- Overview
- Features
- Buy GradFilter Pro
- Downloads/Change History
- Comments/feedback
- User Interface
- FAQ
- Links
- Licence
- Disclaimer
GradFilter simulates a graduated neutral density filter. GradFilter Pro extends support to allow multiple graduated filters of any color, on any layer. Either plugin can be used, for example, to darken a bright sky or brighten a dark subject so that both the sky and subject are properly exposed. In an ideal world, a real physical filter would be used as this maximises the dynamic range of the image hitting the film plane/sensor, but this plugin is still quite useful in many situations where one doesn't have such a filter to hand, especially when working with RAW files. In some ways, the plugin provides a greater amount of flexibility, by stretching the physical constraints of a real filter to allow the "addition" of light.
GradFilter is available for free and includes a functional set of features for applying a graduated neutral density filter to the main layer.
For additional features provided by GradFilter Pro, you may purchase via PayPal for US$20.
- Adjustable filter strength. By choosing how dark the dark part of the filter is, you can simulate an ND2, ND4 or darker, and anything in between.
- Adjustable edge transition. Choose how quickly the transition from dark to clear (or clear to bright) occurs, from linear gradation to a very hard edge.
- Adjustable offset (positioning) of the filter.
- Adjustable rotation of the filter.
- Automatic orientation detection (from the image EXIF).
- An option to brighten instead of darkening.
- Preview the transition center line and the effect on a plain background.
- GradFilter Pro only: Support for up to 3 filters with separate settings applied at once.
- GradFilter Pro only: Ability to choose coloration of each filter.
- GradFilter Pro only: Layer support, allowing fine grained control of where the filter is applied.
For additional features provided by GradFilter Pro, you may purchase via PayPal for US$20. All past purchasers of GradPro (the Bibble 4 version of the plugin) are entitled to a free upgrade to the Bibble 5 (and Bibble 5.1) compatible version.
Please allow up to 48 hours for the registration to be processed (usually it will take less than 12 hours).Current version
All available compiled versions for Linux, Windows and Mac and install instructions are included in the archive.
GradFilter-2.0.1.bzplug - for Bibble 5.1
GradFilter-2.0.1.zip - for Bibble 5.0.x
- Added reset button
- Fixed bug with initial settings causing odd behaviour
- Minor UI improvements
Previous versions
- Port to Bibble 5
- Renamed to GradFilter/GradFilter Pro
- Added layer support (Pro version only)
- Added rotation detection
- Removed reset buttons (double click a setting label to reset it)
- Minor UI improvements
- Improved controls, added reset buttons and "About"
- Now compiled for Mac users
- Make center line preview medium grey so as not to mess up auto-levels.
- First "pro" version available for power users and commercial users, called GradPro
- GradPro only: Support for up to 3 filters with separate settings applied at once.
- GradPro only: Ability to choose coloration of each filter.
NDGrad-0.6.zip (Linux and Windows only)
- Added brighten mode (thanks Seb, great suggestion!!!)
- Added center line option
- Fixed multithreaded processing bug
- Set permissions on .ui file in Linux installer
- Compiled for Windows as well as Linux
NDGrad-0.5.zip (Linux only)
- First preview release
Please provide feedback via email to roger at mindsocket (add .com.au) or in the Bibble support forum
Enable
Enables the filter effect
Brighten
This option throws the laws of physics out the door and lets you simulate an ND filter that can increase the amount of light passing through! This turns out to be very useful for brightening foreground shadows when the sky is correctly exposed. The effect of the option is to change the filter transition from the default dark→clear to clear→bright. Note: GradFilter Pro users will need to choose a color other than the default black to see an effect.
Center line
Draws a black line across the image where the center of the transition effect occurs to assist with rotation and offset adjustment.
Effect only
Applies the effect on a constant white image to let you see the transition affect without distraction from the source image. With the brighten option turned, the effect is applied to a constant grey image.
