Which ND filter should I buy?

[/p/]

On the market for an ND filter. Not sure whether I want a Vari ND or a set of circular ND's.. What brands are considered the best at the moment for both options? Is there a big difference in quality between a Vari ND and a set of reg ND's? 

 

I am mainly interested in small doco type work but will also venture into weddings (I have a lot of experience doing stills at weddings but never done video for any). Thanks.

[tosvus]

Generally, variable density filters are discouraged due to lesser PQ, and risk of the "cross/x effect" if you use it at it's most extreme. However, obviously it can be very useful in a setting where lighting changes quickly. Here is an article you can check out;

http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/variable-nd-filter-shootout/

 

I'm sure there are similar shoot-outs for regular nd filters as well.

 

I'd be careful at saying "best brands". Prices vary wildly. You can pay from $10 to hundreds for a single filter, it depends on how much you are willing to spend but B+W makes good filters for sure. Usually keep in mind how expensive your lens is. If you spend $1000 on a lens, do you want to only spend $10 on a piece of glass in front of it?

[slvs]

I really like my Genus Fader, and it was cheap.

[dahlfors]

I had a Lightcraft Fader ND Mark II before it got smashed into pieces while saving one of my lenses from the fall...

 

I noticed that it seemed to soften my shots by a slight amount, but not disturbingly much. Some of the more expensive variable ND:s are supposed to be sharper than the fader nd according to reviews. I think Dave Dugdale of learningdslrvideo has made a video comparison of a few different variable ND:s.

 

Since my Fader ND is just broken pieces of glass now, I've gone back to my Cokin P filter system. It can take up to two ND filters, so I can mix any combination with ND2/ND4/ND8 that I want. No resolution loss like that, and the Cokin P filter system fits easily to all my lenses with the adapter rings, so the same square ND filters can be used on any lens of mine (works on lenses with up to 77mm front diameter if I remember correctly). The Cokin ND filters are alright quality, and you can get cheap chinese knockoffs from Ebay as well. The cheaper ND's won't be as neutral in color though.

 

The Cokin P filter system is basically similar system with sliding filters as you would have in a mattebox, it's just smaller and more portable and attached directly to your lens instead of into a mattebox. Here's what it looks like:

http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/392872134/67mm-Ring-Adapter-Filter-Holder-for-Cokin-P-Series-PCFA3-67.jpg