adhesive got weak and they fell off or got caught on something).
with variable NDs it really is a case of getting what you pay for. I've got a Freewell combined variable ND and CPL and optically it's as good as any "normal" circular filter. Not cheap but like I said... 🙂
I’ll have your brush pen please ! Don’t use the pad end but actually the brush is good for getting dust from the view finder the hinge for the screen and so on Perhaps you needed to spend a little more to get one which doesn’t have the bristles fall out!
Agree, the brush can be very useful. I have UV/skylight filters on all my lenses, so I hardly ever have to actually clean the front element of my optics. UV filters etc, have often been dismissed as an unnecessary item, but personally I think that they are essential particularly over a long period to keep your lenses in a pristine condition. Most amateur photographers don’t have the luxury of replacing lenses all the time like professionals,
I have a K&F variable ND I use for photography, its my always in the bag filter so if Im not specially go for long exposure (I have real filters for that) I do have the option to use a filter. like better a var ND filter than no filter in some cases
I’ve been using the Z9 with the 1st generation Z6 as a backup for a while now. For me the Z6iii has the AF and video versatility I would like over my old Z6 so it’s definitely a contender. I also have access to a Z6ii at work and it would be tempting too if only the AF was more reliable and it had fast 4K in both FX and DX… The Z8 would be too similar to the Z9 and I feel there’s an advantage in having the second camera being different…
I bought only one variable ND filter and tossed it out soon after. I purchased the Kase Revolution Magnetic filters and love them! I use a RRS quick-release plate and it is truly worth the $$$. I think overall I have made the same mistakes you have over the years.
Cheaping out on filters is also a great time/money waster! Don't get filters based only on price, there is a huge picture quality difference between cheap and quality (read: more expensive) filters!
I had variable ND filters. I replaced them with the KASE magnetic filters. These work better, especially when going over 30 second exposures since you can calculate the proper exposure with an app.
I use a variable NDfrom Heliopan. But like you said, for videography. I have wide angles too. But if you're a one person production team using a Steadycam roaming around with constantly changing light It's way better than changing ND filters or compromising the depth of field you want to achieve or shutter speed, that has it's own effects in video. So I set up shutter according to frame rate and aperture depending on what depth of Field I want and can correct for brightness by just turning the Vario ND. But that is a really good filter. Even in wide angle and at the extremes the cross is barely recognizable for someone who looks really close at the footage for editing. Had a cheap one too. that was unusable because even in the best long sense in the middle of the filters range the cross was visible. At the extremes it was impossible to ignore. Never used the Vario ND for photos, except spontaneous photos while around with video setup. Oh and like with Polarization Filters... With Vario NDs (basically two polarization filters on top of each other) money really talks. The Heliopan costs more than 4 times the cheap one.
As a professional cameraman, I'd never dream of using a screw-on ND filter for video - variable or otherwise. Professional TV cameras have them built-in to the camera body. - For stills? good quality fixed-values only.
The variable ND comes in really handy and works great for me when shooting video, which lately is mostly what I do. I never really thought about using it for my photography though I have done so here and there. [Speaking of video what I wasted money on was a three-axis gimbal. Love the idea, but it's just simply a pain in the arse in a practical sense. Just didn't work for me.]
I got a box of Zeiss wipes last year when I saw them on offer at Costco thinking they'd do a good job given the supplier. In my experience though they leave a residue which was most disappointing. It will be interesting to read other people's experiences.
Thé problem is when you decide that you need a cpl filter at first, you just buy the one that fits your budget and not really thinking ahead in time. Then you finally need a ND filter, at lease to try, and again, you buy something that you screw on your lens. At the and we should buy a complete kit from the same system once.
Any tips for the magnetic filters collecting magnetic material from dirt and such? I hike with my camera quite a lot and I have always had trouble with them picking up debris. Because of that I switched back to screw on filters
The Zeiss disposable wipes seems to have two types, one is a paper material another is more like a disposable wipe material (a little bit of cloth like material). The cloth like material is horrible as tiny pieces comes out and stay on the lens. The paper like material is the best but I realise you need to ensure the item comes from Europe to be paper like.
I also wouldn't waste time and money on a cheap Tripod, getting a cheap tripod could set the bar so low that a new photographer would "ban" it from their kit due to the "terrible" experience! A good tripod can survive the passage of many camera bodies, and last a long time, while providing a great user experience!
Worst purchase was a silicone camera ‘skin’ for my Z7 - utterly useless! Buttons were unusable and it trapped crud and moisture under it. I used it for less than a day and sent it back! I believe those have improved over the years but that experience has put me off trying again.. I’ve had some poor variable ND filters but a while ago I got a Polar Pro Peter Mckinnon one and it was very very good, though expensive…
As others have said, #1 and VNDs work great for video purposes only. I have one attached to my vlogging camera, with a variable ND attached at all times. its worked well for those harsh sunny days for recordings. Just flip it down instead of digging through my camera bag for a filter. Now strictly photography purposes, yeah its useless and adds unnecessary weight.
Variable NDs are out of discussion if you shoot on film as you can't reliably calculate the exposure taking schwartzschild's-correction into account. The sensitivity of TTL-metering is much too low to meter through the filter, just use that and put the correction on top. You need to know the exact density at work.
