Formatt Graduated Neutral Density HD Filters enable the shooter to adjust exposure without affecting colour balance. Exposure can be increased by 1,2,3 or 4 stops to suit individual situations.

Often it is necessary or desirable to balance the light intensity in one part of a scene with another. This is especially true in situations where you don't have total light control, as in bright contrasty landscapes. Exposing for the foreground will produce a washed-out, over-exposed sky while exposing for the sky will leave the foreground dark and under-exposed. This filter enables cloud detail to be kept correctly exposed in the picture.

Soft/hard indicates the degree of transition

"HD" filters are created for the latest High Definition cameras and lenses. When you're a DP (Director of Photography) , you can't afford to use inferior glass. Formatt has created a series of filters to match the latest standards in HD broadcasting.  These filters assure maximum clarity and light transmission. Made to the highest standards, Formatt filters take the worry out of filter use.

A standard set of ND's is 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2. This represents 1 to 4 stops of light reduction

Neutral Density Filters Have Four Main Uses

To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with high speed films, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, or cars

To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background

To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (above ISO 400) and allow it to be used outdoors in bright situations

To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure

Neutral Density Factors

ND.3 (exposure adjustment = 1 stop, reduces ISO 1/2)

ND.6 (exposure adjustment = 2 stops, reduces ISO 1/4)

ND.9 (exposure adjustment = 3 stops, reduces ISO 1/8)

ND1.2 (exposure adjustment = 4 stops, reduces ISO 1/16)

Formatt Grads are available in four types

Soft Edge - Half clear, half coloured with a smooth transition to full density. Generally used with medium to wide angle lenses

Hard Edge - Half clear, half coloured with a definite less subtle transition. For use with long focal length lenses

Razor Edge - As hard edge but with a solid transition line for shooting corners of buildings, knife-edge horizons or when a very bold transition is required

Attenuator/Blender - The grad line is right at one edge of the filter so the colour change runs from top to bottom. Perfect for irregular objects and skylines