Sean Goswell
Mindfulness photography from Land and Sea
Tide Optics Variable ND Filter Review
I have to admit, when I first saw this ND Filter (ND2 - ND400) filter from Tide Optics I was more than a little sceptical considering you can pick these filters up for as little as £20.95. For many years I have used filters from High end brands, with a high end price. This filter from Tide optics was a fraction of the price, so my initial thought was a fraction of the quality. But that really was not the case…
I’ve used this filter pretty extensively over the last few weeks, and I have to admit that I’ve grown to love it. For those who are unsure as to when and where you would you this filter, it is ideal for those times when you want to create a longer exposure time. It is perfect for shooting long exposures of anything thats moving, from clouds to oceans, waterfalls and rivers. If you want to create that soft milky effect on the water, or to emphasise the movement of clouds, by turning them to streaks in the sky, then this filter does that, without breaking the bank.
The build quality of the filter is also very good. The design is an 18-layer nano -coated Japanese glass that is encased in an Aluminium frame. You also get anti-reflection technology and is water and oil resistant.
Something that was a pleasant surprise to me was that I experienced no colour cast at all, something that other budget brands tend to fall foul of. Although this issue can be fixed in post processing, it is lovely not to have to worry about it with this filter.
Each filter fits the individual thread, so knowing the thread size of the lens you are buying it for is obviously really helpful.
Because its a variable filter, you can move it from min to max levels, giving you complete control of the amount of light entering the lens. One thing that I did notice, and for me wasn’t an issue is that if you go right up to the max level, or beyond, you do get some darker parts to the image. After some research, this is something that is pretty common with variable NDs.
One of the main reasons I’ve grown so attached to this filter is just how versatile it is. Most of my photography these days is done, handheld and by using a technique known as Intentional camera moment (ICM) and long exposures. I generally go out with no plan as to what I’m going to photograph, and just walk, sometimes for many miles. For that reason alone, I like to travel light, with one camera and one lens. Having the Variable ND attached to the lens, with it being both small and lightweight makes it easy to travel with.
Something that really impressed me with Tide Optics, is that they donate a percentage of the sale to an ocean charity, so for someone like me that lives by the ocean and spends the majority of his time photographing it, this is a real bonus, and fair play to Tide Optics for doing it.
Tide optics also produce a Cinesoft Filter, to give that Cinematic Film-Like Effect, and is something that I’m really looking forward to trying out next.
So in summary, it really is a great bit of kit, at an absolutely amazing price tag. I would certainly recommend this filter if you are just starting out in photography or are looking for a versatile, affordable quality filter that won’t break the bank. Over the years I have used many brands of filter, at all price ranges, but for me this Filter from tide optics is by far the best at this price point.
I’ll leave you with some images that I’ve made over the last couple of weeks using the Tide Optics VND filter.
If, and I hope I’ve convinced you to give this filter a try, I’m pleased to be able to offer you a discount code, just use SEANGOSWELL at the checkout.
Thanks for reading
Sean
SAAL PHOTO BOOK REVIEW
June 10, 2021
With the advent of digital photography, and in particular the huge advancements in camera phone technology , more and more people are taking photos. Uploading to social media sites such as instagram and Facebook. Whilst this is a great way to show off our images quickly and to engage with our audience almost instantly, be it family or friends, it will never be the best way to showcase our images to their fullest potential.
For me the best way to present our photography or a selection of our favourite images, wether to showcase a once in a lifetime family holiday, a photo project linked together by a common theme or a special occasion such as wedding is through producing a photo book. A tangible object, that we can hold in our hands, show off to our friends and family and hold those memories in print for a lifetime.
So recently I obtained a voucher from Saal books for £100.00 to try their Professional Line Photobooks, and having seen others that had produced books in the past from Saal, I decided to give it a go.
Software
In order to create your book you have to download the Saal Digital software from their website.
I found the the download process was really quick and pretty straightforward and within a few minutes you are set up and ready to begin creating your photobook.
It is far simpler to prepare your images before uploading to the book software. I used Lightroom to do this. A nice touch is the soft proofing option from Saal, where you can download the ICC profile for your chosen paper, and will replicate the way your image will look when printed allowing for fine tuning the image settings.
After preparing your chosen images , you can lay out your pictures opting between an Auto layout, which automatically positions your pictures across the pages or a custom layout where you manually add your images. Although I had a play with the manual option (which is not as daunting as it sounds) I went for the Auto layout, as was impressed with the job it had done. If you do go down the manual route it is relatively simple with a drag and drop function. both functions allow you to add or remove pages, edit and save your project so you can go back to it at any time you choose.
Once you are happy with your book you can place your order and pay, and again is a very quick process.
The Product
There are a number of options to choose from, the first being the physical size of your book. There are various options that include Portrait, Landscape and Square books in different sizes. I chose a 21 x 21 cm Square book, as all my images were in square format so in my opinion would be better presented in a Square format book.
For the cover I chose acrylic and leather titanium, and I have to add really does give your book a touch of class.. The professional line of books are layflat, meaning you can spread an image over two pages without having any binding in the middle.
Paper choices include Gloss, Matte or High end matte, which is more of a fine art paper. For my book I chose standard Matte, and to be honest it suited my images perfectly. you can choose to have a gift box/ presentation box for an extra £45.00, which I’m sure would be great for a wedding album, or even a baby/Christening album. I chose not to opt for the box though.
Book Quality
I would have to say the quality is nothing short of outstanding. The Acrylic cover gives your photobook a real touch of class, and the leather gives the book a premium quality feel to it.
The paper is heavyweight and the Matte finish was perfect . Where a lot of books fail is in the printing, bit I have to say that the printing was nothing short of excellent, with superb colour and contrast. The layflat concept is really beautiful and gives the book a real impact.
Service and delivery
Again really impressed with both the communication and delivery from Saal. The help videos are very good on their website and they have a chat function should you need it. My book arrived within a week, and was well packaged, and arrived in pristine condition.
Final thoughts
Having created one or two photobooks in the past, and never being fully satisfied with them, I was a little sceptical about how good this one would be. But this is by far the best one and although it was from the professional line and had a hefty price to match, you really do get what you pay for. If you’re looking to produce a book as a one off to showcase your portfolio or a book for a special event then these are definitely worth the money. They are handmade with high quality products, excellent print quality and is quickly delivered to your door.
I would highly recommend these books to anyone looking for something special to showcase their work.