Pay cheap pay twice! Lens pen is good eg. Get original brand, no complaints from me! ND filter I have the revoring ones. I use fujifilm apsc lenses and on the 8mm lens you have to use the larger filter otherwise you get vignetting on the smaller on. I like them because they can be used on many different lens thread sizes. Not cheap either but one filter for 3 different lenses!
Andoer is a brand that produces very reliable products for a fraction of the price of popular branded equivalent. I'll avoid the QR plates though because they look flimsy to begin with.
Hey Ian check out Ulanzi electric blower (yes USB charged with 3 settings) .... He actually has a small vacuum cleaner on it as well which is an attachment that goes on the back. In other words we don't blow the dust off the lens. We can actually now suck it up with this device. Check out the Ulanzi, Great for cleaning your keyboard as well. I completely agree variable NDS are a waste of money. I disagree on the graduated filter. It does have its place. I don't know how much time you've spent in Australia but the sun is brutal here and I don't want to take five images in a bracket and then have to stack them in editing when I can simply use a graduated filter and then I mix that with my editing it can be really useful in certain situations. I don't use it all the time but it can be useful and that's probably because you live in the UK and you don't get the harsh sun that we get here in Australia horses for courses. I use a graduated filter and then I run a linear grade over the area and subtract the Sky so you can easily get rid of the dark areas on the mountains in the click of a mouse so then the graduated filter is actually perfect for the lighter area!! The other useless thing that photographers buy is clear filters that go on the end of your lenses. You don't need them. That's what the lens cap is for and also a lens hood and pretty much all of the lenses are nano coated anyway and if you clean them regularly with the electric blower that I recommended at the top you won't have a problem. Ulanzi have some great products and they are designed with photographers in mind especially landscape photographers.
Never cheap out on a tripod. I use Manfrotto and it’s been great. Nothing worse than having your camera setup on a cheap tripod and having it collapse.
I love Manfrotto gear and have their light stands, super clamps and friction arms in spades. Unfortunately some nutter in their marketing department thought it would be great idea to release a very cheap tripod and also in the past some awful mounts for Apple phones, which literally fell to pieces. Hopefully Manfrotto no longer sell that garbage. The professional Manfrotto gear is sublime.
I guess misery loves company, eh? LOL I've bought some really useless (or at least, inappropriate for me) stuff as well. I wasn't sure if I"d like ND filters so I bought a cheap square filter system. In fairness, I went cheap so if I didn't use it much, my "waste" was minimal. But the Cokin P-Series holder is kind of an exercise in frustration at times. It's OK once conquered, but it's not a quick thing in the field. I bought a grad ND (what was I thinking) and a polarizer to fit in the Cokin holder, plus two NDs. They're all for sale now (plus a nice little black cloth shield I made to prevent rear reflections) -- Wanna buy them? 😀 Anyway, they've been replaced by K&F magnetic filters. The Lens Pen? I've had one for years, the original brand. While I don't use it on my camera lenses, it's been great for (astronomical) telescope eyepieces. I've had none of the black stain, brush / bristles nor smearing issues you describe. Maybe that's down to individual brand quality and / or the typically physically smaller lenses of eyepieces? I've had a Rocket Blower and Zeiss wipes for years. Re: variable ND filters, maybe the artifacts are a result of having two polarizers in the optical train? I suspect even at best, having "full time" polarization when using a variable ND could be tricky.
I bought a cheap variable ND filter from an internet shop I don't remember anymore ... the filter shows the feared X-cross effect at short focal lengths but less so or not at all at longer focal lengths ... so, not completely useless, but still not fully functional ... would not buy it again, and I'm looking out for another solution ...
I bought a Miops Trigger via kickstarter some time ago because I thought it would be great to use it for photography of lightning. It was the worst piece of photography gear I bought so far. The communication with the camera took tooooo long. And somehow it was only possible to store JPEGs directly on a memory card on this trigger not as RAW files on the trigger or the camera. Never ever used this strange product.
Benro Rhino travel tripods paid 300€ plus for a carbon fibre tripod to walk across Spain. On the bus on the way there the feet fell off, hook fell off and it was missing 2 bolts. Walked 270km with a tripod I could not use and the macGroup Europe will not replace the parts that fell off. If anyone would like to buy my Rhino according to the MacGroup I am the only person in the whole wide world that has had this happen so it is unique. You could carry it around and if people ask you can say, "It ain't heavy, it's my tripod. Well if it was complete it would be a tripod, for now it's just a trusty comanion for the hike, unused but well travelled" Couldn't even use the monopod as it was footless. But, you can sing !3 feet less and sinking", but only if you know the words.
@@warrensnook Cool, feel better about it already. Have been leaving the centre column at home and just carrying the legs, because I cannot use it, it seems ridiculous to bring it all, but best to keep the arca-swiss plate in your pocket just in case.
