Tools · ND/CPL Filters
ND or CPL:
stop guessing
An interactive lab where you pick the right filter yourself across 7 real Mexican light scenes. You try the combination first — the why comes after, never before.
Visual approximation of each filter's effect · not an exact optical render
What almost everyone gets wrong
ND and CPL don't do the same thing
ND controls how much light gets in. CPL controls reflections. They're physically independent — in scenes with both glare and reflection, like a beach or glass, combining them isn't optional.
ND stops, not rounded off
More stops isn't "better" — it's only correct if the scene actually has that much light to spare.
- ND4
- 2
- ND8
- 3
- ND16
- 4
- ND32
- 5
- ND64
- 6
- ND1000
- 10
CPL doesn't adjust mid-flight
The polarizer angle gets locked in before takeoff. It works well if the gimbal doesn't rotate mid-shot — poorly if the frame turns partway through.
UV filters barely filter anything
On modern digital sensors it physically protects the lens glass — it adds no real optical filtering. Useful for protection, not for solving a scene.