Numex 52mm ND Filter Kit for Nikon D3100/D3200/D3000/D40/D60 In photography and optics, a neutral density filter or ND filter is a filter that reduces or modifies the intensity of all wavelengths or colors of light equally, giving no changes in hue of color rendition. It can be a colorless (clear) or grey filter. The purpose of a standard photographic neutral density filter is to reduce the amount of light entering the lens. Doing so allows the photographer to select combinations of aperture, exposure time and sensor sensitivity which would otherwise produce overexposed pictures. This is done to achieve effects such as a shallower depth of field and/or motion blur of a subject in a wider range of situations and atmospheric conditions. For example, one might wish to photograph a waterfall at a slow shutter speed to create a deliberate motion blur effect. The photographer might determine that to obtain the desired effect a shutter speed of ten seconds was needed. On a very bright day, there might be so much light that even at minimum film speed and a minimum aperture, the ten-second shutter speed would let in too much light and the photo would be overexposed. In this situation, applying an appropriate neutral density filter is the equivalent of stopping down one or more additional stops, allowing for the slower shutter speed and the desired motion-blur effect. USES Examples of this use include: Blurring water motion (e.g. waterfalls, rivers, oceans). Reducing the depth of field in very bright light (e.g. daylight). When using a flash on a camera with a focal-plane shutter, the exposure time is limited to the maximum speed-often 1/250th of a second, at best-at which the entire film or sensor is exposed to light at one instant. Without an ND filter, this can result in the need to use f8 or higher. Using a wider aperture to stay below the diffraction limit. Reduce the visibility of moving objects Add motion blur to subjects Extended time exposures Product Information