Strongly second the avoid variable ND advice. They’re awful, even the better ones. If you think otherwise, try a normal one and see the difference on a blue sky for yourself.
i use the urig a lt t do infrared fotography its more of acomplementary accesory for ir you need to thake the filter of to compose an d focus then put the filter on thake the shot repete it 100% dose the job and is a lt cheper than a magnetic filter system mine never leves my ir filter
My Tiffen Variable ND is the best, it was cheap. The expensive ones like Heliopan were horrible. None are great, they're two filters and image quality is not maintained. My fear with cheap clamps is my multi thousand expensive camera may suffer great damage. Down to the 1/4-20 captive screws I buy the well regarded brands. Also, the knock off brands hurt the brands that sell quality products, many good companies go out of business because of this.
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I have a varilable ND filter, but use it only for video. The sunlight is very bright in southern Utah USA in summer, and the filter does its job well when capturing video. I do get that X pattern, but as stated, only at the extremes and it has not been an issue.
Ian I use a K&F Concept Variable ND Filter. I find it works very well. No problems of exposure variability. I’m very happy with it. I use it for long exposures of waterfalls.
Same here. Both my fixed & variable ND filters are K&F Concept.
Unlike cameras or computers, filters last for decades, so buy the best. Buy cheap, buy twice.
@@teesee03 I didn’t find K&F filters all that expensive. Quite reasonable I think.
I use the 10-stop VND from K&F. I use it to cut the brightness on really sunny days in Australia. Works well, but I never take it past 9 stops to avoid X marks and the like.
Lens pen is an awesome tool to remove dirty spots on your lens, but, 1 - you're better buy original one, its much more durable than alternatives, and doesnt cost so much, 2 - it's not for total lens cleaning, there are cloth for that, and both need to be regularly washed
Thank you for the video. I’m in the middle of researching magnetic filter systems but haven’t settled on what to buy yet. There are just a few reviews on them. More are needed. As many others have said only purchase the original LensPen product but I also highly recommend quality clear filters to protect each lens so the pen never touches the coated lens surface itself. Take care.
There was a theme, namely don’t buy cheap! Ian, you mention lens pens, and the flaws of a cheap purchase product, but I use the actual LensPen brand, and it’s a super product. Ideal to pop in bag, doesn’t consume space, works great on lens and filters, especially the odd finger print, etc.. I never take my blower with me. And I’ve never needed to use the Zeiss wipes I have in the bag, other than for my glasses! David Maffin.
my lens pen was just a cheap one, so thats probably why it isn't very good, glad you know yours works well 👍
I'll second the OP comment, the genuine lens pen is fantastic 🙂
I’ll third (?) the comment 😂 Been using LensPens (original ones) in the field for 20-odd years and I love them.
@@ian_worth I fourth the comment. The genuine Lens Pen has some kind of 'stuff' on the pad end, which cleans the lens or filter beautifully. The genuine article is substantially more expensive but worth every penny.
I definitely agree with this. You must use the name brand to have it work well. You also need to put the little suction cup end back in the cap while cleaning it to get it refreshed with the carbon covering. After a while you do need to replace them. Where I find the work best is on the tight inside edge part of the lens and filters.
Ha! I like the lens pen. It's a light, portable, takes up no space, brush. The retractable bit means (1) you don't get random muck on it (if you don't touch it with your hands) and (2) it's variable stiffness, the bristles being effectively stiffer when it's only partially extended. Safely knocks most duist off the lens in the field. The pad at the other end is silly, though.
Thank you Ian for your helpful comments.
Yes, I've been down the horror filter rabbit holes.
GOD bless you.
I’ve used a lot of “cheap” gear in professional photography with mostly great results saving a ton of money. It’s a great way to get started if you can’t afford $200 for a single mounting plate, which is going to be most people. There’s tons of great affordable gear out there that will get the job done. In most cases, nobody will be the wiser. This even applies to you camera and lenses, you probably don’t need the newest best of anything and only a nerdy pixel peeper will see the difference. Buy affordable equipment, preferably used from an amateur photographer.
Thanks for reminding me of the lens pen! I thought the same as you did about it but I just hadn't tossed it yet. I am getting it out of my bag now to avoid any further embarrassment, thank you Ian!! CHEERS, the lens pen is gone!!
Variable NDs are definitely oriented for video. I never use them for photography. My own bad photo purchase was, in fact, a set of single-strength NDs. They vignetted terrible. I switched to a square system instead. I know there are current magnetic filters that are thinner and vignette less. I just can't be bothered since my squares work for me.
P.S. I do regret buying a grad ND. I've learned to exposure-bracket instead.
I agree on the variable and filters. I’ve repurposed mine, for use with my analog canon AE1 which has a limited shutter speed, so when shooting wide open i can increase the effect to get some nice portraits with background blur in my film photography😂
Tripods and camera bags , I have spent far too much much on them my soulution in the end was to buy a rucksack that I fitted my camera bags into , The bags hold cameras safely and lenses. One holds accessories . The extra room and pockets I use for placing equipment that for the moment I am not requiring like filters flash lens covers into the side pockets. I lose less stuff now because they don’t fall out of the bag or get left in the floor . Wild life photography you can move quickly and so having a lot of space to drop and zip quickly help for quick movement ❤
I've found dedicated high quality hiking bags with a camera insert are great alternatives as well. A good camera bag that suites my needs would run me $500
When I can get the same solution and proper ventilation and better ergonomics with a hiking bag for half the cost.
