Totally legitimate quibble! I meant that the majority of “L” and “Nikkor” lenses are 77mm diameter, and in fact that has always been, to me, one of the significant boons to using “L” lenses (apart from the excellent glass quality, of course). Before I stepped up to “L,” when I was getting started in photography, I remember having a whole variety of different lens diameters to have to deal with, which was pretty inconvenient!

Thanks for the note on the 35 and 135; the moral of the story is know your lens diameter!

And anyone out there reading this, don’t hold me responsible if you buy a 77mm filter on my advice and it doesn’t fit your lens!

“If you are a Canon “L” or Nikon “Nikkor” shooter, you require a 77mm diameter filter.”

Not all “L” lenses take 77mm filters. Are you saying that one should always use a 77mm ND filter and a step up adapter on even a 72mm lens? Or, did you mean that as just one example of a filter size with example links below?

I have two L lenses that take 77mm filters (24-70 and 300mm f/4) and two that take 72mm filters (35L and 135L) and the new 100mm L macro that takes a 67mm filter.

Again, great post. Thanks.

As for what filters to start buying, it really depends on what you’re going to be trying to do. If you want to use them for architectural photography (blurring tourists until they disappear), the stronger the better, although bear in mind that the filter is going to play games with your autofocus, so the darker it is the more often you may have to focus and frame with the filter off and then screw it on for the shot.

You can probably imagine based on the f-stop equivalents how difficult it will be to see through the filter and focus, depending on the available light. In daylight, you may able to focus and shoot just fine through an ND64.

I think most folks who want to be able to do a variety of the techniques I listed up above will have a couple of densities, and most kits start you out with ND1, ND2, and ND3. I would maybe go a bit higher and start with ND4, ND8, and ND16 or something along those lines.

As for the slim filters, I don’t know if there is a specific “cutoff” focal length for them, you may have to experiment.

Multi-coated definitely can’t hurt. If you are very concerned about the potential for flare, bear in mind also that stacking filters increases flare. Lots of folks keep their UV filters on all the time to protect the front lens element; take it off when using the ND filter to minimize flare!

1) I’d like to start purchasing some ND filters and I know B W is a good brand (and much more affordable that Lee or Singh-Ray). If were to purchase just one filter to start, would the ND 4 be the best choice?

2) With regards to the slim mount, at what lens size should this be considered – 20mm or wider? Also, if the multi-coated lens fits the budget, better to go with it?

OK, that was actually 3 questions…thanks for your response!