Beginner FILTER UPGRADES (Lee and alternatives)

jpgreenwood

jpgreenwood

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Although I consider myself an amateur, I am in the process of improving my camera equipment as I go. I've now got a selection of lenses with various end diameters. 52mm kit lens, 35mm prime, 50mm prime and Nikon 50-200mm VR lens, 57mm Sigma 70-300mm, 72mm Sigma 17-70mm and 77mm Nikon 300mm prime.

I use the cheap screw on filters for the 52mm and a 57mm adaptor ring where needed but would like to progress onto a better, more versatile set that will fit all lenses.
Does such a kit exist?
I would like a set of ND's (2, 4, 8), a 10 stop, Polariser, ND grad and maybe a mist filter.
I don't think I would use any other fancy starlight or colourful ones.
I'm not sure if I can stretch my wallet for a LEE set so are there any good quality alternatives, and what attachments would I need to adapt to fit all lenses, if possible?

Thanks for any help.
 
Since you are wanting both ND and Grad filters, a slot in filter system (Such as Lee, HiTech or Cokin) is the most flexible option.

These all work in much the same way - you buy a holder to slot the filters into, and then an adaptor ring for each size of lend filter you have (and want to use, you may not want to use filters with your 300mm prime, for example).

Although Lee are expensive, you probably need less than you think, and can often get much of what you want in the classifieds here to reduce the cost.
HiTech are a decent alternative, with their Firecrest range similar to Lee - but not a lot cheaper, as a result.

Cokin are cheaper, but are not as good, so you may well find yourself later buying lee's anyway,

Note that you can get away with a smaller set to start with - the 2 stop ND & Grad are probably the most used.

The polariser is the expensive bit with slot in systems.
 
Thanks. Just looked online and it seems there are various sizes. If I am going to use them mostly with my 52mm primes and kit lens, and my 72mm Sigma 17-70, what size kit do you recommend? As you stated, I probably wouldn't use them on my 300mm prime.
 
I don't personally use filters, however I've seen it suggested that you should buy for the largest size and use step down adapters, that way you can use them on all lenses
 
So do I buy the 85 x 85 filters which would cover all my lenses, or go bigger for the 100 x 100. Are there any benefits/downfalls of each size?
 
The larger filters are not simply for lenses with larger front elements, but also for wider angle lenses where the smaller filters can cause vignetting or actually block the edges of the image.
The smaller filters are significantly cheaper.

Hopefully someone with 85mm filters on a APS-C body (I'm assuming you have a crop body) can confirm is the are OK at 17mm (I use FF, so go with 100 Lees, and a WA adaptor!)
 
I have Cokin P filters (85mm width) which are recommend down to 28mm full frame, which is about 18/19mm on a crop. they vignette slightly on my 16-85mm at the 16-18mm after that there ok.
 
There are many variants of the filter holders on ebay for about £13 from China. There are also standard filters from Zomei and Cokin and then some say "z" and some say "z-pro". Do the filter holders only fit filters from certain ranges or are they all compatible with each other. I have about £150 to spend on a kit and would like to get the holder, adapter ring and a couple of ND's and the grad. And the polariser if in budget. There is a Hitech kit in the classifieds on here and it looks a good set and is 72mm but im worried that if I buy a certain range or holder, am I stuck with that brand when I want to add to the kit?
 
jpgreenwood said:
There are many variants of the filter holders on ebay for about £13 from China. There are also standard filters from Zomei and Cokin and then some say "z" and some say "z-pro". Do the filter holders only fit filters from certain ranges or are they all compatible with each other. I have about £150 to spend on a kit and would like to get the holder, adapter ring and a couple of ND's and the grad. And the polariser if in budget. There is a Hitech kit in the classifieds on here and it looks a good set and is 72mm but im worried that if I buy a certain range or holder, am I stuck with that brand when I want to add to the kit?
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There's a little bit of standardisation in the world of filters. So a z or z pro or hitech 100mm or lee 100mm will all take the same filters. There are differences in the details but hitech stuff is good.