Same here. I can use any bag any size with any gear in pouches and camera inserts. I have a backpack with a zip opening on the front so I can access gear very quickly. The frame and back are properly made for load bearing and well ventilated. Back loading camera bags are awful for ergonomics and way overpriced.
WANDRD makes packs where you can store your camera gear in a cube and also have room for your raingear, etc.
I'm using two sling over camera bags. A smaller and a bigger one. Both rather cheap, great value for the money. The bigger one holds two big lenses, a body, two smaller lenses, flash and accessories. In a pinch I can attach a travel tripod. Yet it still looks rather small. Fully packed it gets a bit heavy, though, so I usually do not bringing the tripod and the smaller lenses I hide in the hotel room if I don't need them.
I just want to say that I received my zine and prints, they are amazing. Absolutely worth the wait and the exorbitant custom charges . Thank you very much.
Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying them 🙏
Cheers Ian for this video. There are a few things from your list that are on mine as well... cheap neutral density, check, and cheap quick release plate also. I actually ordered the Andeor one about two weeks and ago. I opened it twice before the security catch stopped working.... and promptly sent it back. I would be curious about options that are easy and quick to use if you or others have any thoughts. It will be mounted to a manfrotto video head.
Excellent instructive info Ian, look forward to the next one. Cheers Nico
I very much appreciate how tight the panel squares are behind you. Oh, and the content of course hehe!
Glad you like them! 😂
Calocloth is a very big cleaning cloth that I bought from a camera shop. They come in a zipper bag and they work very well. Back in the seventies and eighties, I used Calotherm cloths, and they were impregnated with a cleaning solution. I assume this is the modern version.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this Ian. I have a pile of this stuff! But in fairness sometimes these products do work reasonably ok for a while. It is a learning curve very often when you first start into photography, but as long as you do not spend too much you soon find out what works, and what works for you - which is the important thing. This video is very helpful to point beginners in the right direction. I also corrected the pronunciation ‘policeman’ in a separate comment!
Yep... "Buy cheap and you'll buy twice." Many of those cheap out-of-China gadgets, such as the generic 'Arca-Swiss' compatible tripod plates, are made of the lowest grade aluminium. I'm all for recycling aluminium cans, but you can be sure that genuine Arca Swiss products have been through the most stringent quality controls. I use a number of Linhof cameras, and before then, (and still do) Hasselblad film cameras. I have always used their original Quick Coupling plate. And the current Linhof coupling plates for the heavier gear.
Thanks for your video. It's all good advice. 🤝
Great video Ian, thanks! I would agree to the majority of the items that you mention, but I do love the original Lens Pen, they have worked wonderfully for me! Maybe you got a cheap knock-off, but the original one do work with the help of the Rocket Blower, essential piece of equipment!
Hi mate, I use the Freewell v2 hybrid CPL/VND 3-7 stop, and it doesn't have any problems with the crossing or patchy exposure. I researched it pretty thoroughly before I spent the money on it. Have used it at 17mm on APSC, if that informs your opinion at all. But I really rate the filter.
Haha I bought the flip up filter holder too. Used it only once. Seemed like a great idea at the time. Thank goodness magnetic ones came on the market.
HaHa, I'm glad i'm not the only one 😂
I use a Singh Ray Variable ND filter on my 24-105 lens without any issues.
Thanks for the info. Never purchased a variable ND filter but have thought about it. I often wondered if the polarizing would be problematic. Even a regular polarizing lens has problems with wide angle lens.
Bad purchases - I have a closet full of camera bags that I never use. Adapting hiking bags has been more successful. Another was a sling strap. They all have a swivel hook attaching to a single point on the camera. When hiking, the camera is just not stable. Back to two attachments to the camera to keep it from swinging all over the place.
I've a k&f concept variable filter with a CP. Not great for freezing water. To be honest I rarely use filters now
I mostly bracket and use the best exposure in my opinion. The dynamic range on digital cameras is very good for editing
For cleaning lenses I use a fibre cloth. I have UV filters on all of my lenses for protection and to keep the lens underneath clean
So my breath and rubbing with the cloth on the filter does the trick 📷 👍
Thanks for sharing 👍
Great video! The one of those I do like having is the brush pen. I agree about the felt end. Mine doesn't shed the strands, I got lucky. The rocket bulb is the go-to, but sometimes something sticks a bit and getting out the cloth takes more time, and then the cloth gets dirty too, so I try to save the cloth for when I need to really clean the lens, and I use the pen to knock off single particles.
My bad photography purchases include a whole drawer full of worthless cheap filters. I could have bought a couple high end filters for the price of all the cheap ones!
I also buy a lot of stupid lenses and pretend it is a collection.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Good video and some useful advice, but I totally disagree about rectangular GND filters, whilst they are perhaps becoming less relevant in modern digital photography and cameras with large dynamic ranges, I continue to find them indispensable. I do blend exposures when a GND isn't a practical option, but I do find the few seconds it takes to fit a GND is quicker than blending images in post production. Also, they allow for creative decisions in the field and they allow me to be creative with exposures and particularly using them at an angle when the sky is brighter on one side of the frame, allowing me to balance exposures which again save post production time.
