Description

What is a graduated neutral density filter (GND)?

GND filters are pieces of glass that are darkened at one end and clear at the other end. In between, there is a transition point from dark to clear which varies depending on the specific type of GND. They even out the exposure of a scene which naturally consists of a bright section (sky) and darker section (foreground). The use of GNDs assists with capturing the dynamic range of a scene using a single exposure instead of blending multiple exposures with different shutter speeds.

How strong is my GND?

The degree of light blocking for a GND uses the same terminology as described for ND filters. There is a slight difference in that the stated strength only refers to the darkest part of the filter. With most GND filters, the darkest part of the filter will be at the top end of the filter when placed in the filter holder. The nature of the transition from dark to clear is described by the type of GND.

Medium GND Filter

Medium edged GNDs are similar to soft-edged GNDs except that the transition is less gradual. These filters are very versatile and can be used in most situations shooting into and away from the light. Elements that protrude above the horizon can be darkened by this filter but usually not noticeably so.