If you are a landscape photography enthusiast, you might know how natural light or cloud shadows affect the photo quality. The best landscape filters can help you reduce distortions and modify the picture as desired. Explore the top three filters below to capture the perfect shot.
Square vs. Circular filter
Neutral density filters, usually found as square and circular filters, are crucial for landscape photographs as they can naturally control the amount of light entering the lens. So, you will get to capture the photo without any white and shiny patches. The following points compare both of them to explore when they are suitable.
Square filters need external holders, whereas you can attach the circular ones with in-built treads directly to the lens. It makes the latter easy to carry and use without requiring any expensive gadgets.
Square filters reduce vignetting effects as they are much broader glasses in front of the lens than the circular ones that are the same size as the lens.
You can stack multiple filters in both variants. However, square ones are available for 6 stops, 10 stops, or above, whereas the circular ones offer as low as 3 stops too.
Since square landscape filters use rotatable filter holders, they can fit any lens and camera, which is a drawback for the other. You can only use the circular ones on lenses with the same tread.
Lastly, square filters are fragile, expensive, and more prone to breaking than durable and well-fitting circular lenses.
Top 3 landscape filters trending now!
1. 6 stops ND64
This is a circular filter with filter factor 64. It is most suitable for wide angle lenses and can block light up to 6 stops to ensure supreme clarity and bright landscape photography. Thus, you can significantly reduce the shutter speed to get a long exposure shot.
2. 10 stop ND1000
This ND filter having ten stops is usually used for wide landscape photographs where filter factor 1000 is required. It only allows 1/1000th of the intensity, producing clear outlines and sharp pictures.
3. Polarizing filter
These special filters can cancel out light in some angles while allowing other angles to pass. Though the picture turns out bright and clear, these landscape filters can eliminate glare effects.
Why are graduated filters now outdated?
If simple neutral density filters could manipulate the light intensity as a whole, graduated landscape filters could allow partial blockage. These half filters don't block the entire landscape's light but only restrict the background glare keeping the front contrast intact.
Though they were once essential for landscape photography in bright light or dull cloudy days, digital apps now perform their function, thus making them redundant. You can use apps to reduce partial glare by selecting the relevant portion of the snap.
Final Words
Landscape photographs shot in natural sunlight often need filters to manage the light intensity. While maintaining the right contrast and brightness, landscape filters can enhance the photos without requiring any editing tools.
A filter with a suitable stop value can remove glare patches, vignetting, and uneven shadows without compromising on the quality of your landscape photography.
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