Thanks Tony, I'm pleased you enjoy them 👍
Great video Ian. I went through a photography journey along the way I learned what works and what doesn’t work. Circular magnetic filters, exposure bracketing and exposing the highlights works best for me. Now I have to sell all my dust collection gear. 😅
Some great points made, Ian. By coincidence, I almost got my ND grad out yesterday evening for the first time in months. The reason being that I was doing 30/40 second exposures facing the bright western sky and the thought of doing brackets of three didn't seem to appeal. The light could change over a longer time frame and the tide was coming in. Perhaps the "almost" in that first sentence says it all though!
very true
A terrific video and straight to the point. I would add to your list useless cheap tripods which wobble, slip and have heads which in all honesty you would be dubious about mounting an Action Camera on, never mind something heavier and decent. Liked and Subscribed 😀
Interesting video Ian. As a hobbyist I’m happy using a variable ND, having purchased a reasonable one with good reviews from K&F. I’ve found that if you avoid going over the max or min settings it works well. Agree you need to treat with a bit of caution though and quality counts no doubt.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Totally agree with all of those Ian, if you want smaller boxes of the Zeiss Wipes, Asda Opticians sell them for £2.00, not sure how many in the box though but if people don’t have the cash to pay out for a box of 200, myself included, the smaller one comes in handy for very little money.
Great tip 👍
That's handy to know, thanks! I got small packs from Amazon too
Some one probably already pointed it out but when you use the lens pen you clean the swab end by putting the cap on and turning it back and forth. Most likely in the instructions. The size of pen made for sensor cleaning is the most brilliant solution I have used for a decade with no more issues of streaks from wet cleaning. Fortunately todays camera need less cleaning anyway. It is actually a very good product when used the way it was designed.
Great topic Ian. Yup, I went for the 2-in-1 lens cleaning pen early on and used it once. My biggest regrets are: #1 not having bought weather sealed gear initially and #2 not having bought into the Fujifilm ecosystem sooner. I'm still working my way out of (my workhorse) non-weather sealed gear and into, Fujifilm gear, although I've got a great initial Fuji setup. Thanks Ian. Cheers.🙏
I love my Variable ND filter. But I use the Peter McKinnon Polar Pro Mist 2-5 stop ND and it's fantastic. Don't see any of the issues you talked about. But the X pattern is usually because you're in between the ND amounts. Which the Peter McKinnon one has a slight haptic feedback when you get to the proper stop. So you always know when it's in the right spot, providing you don't bump it.
I've definitely made some bad purchases though... I have an entire corner dedicated to them where I don't use any of them hahaha. Including a super cheap 400mm lens from an unknown brand when I was first starting out hahaha.
I use LEE 100mm ND filters + i use variable Canon drop in filters inside the EF-R adapter. Testing one of them on my Tamron 15-30 f2:8 lens
Thankfully I haven’t wasted money on the cheap things.
Did try a variable ND and yes it had that dreaded X problem.
I guess we all have mistakes we wish we didn't make. Love the mug on your desk.
I have got the same useless pen, with pads, just got a smaller blower . Made me smile, the similar things we have both purchased.
Yes, we get into some traps when talking about accessories! I personally realized that the square filters, thought I bought I good set from NiSi, it was difficult to get them in place and in my first trip to Portugal with them, I mis-attached the holder to the lens and it felt from the lens into the street below the bridge I was trying to take the picture, braking the glass and twisting the holder, also found difficult to use their CPL for whatever reason. I ended buying the Kase Magnetic set and have been working ok.
Another one causing me trouble is the battery pack, as it is heavy and in this trip to Colombia it has turn out to be a real pain as the hikes and ocean boat trips make it difficult to carry, not something that I am going to throw aways just yet but so far an inconvenience.
Shame you lost your filters, that sucks
Great video Ian as usual. I have bought so many pointless gadgets and items for photography and RUclips over the years😊I’ve avoided the variable nd filter though 😊 lens pens are hilarious but sadly I am guilty of buying multiple back in the day 🤦
I'm casual photographer, and I have one bridge camera. A Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 II. I don't go out looking for goods pics, like the pros do. But If I go out walking or E-MTB biking, I take my Lumix. The only filters that I use are, a ND8, and a CPL filters
Very useful video, thank you! I had a variable ND filter on my list of purchases, but having listened to your comments I have removed it. I do however own one of those pen brushes you covered, which I find to be very good. You can vary the stiffness of the brush by varying the amount that you push it out of the body and so far all of the bristles have remained intact. I don't use the pad on the other end though as the brush is all I need.
I bought some grads and never used them. I find I can get better results with my raw image editor (NOT LR). One of the best purchases I've made is a clip-in sensor protector that means I never have to clean my camera sensor.
I use a variable ND filter and like it. It’s a Var Fader II by Fader Filters. It’s up to a 10 stop. I haven’t had any issues with it. After seeing your filters I kind of liked the way they worked. But using a screw on fixed ND filter makes focusing difficult and time consuming. I like the idea of the stick on or magnetic ones.
