Lee filters kit

[Mint_Sauce]

I'm looking to purchase some Lee or hi-tech filters, I'm thinking of ordering the following:

0.6 soft GND
0.9 hard GND
0.6 ND
Circ Polariser

Bearing in mind they will be used for landscapes mostly, would that be a good selection to get going on? What about the holder considering my lenses? Do the filters come with a pouch or will i need to purchase them seperatly? Anything else?

Not having seen filters before, i'm not sure what I really need. :rolleyes: :D

Thanks!

[weemannie]

I'd say that was a good start. Each filter comes in a fabric pouch which is quite good, but I bought a Lee pouch that holds up to 10 filters.
You'll need the wideangle holder. If you're buying the square CPL the holder system will be fine, but if you're going for glass then there is a special threaded holder that attaches to the main filter holder.

One word of warning, treat them very carefully as they scratch VERY easily. I look after my kit, but managed to scratch the resin CPL within a week of getting it :evil: I ended up getting the glass one instead. Expensive but worth it.

Are you in the uk? If so, try Karlu Photographic they were the cheapest I found.

[Mike K]

[QUOTE=Mint_Sauce;2210361

0.6 soft GND
0.9 hard GND
0.6 ND
Circ Polariser

Thanks![/QUOTE]

I would get a .6 hard and .9 soft.
I use screw on ND and CPs as the Cokin holder is more work to put on and take off.
I've been very happy with the service and prices from
http://www.2filter.com/
Mike K

[jdkeck]

You may be able to ust the ND grads for the as a straight ND. Just sliding the filter in the holder should cover the entire frame. If yuo don't want to carry holder an ND grads all the time, a screw in ND may be worth it.

Jeff

[Mint_Sauce]

Thanks guys, If I was to buy the following, would I have everything I need?

My lenses are 77mm so:

Wide Angle holder (Cokin P holder)
Screw in CP (probably hi-tech)
Screw in ND (probably hi-tech)
0.9 soft GND (probably hi-tech)
0.6 hard GND (probably hi-tech)

I expect most of my shots will be along the New Zealand coast line, so my thinking was the 0.6 hard for sunsets over the sea to bring out the water and allow me longer shutter speeds for that blended water look along with rich sky colour.

The 0.9 soft I though I could overlay with the 0.6 hard should I require more ND on the sky and for normal daytime shots with trees and other objects in the frame I would then have the 0.9 soft to make sure the clouds aren't blown out whilst not showing the obvious change of the hard filter.

I would also have the normal ND to decrease shutter speed for waterfalls etc.

Does that kit sound about right for what I want?

[Dorman]

Sounds pretty spot on to me Mint Sauce and very similar to the selection I will be ordering shortly.

[Mint_Sauce]

Crikey, the Lee filter Circ polariser is £165! Is that correct? Does anyone know somewhere in the UK that can supply me hi-tech filters? I've heard they are a little cheaper but the quality is still good.

[Mint_Sauce]

http://www.karlu.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=cokin+holder&x=0&y=0

Which Cokin holder would I need for the filters? I take it Lee, Cokin and Hi-Tech all have the same size filters so I can use the Cokin Wide angle holder with Lee/hi-tech filters?

Also, I've got a 0.6 ND screw on filter. Is 0.6 a good choice?

[kevin_c]

Crikey, the Lee filter Circ polariser is £165! ............

:shock: :shock: !!

Blimey... cheaper to hire a photog for a couple of hours who has one and get him to take the shot for you :-)

It would certainly make you take care of it though.

Don't know if this helps but here is a link to a shop local to me that sells Lee filters etc.

http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/lee.htm

[ruairidh]

http://www.karlu.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=cokin+holder&x=0&y=0

I take it Lee, Cokin and Hi-Tech all have the same size filters so I can use the Cokin Wide angle holder with Lee/hi-tech filters?


Looking at Lee filters myself (see other thread). I already have the Cokin P series but the filters are 3" wide (correct me if I'm wrong), where as the Lee filters are 4" wide.

I find that the standard Cokin holder causes vignetting (sp!!) at anything less than about 35mm, that's why I'm considering Lee filters as I use the bottom end of my 24-105 and 16-35 quite a lot.

My philosophy is that quality costs and if you look after good kit, it will look after you (or your photography) and last a life time.

Lee do a square CPF which you can either rotate the basic frame or fix on a rotating mount.

[Mint_Sauce]

I just ordered my Lee filters, I was advised to get both a .6 and .9 GND hard as I was told the soft would be too graduated over a 35mm sensor as they are used for large format cameras where the sensor is bigger.

Also, was advised a 0.9 ND for shooting flowing water in good light so went for that.

Hope I did the right thing! :)