With 0.3ND very hard grad
Notice how the 0.3ND very hard grad has helped resolve the detail on the horizon compared to the image below
Our verdict
Without ND grad
strengths in both medium and very hard gradations. Upon arrival at Fairfield Church in Kent, I kept the very hard ND grad set stowed in my bag and opted to use the medium grad kit instead, knowing it would be the better option for a subject rising into the sky. After equipping my wideangle lens with a 77mm adapter ring and filter holder, I pulled the 1 stop (0.3ND) grad from its supplied filter pouch and unwrapped it from its protective paper. Comparing shots with and without the grad revealed the filter was doing its job of retaining detail in the sky, but a glance at the histogram on the rear of the LCD showed that highlight detail was still being clipped. Swapping the 0.3ND for the 0.6ND resulted in a betterbalanced exposure from the foreground to the sky, with the 0.9ND darkening the sky a little too much to the point that it became obvious an ND filter had been used. Heading up the road towards the coast at Dungeness presented the ideal environment to switch over and test the very hard gradation kit. Although there was virtually no cloud detail on the day of testing, the ND grads were used again to prevent overexposure in the sky – the very sharp transition allowing for more precise separation between the land and sky above. The 0.3ND was used successfully to balance exposure and capture an image of an RNLI
Without an ND grad, the detail on the horizon is lost, and the muted colour of the sky is rather bland in comparison
lifeboat being launched. The 0.6ND very hard grad was also used to prevent overexposure in a few scenes when shooting directly towards the light. I then reverted to the 0.6ND medium grad for shooting an abandoned boat which, much like the earlier church scene, protruded above the line of the horizon into the sky. No faults or issues were found during testing other than a few specs of dust and dirt that were duly removed with a lens cloth. The filters slotted effortlessly into place and there was enough friction in the holder to prevent a filter ever slipping out. A nice touch is the printing of the filter strength and gradation at the top right corner of each filter. This text is in yellow and easily identifiable from behind the camera. As I discovered, it can also help you find the filter you want from a lens pouch without having to pull it right out.
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 9 July 2016
UNTIL recently, a majority of photographers have only had the choice of purchasing Lee Filters ND grads in soft or hard gradations, so it’s great to see Lee Filters expanding its range. The medium gradation slots in well between the soft and hard versions, and the very hard ND grads offer an even sharper transition between clear and dark than we’ve seen before. The gradation that’s best for you depends on what you shoot. During a day of testing I found that I pulled out the medium ND grads much more than the very hard grads. As their name suggests, the medium grads offer a pleasingly subtle blend for minimal impact on the foreground in a landscape scene. The effect is no better described than by professional landscape photographer Joe Cornish who calls it a ‘Goldilocks Grad’. The very hard gradation is less likely to be used by photographers who shoot a broad range of landscapes, but for those specialising in seascapes Data file or scenes where there are very defined horizon lines, it’s undoubtedly the Filter holder Designed to fit best choice. Of all the Seven5, 100mm and ND graduated filters that SW150 sizes Lee Filters produces, the Material Optically 0.6ND medium grad is corrected resin one of the most versatile. Gradations available But having used both Soft, medium, hard, filter sets and witnessed very hard Filters available how useful it is to have control of darkening the 0.3ND (1 stop), sky by up to 3 stops, the 0.45ND (1.5 stops), medium filter set is by far 0.6ND (2 stops), 0.75ND (2.5 stops), the best all-round option 0.9ND (3 stops) if you don’t already own and 1.2ND (4 stops) any ND grads, and your budget permits. The ND grads were tested on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with 17-40mm f/4 lens
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