Finally got a piece of brush out of my Pentax ks2. Wont be using that again. Wish i knew About these things earlier but thanks Ian. Now to get a better filter set. Keep up the grrat work.
I did purchase a variable ND filter in the past. More recently, I bought a set of regular ND filters to avoid the uneven exposure problems Ian mentions in this video.
I use the Polar Pro Peter McKinnon VND’s. I have the Mark I’s & II’s. Use them for both photo and video. They are certainly at the higher end, but well worth it to me. No issues at all.
Nice video! It goes why put a cheap piece of equipment on your expensive camera. It’s like rolling the dice and hoping you don’t come up craps. You need to buy quality equipment not cheap, hoping it doesn’t break equipment.
Haha, made me chuckle as I have all the same mistakes under my belt!
👍👍
Enjoyed That Ian.....Good Advice.
I like your VW bus coffee mug.
100% agree about the graduated ND Filters. Wasted money on 2 Nisi Grad ND's. (soft & hard) Only time I've used either one of them, I royally cocked up the shot because of the filter. That exposure is baked in. What they don't tell you is that by using them, you're essentially doing a bit of destructive 'editing'. Fortunately, all my other stupid purchases haven't broken the bank as much as the Nisi filters (I loved all my other ND Nisi filters though).
I tried VND filters for a while and gave them up. Worst purchase for me was an expensive set of LEE Filters with the quick release lens mount. Over priced, the ND 10 is too blue in caste and the lens bracket doesn’t stay clipped on well. Good video
If you want good but cheap lens wipes I recommend Lidl W5 glasses wipes.
One thing about the Zeiss wipes (and most wipes like that) while they don't have an actual expiration date on them, I have found that they do tend to dry up after 2-3 years so maybe buy them in smaller quantities unless you clean your lenses regularly and will go through 100 or 200 of them within 1-2 years as they will eventually dry up.
For filters it's important to buy good quality filters. It's not really a consumable that you would go through (like a battery or even memory cards, both of which I call consumables) and they can last for many years if you take care of them, so it makes a lot of sense to invest in some good glass filters (CPL and ND if you need ND filters). They might cost you a few hundred dollars up front but if you take care of them, the cost of ownership is not that bad, maybe $50 per year or less if you get durable quality ones and not the cheap ones (the cheap ones will work for a period of time, but you may run into IQ issues -- such as bad color casts, or even loss of sharpness in some cases due to the quality and type of glass used).
The only questionable one I have had in the past, was lens cap "leashes" (basically tethers for lens caps). They worked fine but I would still ocassionally lose lens caps and found it was just better to keep them in the bag or in my pocket if i Had to versus letting them dangle from the lens or camera (plus if you're doing a long exposure, if that cap blows around in the wind, that can cause vibration). Luckily they were not expensive by any means, and maybe a few dollars each but I stopped using those after a short while as they were frankly more annoying than they were worth/did any good (not to mention I would actually LOSE lens caps when the adhesive got weak and they fell off or got caught on something).
Thanks for sharing 👍
with variable NDs it really is a case of getting what you pay for. I've got a Freewell combined variable ND and CPL and optically it's as good as any "normal" circular filter. Not cheap but like I said... 🙂
Nice one 👍
I’ll have your brush pen please ! Don’t use the pad end but actually the brush is good for getting dust from the view finder the hinge for the screen and so on Perhaps you needed to spend a little more to get one which doesn’t have the bristles fall out!
Agree, the brush can be very useful. I have UV/skylight filters on all my lenses, so I hardly ever have to actually clean the front element of my optics. UV filters etc, have often been dismissed as an unnecessary item, but personally I think that they are essential particularly over a long period to keep your lenses in a pristine condition. Most amateur photographers don’t have the luxury of replacing lenses all the time like professionals,
I have a K&F variable ND I use for photography, its my always in the bag filter so if Im not specially go for long exposure (I have real filters for that) I do have the option to use a filter. like better a var ND filter than no filter in some cases
Those Zeiss lens wipes are worth every penny! I wish I'd discovered them years ago.
I’ve been using the Z9 with the 1st generation Z6 as a backup for a while now. For me the Z6iii has the AF and video versatility I would like over my old Z6 so it’s definitely a contender. I also have access to a Z6ii at work and it would be tempting too if only the AF was more reliable and it had fast 4K in both FX and DX… The Z8 would be too similar to the Z9 and I feel there’s an advantage in having the second camera being different…
I bought only one variable ND filter and tossed it out soon after. I purchased the Kase Revolution Magnetic filters and love them! I use a RRS quick-release plate and it is truly worth the $$$. I think overall I have made the same mistakes you have over the years.
Cheaping out on filters is also a great time/money waster! Don't get filters based only on price, there is a huge picture quality difference between cheap and quality (read: more expensive) filters!
Variable NDs are great for video.
I had variable ND filters. I replaced them with the KASE magnetic filters. These work better, especially when going over 30 second exposures since you can calculate the proper exposure with an app.
I use a variable NDfrom Heliopan. But like you said, for videography. I have wide angles too. But if you're a one person production team using a Steadycam roaming around with constantly changing light It's way better than changing ND filters or compromising the depth of field you want to achieve or shutter speed, that has it's own effects in video.
