Cokin ND filters

[peelie]

Cokin ND filters
Can the same results be achieved by shooting in RAW and finishing in PS Elements or are the filters better?
Peelie

[Canon-Fodder!]

Re: Cokin ND filters

Hi Peelie;

ND or ND Grads ?

While it's possible to apply a 'graduated filter effect' in PS as part of Post Processing, and I'm sure that those who are truly gifted in this aspect of PP work can generate pretty-well the 'same' effect without it being overtly noticeable...

...for my money; having the (ND Grad) filter in place, at the strength you want, and placed exactly where & how you want it, at the time, is far more preferable!

Using pure NDs generates a whole different image that I don't believe can be replicated in PS... Simply-put an ND will slow the shutter speed; I don't see how you can replicate that in PS!

[peelie]

Re: Cokin ND filters

Thanks C-F

[colin C]

Re: Cokin ND filters

Although you can make a gadual selection of the sky area and increase the detail in photoshop, you do need some detail there to start with. Thats the beauty of grads. Take a meter reading for the sky and another for the land and whatever the difference is, that's the factor of grad filter that you need to use.

Another way is to take a shot exposed for the sky and another exposed for the land and merge the two in photoshop. Or, from an initial RAW exposure, process one for the sky and another version for the land and again merge in photoshop. From there you can move to HDR etc, but personally, I like the idea of getting the exposure right in camera, so I would nearly always go for the grads.

Colin