Post your 9 or 10 stop ND photos

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #17929418
So he'll sell you the adaptor ring, for the size of your lens, and the holder, but you'd still need to buy the filters from Lee. Is that correct?

Correct. One adaptor ring per lens (or one per thread size and swap it). One filter holder which clips onto any sized adaptor ring . Then just add square or rectangle filters

Charlie wrote in post #17929417
except it ships from the motherland which takes longer. $10.

From the motherland haha

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #17929422
Wow!!!! Are the LEE filters compatible with that holder?

yes, I owned one in the past.

I eventually sold it, went circular for a while, changed up my lenses, then back to square. My brother had a spare lee kit and gave it to me to sell off, but been so lazy and just kept using his lee

filters compatible, I was using haida, lee, lee polarizer, all fit. Generally liked haida the best because it was thinnest and easy to move in and out. The firecrest has a slightly thicker foam gasket that can be annoying to use, the polarizer is really thick and annoying to use.... but yeah, not a lot of difference between authentic LEE and generic holder. Lee is the best holder because it doesnt have those screw knobs and requires a screwdriver, which you'll never use. That half inch saving may help if your filter holder bag is small, so that's the lee advantage.

Just ordered a few filters from the brand 84.5mm. It seems they're not very common in the US but they appear to be good quality at a reasonable price.

Exited to try them out as soon as the package arrives!

johnnyproblems wrote in post #17929358
Looking for some advice. I'm sure this has been covered at some point in the last 520 pages or so...but I'm looking to get a 10 stop ND. What brand do you guys prefer? Is there any benefit, or negative aspect to using a square filter with a mounting system vs. a filter that screws into the lens threads themselves?

Heya,

I went from a costly plate filter system (4x4 & 4x6, Lee & Formatt Hitech), including the big stopper etc. It's convenient to use the plate system if you have to take the filter on and off a lot. But, the trade off is cost, stacking issues, lack of lens hood issues, etc. Personally I found I was fiddling with too many filters and losing light too often. Also here in sunny Florida, no lens hood was always causing me problems with flare and things on the filter surface being lit up like a little fire/sparkle. I sold my filter setup. I went back to a circular screw-on filter setup. I was about to go into Breakthrough Photography filters, very expensive, but probably the best ND filters you can get right now. Then, I thought, I hate fiddling with tons of this stuff, and I'm not big into doing everything digitally (though I'm not a purist by any means). I took a chance on a cheaper Haida filter--did a review (it's in this sub forum with examples) and that pretty much solved it all for me. I didn't have to get costly filters, and I didn't have to fool with tons of stacked filters, etc. The Haida retains almost all IQ, has very little color cast (and what it does have is a cool temperature, blueish). I now just use one high stop power ND filter, the cheap Haida. I think they're about $70 shipped for 77mm size. I now use it more often than I did my plate system because I can use my lens hood with it, and the color cast is minimal, and I can throw it on/off quick, I can stack with other filters easily and still keep my lens hood and I don't have to fool with $500+ worth of square filters and a special adapter, ring adapters, filter holder, and lack of lens hood. Big selling points for me. So I'm someone who "downgraded." I'm still happy with the choice.

It's a personal thing. I would start simple. You don't need graduated NDs or any of that really. Just a single high stop power ND filter with minimal color cast and sharpness retention and you're good to go for a while, learn what you like to do, and then spend money after you have experience with it, or realize you actually don't need it.

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #17929643
Heya,

I went from a costly plate filter system (4x4 & 4x6, Lee & Formatt Hitech), including the big stopper etc. It's convenient to use the plate system if you have to take the filter on and off a lot. But, the trade off is cost, stacking issues, lack of lens hood issues, etc. Personally I found I was fiddling with too many filters and losing light too often. Also here in sunny Florida, no lens hood was always causing me problems with flare and things on the filter surface being lit up like a little fire/sparkle. I sold my filter setup. I went back to a circular screw-on filter setup. I was about to go into Breakthrough Photography filters, very expensive, but probably the best ND filters you can get right now. Then, I thought, I hate fiddling with tons of this stuff, and I'm not big into doing everything digitally (though I'm not a purist by any means). I took a chance on a cheaper Haida filter--did a review (it's in this sub forum with examples) and that pretty much solved it all for me. I didn't have to get costly filters, and I didn't have to fool with tons of stacked filters, etc. The Haida retains almost all IQ, has very little color cast (and what it does have is a cool temperature, blueish). I now just use one high stop power ND filter, the cheap Haida. I think they're about $70 shipped for 77mm size. I now use it more often than I did my plate system because I can use my lens hood with it, and the color cast is minimal, and I can throw it on/off quick, I can stack with other filters easily and still keep my lens hood and I don't have to fool with $500+ worth of square filters and a special adapter, ring adapters, filter holder, and lack of lens hood. Big selling points for me. So I'm someone who "downgraded." I'm still happy with the choice.