So I set up shutter according to frame rate and aperture depending on what depth of Field I want and can correct for brightness by just turning the Vario ND.
But that is a really good filter. Even in wide angle and at the extremes the cross is barely recognizable for someone who looks really close at the footage for editing. Had a cheap one too. that was unusable because even in the best long sense in the middle of the filters range the cross was visible. At the extremes it was impossible to ignore.
Never used the Vario ND for photos, except spontaneous photos while around with video setup.
Oh and like with Polarization Filters... With Vario NDs (basically two polarization filters on top of each other) money really talks. The Heliopan costs more than 4 times the cheap one.
As a professional cameraman, I'd never dream of using a screw-on ND filter for video - variable or otherwise. Professional TV cameras have them built-in to the camera body. - For stills? good quality fixed-values only.
I guess I have to clear my drawers now :)
😂👍
The variable ND comes in really handy and works great for me when shooting video, which lately is mostly what I do. I never really thought about using it for my photography though I have done so here and there. [Speaking of video what I wasted money on was a three-axis gimbal. Love the idea, but it's just simply a pain in the arse in a practical sense. Just didn't work for me.]
Quick release....Manfroto all the way. Why skimp and risk your camera? Great vid!!
i was using the Alibeiss lens wipes, but no more, Zeiss ones on order, thanks for tip. Your are correct they do stink.
I got a box of Zeiss wipes last year when I saw them on offer at Costco thinking they'd do a good job given the supplier. In my experience though they leave a residue which was most disappointing.
It will be interesting to read other people's experiences.
I haven't had that problem, could be a bad batch 👍
@@ian_worth. Not good for me right now, but good to know for the future. Thanks! 👍
Thé problem is when you decide that you need a cpl filter at first, you just buy the one that fits your budget and not really thinking ahead in time. Then you finally need a ND filter, at lease to try, and again, you buy something that you screw on your lens. At the and we should buy a complete kit from the same system once.
excellent when i first took up photography i must admit i bought a lot of useless items , now i research before i buy 😄
Any tips for the magnetic filters collecting magnetic material from dirt and such? I hike with my camera quite a lot and I have always had trouble with them picking up debris. Because of that I switched back to screw on filters
Thats interesting, I haven't had the problem 👍
Great advice thanks Ian got rid of both my lens pens!!!!-------doh
The Zeiss disposable wipes seems to have two types, one is a paper material another is more like a disposable wipe material (a little bit of cloth like material). The cloth like material is horrible as tiny pieces comes out and stay on the lens. The paper like material is the best but I realise you need to ensure the item comes from Europe to be paper like.
I also wouldn't waste time and money on a cheap Tripod, getting a cheap tripod could set the bar so low that a new photographer would "ban" it from their kit due to the "terrible" experience! A good tripod can survive the passage of many camera bodies, and last a long time, while providing a great user experience!
Worst purchase was a silicone camera ‘skin’ for my Z7 - utterly useless! Buttons were unusable and it trapped crud and moisture under it. I used it for less than a day and sent it back! I believe those have improved over the years but that experience has put me off trying again..
I’ve had some poor variable ND filters but a while ago I got a Polar Pro Peter Mckinnon one and it was very very good, though expensive…
As others have said, #1 and VNDs work great for video purposes only. I have one attached to my vlogging camera, with a variable ND attached at all times. its worked well for those harsh sunny days for recordings. Just flip it down instead of digging through my camera bag for a filter.
Now strictly photography purposes, yeah its useless and adds unnecessary weight.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Variable NDs are out of discussion if you shoot on film as you can't reliably calculate the exposure taking schwartzschild's-correction into account. The sensitivity of TTL-metering is much too low to meter through the filter, just use that and put the correction on top. You need to know the exact density at work.
Pay cheap pay twice! Lens pen is good eg. Get original brand, no complaints from me! ND filter I have the revoring ones. I use fujifilm apsc lenses and on the 8mm lens you have to use the larger filter otherwise you get vignetting on the smaller on. I like them because they can be used on many different lens thread sizes. Not cheap either but one filter for 3 different lenses!
I agree, cheap is rubbish most of the time, glad to know the original lens pen works well 👍
I wasted money on many of the same things. Silliest purchase was a nodal rail.
Andoer is a brand that produces very reliable products for a fraction of the price of popular branded equivalent. I'll avoid the QR plates though because they look flimsy to begin with.
Hey Ian check out Ulanzi electric blower (yes USB charged with 3 settings) .... He actually has a small vacuum cleaner on it as well which is an attachment that goes on the back. In other words we don't blow the dust off the lens. We can actually now suck it up with this device. Check out the Ulanzi, Great for cleaning your keyboard as well. I completely agree variable NDS are a waste of money. I disagree on the graduated filter. It does have its place. I don't know how much time you've spent in Australia but the sun is brutal here and I don't want to take five images in a bracket and then have to stack them in editing when I can simply use a graduated filter and then I mix that with my editing it can be really useful in certain situations. I don't use it all the time but it can be useful and that's probably because you live in the UK and you don't get the harsh sun that we get here in Australia horses for courses. I use a graduated filter and then I run a linear grade over the area and subtract the Sky so you can easily get rid of the dark areas on the mountains in the click of a mouse so then the graduated filter is actually perfect for the lighter area!! The other useless thing that photographers buy is clear filters that go on the end of your lenses. You don't need them. That's what the lens cap is for and also a lens hood and pretty much all of the lenses are nano coated anyway and if you clean them regularly with the electric blower that I recommended at the top you won't have a problem. Ulanzi have some great products and they are designed with photographers in mind especially landscape photographers.
