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ND Filter / Long Exposure Calculator

Convert a base shutter speed to a long exposure through ND filters — or reverse-solve the base — with stops and ND factor.

About this tool

ND Filter / Long Exposure Calculator is a free, in-browser tool for neutral-density long exposures. Enter your unfiltered base shutter speed (fractions like 1/125 are accepted), choose one or two ND filters or type the total stops, and it returns the adjusted shutter time. You can also reverse the problem: enter a target long exposure and it solves the base shutter you need. All math runs locally with nothing uploaded.

Each stop of neutral density doubles the required exposure time, so the light-reduction factor is 2 raised to the total stops. A filter's stop rating comes from its factor via stops = log2(ND number): ND8 is 3 stops, ND64 is 6 stops and a 10-stop ND1000 multiplies exposure by 2^10 = 1024. Stacking filters adds their stops together. The adjusted time is base × 2^stops; the reverse mode divides the target time by the same factor.

Use it for silky waterfalls, smooth skies and empty streets: meter without the filter, read the base shutter, then let the tool hand you the exposure time in seconds and minutes so you do not have to count stops in your head.

Frequently asked questions

How do I enter a base shutter speed like 1/250?
Type it exactly as a fraction — 1/250 — or as a decimal such as 0.004. The calculator parses both. Reciprocal fractions are the natural way to enter fast shutter speeds.
How are the stops of an ND filter worked out?
An ND filter's factor is a power of two, and stops = log2(factor): ND2 is 1 stop, ND8 is 3, ND1000 is 10 (its true factor is 1024, marketed as ND1000). Stacking two filters simply adds their stop counts.
What does the reverse mode do?
Pick 'solve base shutter', enter the long exposure you want (say 30 s) and the filters or stops, and the tool returns the unfiltered base shutter to meter for. It divides your target time by 2 raised to the total stops.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Shutter speeds and filter choices are processed entirely in your browser — the tool works offline and sends nothing to a server.

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