Last updated: June 2026
Neutral density lens filters, or ND filters, are a powerful tool for any photographer looking to expand their creative control. By reducing the amount of light entering the lens, ND filters open up a world of possibilities - from silky smooth water in landscape photography to blurred motion effects in bright daylight.
Here's everything you need to know about ND lens filters, from the different types available to the ideal situations for using them.
What is a Neutral Density Filter?
Think of an ND filter as a pair of sunglasses for your camera lens. It's a darkened piece of glass that sits in front of your lens, reducing the amount of light that reaches the sensor. This allows you to use slower shutter speeds or wider apertures for creative effects, even in bright daylight, without risking overexposure.
Types of ND Lens Filters
There are two main types of neutral density filters:
- Fixed ND filters - These have a pre-determined amount of light reduction, measured in f-stops. A 2-stop ND filter halves the light entering the lens, allowing you to double your shutter speed. Higher stop filters (3-stop, 6-stop, 10-stop) offer progressively stronger light reduction.
- Variable ND filters - These allow you to adjust the filter's density by rotating a ring, giving you a wider range of light reduction in a single filter.
Square vs Circular ND Filters
- Circular filters - Screw directly onto the front of your lens. Easy to attach and remove, making them ideal for everyday use and quickly adapting to changing conditions.
- Square filters - Held in place by a filter holder attached to your lens. They offer greater flexibility for composing your shot and are commonly used with wide-angle lenses, where circular filters can cause darkening at the corners of the image (vignetting).
When to Use a Neutral Density Filter
- Long exposures - ND filters allow slower shutter speeds, enabling creative effects like silky smooth waterfalls, streaking light trails from cars, or star trails - adding a compelling sense of movement to your images.
- Shallow depth of field in bright light - Achieving a wide aperture (and therefore a blurred background) in bright conditions can lead to overexposure. An ND filter lets you shoot wide open without blowing out your highlights.
How Many Stops Should a Neutral Density Filter Be?
See the ND filter stops guide below for a full breakdown by stop value and use case.
Take Your Photography to the Next Level
Choosing the right ND filter is an exciting step in expanding your creative capabilities. With a bit of experimentation, you'll be unlocking effects that were previously out of reach.
To learn more about other filter options, check out our To learn more about other filter options, check out our Camera Lens Filter Buying Guide for a full overview of UV, polarising, and ND filter types. Camera Lens Filter Buying Guide. Or browse our full range of camera lens filters at Ted's Cameras and find the perfect ND filter for your photography.
What is a 10-Stop ND Filter and When Should You Use One?
A 10-stop ND filter is one of the most dramatic tools in a photographer's kit. As the name suggests, it reduces the light entering your lens by 10 full f-stops - that's 1,000 times less light reaching your camera sensor compared to shooting without a filter. The result? Extremely long exposures that are simply impossible to achieve in normal daylight conditions without one.
So what does a 10-stop neutral density filter actually do in practice? Imagine you're shooting a busy city street at midday. With a 10-stop ND filter attached, what might have been a 1/500s exposure becomes a 2-second exposure. Pedestrians, cars, and moving elements virtually disappear from the frame, leaving you with a hauntingly still scene that conveys a completely different mood to a standard sharp image.
The 10-stop ND filter is especially popular for:
- Seascape and waterfall photography - turning choppy ocean waves or rushing waterfalls into smooth, milky textures even in bright midday light.
- Architecture and cityscape photography - removing moving crowds and traffic to capture clean, uncluttered compositions.
- Creative long-exposure cloud photography - stretching cloud movement across the sky for dramatic, streaked effects.
- Fine art and minimalist photography - using motion blur as a creative tool to simplify a busy scene.
One important consideration when using a 10-stop ND filter is that the image through your viewfinder or live view screen will appear almost completely black. This means you should compose and focus your shot before attaching the filter, then switch to manual focus to lock your focus point. Because the exposure times are so long, a sturdy tripod and a remote shutter release are essential accessories to avoid camera shake.
Popular 10-stop ND filters available in Australia include options from brands like Kase, NiSi, Haida, Kenko, and Lee Filters (including the well-regarded Big Stopper), all of which are available at Ted's Cameras in a wide range of thread sizes to suit your lens.