It's a personal thing. I would start simple. You don't need graduated NDs or any of that really. Just a single high stop power ND filter with minimal color cast and sharpness retention and you're good to go for a while, learn what you like to do, and then spend money after you have experience with it, or realize you actually don't need it.

Very best,

Solid point on the lens hood. I do find that lens hoods do help. I do find it annoying to have both circular and square sets.

been considering 1,2 lens to focus all my LE work from to simplify things. My last outing, had 14mm + nd throttle (rear nd) and 24-70 + square. The combo worked out well on two bodies... however I dont like the idea of having so much redundancy in gear.

Charlie wrote in post #17929840
Solid point on the lens hood. I do find that lens hoods do help. I do find it annoying to have both circular and square sets.

been considering 1,2 lens to focus all my LE work from to simplify things. My last outing, had 14mm + nd throttle (rear nd) and 24-70 + square. The combo worked out well on two bodies... however I dont like the idea of having so much redundancy in gear.

Lee Filters makes a hood for the "slide-in" filters.

https://www.google.com …_AUICCgC&biw=12​80&bih=631

paloika wrote in post #17929978
Lee Filters makes a hood for the "slide-in" filters.

https://www.google.com …_AUICCgC&biw=12​80&bih=631

yeah, I know, I'm trying to avoid being broke

I really do love those bellows, they look awesome. I was close to buying them a few years back, but the size is what kept me away. Airbutchie has that thing and it looks awesome, do want.

paloika wrote in post #17929978
Lee Filters makes a hood for the "slide-in" filters.

https://www.google.com …_AUICCgC&biw=12​80&bih=631

Wow, at $200+ for a lens hood, it's like they're copying Canon super tele's for lenshood pricing strategy.

This is why I dropped plates though. It ultimately gets too costly while being massive and bulky, and I try to keep it mobile and light when possible. Nice to see there is an actual working hood for plates. Just unfortunate for the cost. Makes sense though, why have a $30 hood when you're selling $100+ filters and holders, a filter holder, adapter, filter & hood is $450 minimum new. That's crazy just for a 10 stop ND effect that is no better than a $70 screw on filter that lets you use your natural hood. Granted the purpose is to be able to stack filters, add a 4x4 CPL, etc.

To rich & big for me these days.

Very best,

Palouse Falls with the Big Stopper

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EVfW​py

MalVeauX wrote in post #17930026
Wow, at $200+ for a lens hood, it's like they're copying Canon super tele's for lenshood pricing strategy.

This is why I dropped plates though. It ultimately gets too costly while being massive and bulky, and I try to keep it mobile and light when possible. Nice to see there is an actual working hood for plates. Just unfortunate for the cost. Makes sense though, why have a $30 hood when you're selling $100+ filters and holders, a filter holder, adapter, filter & hood is $450 minimum new. That's crazy just for a 10 stop ND effect that is no better than a $70 screw on filter that lets you use your natural hood. Granted the purpose is to be able to stack filters, add a 4x4 CPL, etc.

To rich & big for me these days.

Very best,

the hood is actually the filter holder as well fyi. it is bulky, but yeah, kinda costly. Only issue is that there's a wide hood and a normal hood. Have to pick your poison or get both...

theague wrote in post #17929251
Looking forward to your test images. That's something I'd love to see and will keep an eye on this thread.

Heya,

First series of test images completed today and posted. I'll make a separate thread, to avoid cluttering this one since this is the sharing & visual section.

Link: Experimenting with Digital Stacking for Long Exposure

Very best,

From sunrise in Orlando yesterday. Big Stopper and .9GND. 75 Seconds.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EVM9​8y

TRhoads wrote in post #17930226
From sunrise in Orlando yesterday. Big Stopper and .9GND. 75 Seconds.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EVM9​8y Cypress Sunrise by Travis Rhoads, on Flickr

Very nice Travis, love the colours.