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ND 3.6
Lighting · Terms

ND 3.6

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Strongest ND filter with 12 stops of light reduction, enabling multi-minute exposures even in direct sunlight.

Definition

The ND 3.6 is a neutral density filter with 12 stops of light reduction (3.6 density units). It reduces incident light to 1/4096 of its original intensity.

Practical Application

Areas of application for the ND 3.6:

  • Daylight Exterior Shots: Wide-aperture shots in strong sunlight
  • Long Exposures: Motion blur in bright lighting conditions
  • Depth of Field Control: Wide apertures despite high light intensity
  • Overexposure Protection: Avoiding clipping in bright image areas

Technical Details

Specifications of the ND 3.6:

  • Optical Density: 3.6
  • Light Reduction: 12 f-stops
  • Transmission: 0.025%
  • Available as screw-in filter, drop-in filter, or integrated camera filter

Practical Tips

  • Perform exposure metering after attaching the filter
  • Autofocus may fail with very dark filters
  • Color cast possible - perform white balance after attaching the filter
  • Protection against fingerprints and scratches

Professional Standards

Standards for ND filters in film production:

  • Neutral color reproduction without color cast
  • Uniform density across the entire filter surface
  • Anti-reflective coating to prevent reflections
  • Precise optical density according to manufacturer specifications
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