Which ND Filter Do You Need? A Guide to ND Filter Stops (3-Stop, 4-Stop and Beyond)
Choosing the right ND filter stop count is one of the most common questions photographers face when starting out with neutral density filters. The answer largely depends on what you're shooting, the lighting conditions you're working in, and the creative effect you want to achieve. Here's a breakdown of the most common stop values and the situations where each one shines.
3-Stop ND Filter (ND8)
A 3-stop neutral density filter - also labelled ND8 - reduces incoming light by a factor of 8. This is a versatile, entry-level choice that gives you meaningful creative control without making your camera completely blind. It's ideal for shooting portraits with a wide aperture in bright outdoor light, or for adding a subtle motion blur to waterfalls and streams during golden hour or overcast days. If you're new to ND filters, a 3-stop ND is a great starting point.
4-Stop ND Filter (ND16)
Stepping up to a 4-stop ND filter (ND16) gives you 16 times less light than shooting unfiltered. This is a popular choice for videographers shooting at 24fps or 25fps who need to adhere to the 180-degree shutter rule in moderately bright conditions. It's also well-suited for landscape photographers who want noticeably silky water effects in daylight without going to the extreme darkness of a 6 or 10-stop filter. The 4-stop ND filter strikes an excellent balance between flexibility and creative effect.
6-Stop ND Filter (ND64)
A 6-stop ND filter is where long-exposure photography really starts to come into its own in daytime shooting. It allows for exposures of several seconds in bright light, making it a firm favourite among landscape photographers targeting smooth water and cloud movement during the day.
10-Stop ND Filter (ND1000)
As covered above, the 10-stop ND filter is the powerhouse option for dramatic long exposures in full daylight. It's the go-to choice when you want to push exposure times into the seconds or even minutes range during bright conditions.
As a general rule of thumb: start with a 3-stop or 4-stop ND filter if you're primarily shooting video or portraits, and consider a 6-stop or 10-stop ND filter if long-exposure landscape photography is your main goal. Many photographers eventually build a small set covering multiple stop values for maximum versatility in the field.
Canon Camera ND Filters: Compatibility and What to Look For
If you're shooting with a Canon camera - whether that's a Canon EOS R-series mirrorless body, a Canon EOS 90D DSLR, or any other Canon model - finding the right neutral density filter is straightforward once you know the key specifications to look for. Canon lenses, like all interchangeable lenses, have a filter thread diameter printed on the lens barrel, usually preceded by the ∅ symbol (e.g., ∅77mm or ∅82mm). This is the measurement you need when purchasing a screw-in ND filter.
Some of the most common filter thread sizes across popular Canon lenses include:
- 67mm - Common on Canon kit lenses such as the EF-S 18-55mm and RF 18-45mm.
- 77mm - A standard size across many Canon L-series lenses including the RF 24-105mm f/4L and EF 24-70mm f/2.8L.
- 82mm - Found on larger Canon lenses such as the RF 15-35mm f/2.8L and EF 16-35mm f/2.8L.
If you own multiple Canon lenses with different filter thread sizes, a useful solution is to purchase your ND filter in the largest size you need and use step-up rings to fit it to smaller lenses. This approach is more cost-effective than buying a separate filter for every lens.
For Canon mirrorless shooters using RF-mount lenses, all standard screw-in ND filters are fully compatible - the filter thread system is universal and not mount-specific. Alternatively, Canon EOS R-series shooters may also consider a square filter system from brands like NiSi or Lee Filters, which uses a filter holder that attaches to the lens via an adapter ring and allows you to stack multiple filters for greater control.
At Ted's Cameras, we stock a wide range of ND filters compatible with Canon cameras across popular thread sizes and from trusted brands like Kenko, Hoya, Lee Filters, and NiSi. If you're unsure which size or stop value suits your Canon lens, our in-store team are always happy to help you find the right match. Good news if you shoot Nikon, Sony, or Fujifilm too - ND filters are not brand-locked, so the same filter works across systems provided it matches your lens thread size.
ND Filters for Canon, Nikon, Sony & Other Camera Systems
Ready to find the right ND filter for your kit? Browse our full range below.