Yes I do use nd circular filters, but not a fan, always to much cleaning time
interesting 👍
Have used the variable ND filter and they suck big time.
at Walmart stores here in the states the Zeiss wipes are available as well as the store brand, dont use the store brand thay are tooooo wet
Never cheap out on a tripod. I use Manfrotto and it’s been great. Nothing worse than having your camera setup on a cheap tripod and having it collapse.
I love Manfrotto gear and have their light stands, super clamps and friction arms in spades. Unfortunately some nutter in their marketing department thought it would be great idea to release a very cheap tripod and also in the past some awful mounts for Apple phones, which literally fell to pieces. Hopefully Manfrotto no longer sell that garbage. The professional Manfrotto gear is sublime.
I guess misery loves company, eh? LOL I've bought some really useless (or at least, inappropriate for me) stuff as well. I wasn't sure if I"d like ND filters so I bought a cheap square filter system. In fairness, I went cheap so if I didn't use it much, my "waste" was minimal. But the Cokin P-Series holder is kind of an exercise in frustration at times. It's OK once conquered, but it's not a quick thing in the field. I bought a grad ND (what was I thinking) and a polarizer to fit in the Cokin holder, plus two NDs. They're all for sale now (plus a nice little black cloth shield I made to prevent rear reflections) -- Wanna buy them? 😀 Anyway, they've been replaced by K&F magnetic filters. The Lens Pen? I've had one for years, the original brand. While I don't use it on my camera lenses, it's been great for (astronomical) telescope eyepieces. I've had none of the black stain, brush / bristles nor smearing issues you describe. Maybe that's down to individual brand quality and / or the typically physically smaller lenses of eyepieces? I've had a Rocket Blower and Zeiss wipes for years. Re: variable ND filters, maybe the artifacts are a result of having two polarizers in the optical train? I suspect even at best, having "full time" polarization when using a variable ND could be tricky.
I bought a cheap variable ND filter from an internet shop I don't remember anymore ... the filter shows the feared X-cross effect at short focal lengths but less so or not at all at longer focal lengths ... so, not completely useless, but still not fully functional ... would not buy it again, and I'm looking out for another solution ...
Thanks for sharing 👍
I keep hoping that the price of good quality magnetic filters will eventually go down! Not yet!!!
Yes, they are a little pricey, here's hoping 🤞
I bought a Miops Trigger via kickstarter some time ago because I thought it would be great to use it for photography of lightning. It was the worst piece of photography gear I bought so far. The communication with the camera took tooooo long. And somehow it was only possible to store JPEGs directly on a memory card on this trigger not as RAW files on the trigger or the camera. Never ever used this strange product.
Thanks for sharing.
Oooops!
Benro Rhino travel tripods paid 300€ plus for a carbon fibre tripod to walk across Spain. On the bus on the way there the feet fell off, hook fell off and it was missing 2 bolts. Walked 270km with a tripod I could not use and the macGroup Europe will not replace the parts that fell off. If anyone would like to buy my Rhino according to the MacGroup I am the only person in the whole wide world that has had this happen so it is unique. You could carry it around and if people ask you can say, "It ain't heavy, it's my tripod. Well if it was complete it would be a tripod, for now it's just a trusty comanion for the hike, unused but well travelled" Couldn't even use the monopod as it was footless. But, you can sing !3 feet less and sinking", but only if you know the words.
That's amazing! A travel tripod that becomes lighter the more you use it. Benro need to patent that....🤔😅
@@warrensnook Cool, feel better about it already. Have been leaving the centre column at home and just carrying the legs, because I cannot use it, it seems ridiculous to bring it all, but best to keep the arca-swiss plate in your pocket just in case.
Strongly second the avoid variable ND advice. They’re awful, even the better ones. If you think otherwise, try a normal one and see the difference on a blue sky for yourself.
i use the urig a lt t do infrared fotography its more of acomplementary accesory for ir you need to thake the filter of to compose an d focus then put the filter on thake the shot repete it 100% dose the job and is a lt cheper than a magnetic filter system mine never leves my ir filter
I falled for Helix Maglock from PolarPro, that system is not good. Unnecessarily heavy in comparison to other circular filters.
I've found the polar filters to be very good, but like you mentioned the weight is what puts me of using them regularly.
My Tiffen Variable ND is the best, it was cheap. The expensive ones like Heliopan were horrible. None are great, they're two filters and image quality is not maintained. My fear with cheap clamps is my multi thousand expensive camera may suffer great damage. Down to the 1/4-20 captive screws I buy the well regarded brands. Also, the knock off brands hurt the brands that sell quality products, many good companies go out of business because of this.
My worst buys have been photographic ebooks I don't read. Possibly not a problem with the ebook.,🙄