Filters

canon400d

I have been using Cokin filters for the sky and waterfalls. I was wondering about a couple of Lee filters for sunsets and sea/sky landscapes. Does anyone know which particular filter I should consider buying.
Cheers
Bob

Peano

You might get better advice in one of the gear or technique forums. This forum is mainly for software/post-processing.

pathfinder

Hi Bob,

Lee makes all kinds of neutral density and graduated neutral density filters. This page will give you an idea what they can do for you. I rec you get the 4 x 6 in size, and then they will be suitable for your present and future camera choices.

I tend to use screw in filters for my very dense filters, but grad NDs need to be rectangular so that you can move them up and down in front of your lens.

canon400d

pathfinder wrote: »

Hi Bob,

Lee makes all kinds of neutral density and graduated neutral density filters. This page will give you an idea what they can do for you. I rec you get the 4 x 6 in size, and then they will be suitable for your present and future camera choices.

I tend to use screw in filters for my very dense filters, but grad NDs need to be rectangular so that you can move them up and down in front of your lens.

Thanks Pathfinder that sure is one useful link. Thanks a lot.
Cheers
Bob

canon400d

canon400d wrote: »

Thanks Pathfinder that sure is one useful link. Thanks a lot.
Cheers
Bob

Hi Pathfinder just to let you know that I purchased the Lee starter kit consisting of 0.6 ND Hard Grad and a Coral 3 Hard Grad. I was so thrilled with them I purchased the Landscape set.
In the past I have used Cokin 153 and 154 for slowing down the shutter speed when taking waterfall shots. I was wondering which Lee filter(s) I would need for this. The 153 was for water running slowly and the 154 for fast running water.
I have seen your waterfall shots on Landscapes and the smoothness of the water is just perfect for me.
The Cohin qhality is no way near the Lee quality and this is the reason I am wanting the extra filter(s)
Cheers
Bob

pathfinder

Bob, I think the rectangular filters are ideal for graduated NDs ( and I have that style and use them), but for basic ND filters ( not the graduated variety ) I prefer the screw in 77mm type. Those two waterfall shots were done with a screw in 77mm 10X Hoya that I happen to have in my kit. I also use a combination of polarizer + 2-6 stop NDs mounted together that I use at times as well.

I do also have a Singh variable polarizer, but do not use it as much as I thought I would when I bought it. Too thick, and too much vignetting at 24 mm. Maybe the thinner version would be more satisfactory, but I already had spent too much money on NDs..

I do have a Lee filter holder, but the less I use it the better. It works fine, but I just find it cumbersome to carry and deal with in the field. I know that there are those who love it, so chalk that up as just a peculiarity of mine, if you will.

The key with graduated NDs, is that you MUST be able to move them up and down in front of your lens as you look through the viewfinder to place the gradient at the appropriate height in the frame. That is why you need the rectangular format for grad NDs. But for standard NDS, you can just screw them in and have one less thing to mess with.

canon400d

pathfinder wrote: »

Bob, I think the rectangular filters are ideal for graduated NDs ( and I have that style and use them), but for basic ND filters ( not the graduated variety ) I prefer the screw in 77mm type. Those two waterfall shots were done with a screw in 77mm 10X Hoya that I happen to have in my kit. I also use a combination of polarizer + 2-6 stop NDs mounted together that I use at times as well.

I do also have a Singh variable polarizer, but do not use it as much as I thought I would when I bought it. Too thick, and too much vignetting at 24 mm. Maybe the thinner version would be more satisfactory, but I already had spent too much money on NDs..

I do have a Lee filter holder, but the less I use it the better. It works fine, but I just find it cumbersome to carry and deal with in the field. I know that there are those who love it, so chalk that up as just a peculiarity of mine, if you will.

The key with graduated NDs, is that you MUST be able to move them up and down in front of your lens as you look through the viewfinder to place the gradient at the appropriate height in the frame. That is why you need the rectangular format for grad NDs. But for standard NDS, you can just screw them in and have one less thing to mess with.

Once again a sound reply and I now know exactly what to go for.
Thanks a lot Jim
Cheers
Bob

pathfinder

You can stack standard NDs and Grad NDs too, of course. Screw the Lee filter holder into the standard ND and there you go.

canon400d

pathfinder wrote: »

You can stack standard NDs and Grad NDs too, of course. Screw the Lee filter holder into the standard ND and there you go.

Thanks again. When I got the starter kit, it came with a holder and I ordered a 77mm adapter ring to screw onto the 25-105 lens for the holder to fit onto. The holder will only take two grad filters. Does the 10 x Hoya just screw onto the lens? For Standard ND's do I need an adapter ring to screw these into or is it a holder screw them into? Hope I have made myself clear.
Is the 10 x Hoya anything like the B&W 10 stop which I have?
Cheers
Bob

pathfinder

You can get a 10X ND 77mm screw in filter from either Hoya or B&W. Hoya is cheaper, but B&W has nice brass rings and threads, and MRC coatings ( if you pony up for them )

They just screw onto the lens like a standard 77mm filter ( which is what they are ) and they are threaded on the front so that you can screw a Lee mount onto them as well. Now, you may get some vignetting with wide angle lenses if you do this, so just be aware of that.

You can buy 67-> 77mm filter ring adapters, or 72->77mm adapter rings if you need a size different than 77mm.

The Hoya or the B&W probably comes in other sizes as well, but to be honest, I have not looked for them as 77mm fills most of my needs. An 82mm thin mount one would be nice, but so would a lot of other gadgets that I only use now and again.

I just leave a 6X and a 10x ND in my camera bag at all times, along with a circular polarizing filter, and a Blue/Gold polarizing filter. These get used a fair amount.

canon400d

pathfinder wrote: »

You can get a 10X ND 77mm screw in filter from either Hoya or B&W. Hoya is cheaper, but B&W has nice brass rings and threads, and MRC coatings ( if you pony up for them )

They just screw onto the lens like a standard 77mm filter ( which is what they are ) and they are threaded on the front so that you can screw a Lee mount onto them as well. Now, you may get some vignetting with wide angle lenses if you do this, so just be aware of that.

You can buy 67-> 77mm filter ring adapters, or 72->77mm adapter rings if you need a size different than 77mm.

The Hoya or the B&W probably comes in other sizes as well, but to be honest, I have not looked for them as 77mm fills most of my needs. An 82mm thin mount one would be nice, but so would a lot of other gadgets that I only use now and again.

I just leave a 6X and a 10x ND in my camera bag at all times, along with a circular polarizing filter, and a Blue/Gold polarizing filter. These get used a fair amount.

Thanks ever so much I find that really helpful. I think I will go for the 6X and a 10X because I can see you are perfectly happy with this arrangement.
Cheers
Bob