Strength
Strength of the filter. The lowest setting is equivalent to no effect. The highest setting darkens the image by 90% at its darkest point. With the above brighten option enabled, the highest setting increases the brightness by 900% at its brightest point.
Edge
Specifies how quickly the filter transitions. The lowest setting applies a linear gradation, whereas the highest setting has a very sharp transition.
Offset
Locates where the filter is centered. The default is the center of the image, with the extreme settings moving the effect towards respective edges
Rotation
Sets the rotation of the filter in degrees.
GradFilter Pro only - Filter Tabs
Up to 3 separate filters can be applied with independent settings.
GradFilter Pro only - Color selector
GradFilter Pro allows selection of a color for each filter.
- Why does the lower part of my image get brighter when I try to darken the top part? This is also probably an effect of your other settings, specifically Auto Level. By darkening the bright bits of your image with GradFilter, it's possible for autolevel, which is applied afterwards, to brighten up the whole image.
- Why is there a color cast to the applied filter? This is probably an effect of your other settings. The Grad Filter is applied very early in the processing pipeline (in an attempt to simulate a real filter more realistically). As a result, white balance, exposure and other settings are applied to the already filtered image, which can cause a color cast. Imagine if you applied a real orange filter, but used an unusual white balance setting, the effect would be the same.
- How can I position the filter accurately? By using the "Center line" checkbox or increasing the strength and edge values dramatically, you can see more easily where the transition point in the filter lies, allowing you to fine tune the offset and rotation. Once you are happy with the positioning, you can turn the strength and edge values back down to achieve the desired affect.
- How can I expose my images for the best results? Raw images allow for some amount of overexposure (depending on your camera). When using this filter, it is recommended that you expose for the highlights. Then when you apply the filter, increase the overall exposure value in Bibble if needed, or try the brighten option instead.
- How do I keep my favourite filter settings for future use? Use the built-in preset facility of bibble to save and load your favourite settings.
- Why doesn't the brighten mode do anything? GradFilter Pro users: The brighten mode behaves a little differently compared to GradFilter due to the interactions that occur with the color selection (ie you can't use black to "brighten"). If you aren't seeing an expected result when using the brighten mode, try changing the color from black to white (or vice versa as needed).
- How can I get greater control over the strength of the filter? GradFilter Pro users: The color selector gives finer grain control over the strength of the filter, over and above the basic strength setting, by adjusting the brightness of the selected color.
- How much will the Pro version cost? The price for the Bibble 5 version is still the same, US$20, but a free upgrade is available to all previous purchasers of the GradPro plugin for Bibble 4. To download the new version, use the user credentials sent when you bought it.
- Request: Fine grained selection of area The filter, mainly for technical reasons, stays true to the physical graudated filter on which it is modelled. However, with Bibble 5, the ability to apply the filter to custom layers is available to GradFilter Pro users.
- Request: Port to Lightroom and/or Aperture I considered both of these options previously, but decided against it due to the large amount of development involved, the likelihood of a future Lightroom/Aperture version supporting graduated filters natively, and the lack of my own interest in developing for another platform.
- Request: A tool (similar to the straighten tool) to help select filter angle Unfortunately, this is not something available to plugins, to my knowledge
- Request: Layer support Done! (Pro version only)
- Request: Rotation detection (based on EXIF) Done! (all versions) Now the dark part of the filter will always be at the top by default, regardless of image orientation
- Will my B4 settings be picked up in B5? Unfortunately not
- What happened to the color selector? The color selector in B4 is no longer available to plugin developers in B5, so it was necessary to replace it with a popup selector. Unfortunately, this isn't as intuitive or easy to use.
- Bibble related
- Other technical/photography/imaging
- Personal
GradFilter/GradFilter Pro is Copyright 2007-2010 Roger Barnes. GradFilter is free for non-commercial use and may be redistributed in its full archive format as available from this site, as long as the full archive contents are left intact, with no additions, modifications or ommissions. GradFilter Pro is licensed for use (including commercial use) only by registered users who have been given access to the GradFilter Pro download site.