Even though you don't necessarily need it now, I would go for a 100mm set. They'll work with almost any slr lens other than some of the full frame ultra wide offerings.
 
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I'm interested in this thread as I currently have an 85mm filter system and get vignetting and even the hint of the holder itself when shooting at 18mm on FF, even though the holder is a wide angle one. I've therefore decided that I will be asking Santa for a 100mm filter system but not decided which one. I've seen and read good things about the NiSi system, anyone else tried it? The filter holder felt very good quality, but I'm not sure whether it would cause vignetting at 18mm on FF as it looks quite deep.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017SD5...TF8&colid=2PIJAE5D1ZZT1&coliid=I1RK5WP4F93QBM
 
Ive been looking at NISI also but some of the Amazon reviews don't say good things about the attachment rings, being fiddly. Are they multi fitment without the need for separate adapter rings?
 
jpgreenwood said:
Ive been looking at NISI also but some of the Amazon reviews don't say good things about the attachment rings, being fiddly. Are they multi fitment without the need for separate adapter rings?
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Yeah, I've just seen that with the latest V5 version. Back to looking at Lee and Hi-Tech then ;)
 
When I was in the brecon @ the waterfalls I bumped into a bloke with the Nisi system it looked good and really well built, moments later his polarisor slipped off the system onto a rock and smashed. (I do believe this was the system for the 14-24) he mentioned after that this had been in the reviews. I use the lee system for two years and have had no problems untill last week when my polarisior got stuck to the cpl ring after a little oil and a shoe lace it came apart and was fine. Lee would be my choice if I bought again after seeing that sort of put me off nisi
 
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I had a Sigma 10-20mm on crop body and bought the z-pro Lee filters. It was fine on there, but on the ff d750, i do get vignetting when i put the polariser on my 16-35mm Nikon. I can't remember if the filters cause any issues when stacked up, i haven't used them for a while. My suggestion would be, buy the biggest ones you can afford so if you move to full frame, you will already have filters to cover wide angle lenses on those camera bodies.
 
Moey said:
I had a Sigma 10-20mm on crop body and bought the z-pro Lee filters. It was fine on there, but on the ff d750, i do get vignetting when i put the polariser on my 16-35mm Nikon. I can't remember if the filters cause any issues when stacked up, i haven't used them for a while. My suggestion would be, buy the biggest ones you can afford so if you move to full frame, you will already have filters to cover wide angle lenses on those camera bodies.
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Is that with the old polariser or the new wide angle polariser?
 
snerkler said:
Is that with the old polariser or the new wide angle polariser?
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Good point... I'm pretty sure it's the old one... I actually bought it on here probably a couple of years ago now. The rest of the filter kit was brand new.
 
jpgreenwood said:
Can anyone offer advice on this kit? Has everything I need except a polarizer. How would it compare to Hitech?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/72mm-Adap...036828?hash=item568b1bb71c:g:fxoAAOSwe-FU5Jgb
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I found a fairly old review here: http://www.davidkennardphotography....light-photography-strong-nd-filter-test.xhtml

They may well have improved them since then as I did another search filtering for this month and someone was recommending them but there was nothing to back it up
 
JohnN said:
I found a fairly old review here: http://www.davidkennardphotography....light-photography-strong-nd-filter-test.xhtml

They may well have improved them since then as I did another search filtering for this month and someone was recommending them but there was nothing to back it up
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Yes that is an older version of the Zomie, the latest is the "U-HD-W ND1000" and for me does seem to be an improvement. The coatings seem better, certainly gives better contrast and appears more flare resistant. Has a cooler colour cast too.

Like cameras, filters are being developed and improved all the time. A few years ago Lee were at the top of the pile, but I think they have now been bettered by Hitech with their Firecrest range. Next year it will probably be another brand :)
 
Steve B said:
Yes that is an older version of the Zomie, the latest is the "U-HD-W ND1000" and for me does seem to be an improvement. The coatings seem better, certainly gives better contrast and appears more flare resistant. Has a cooler colour cast too.

Like cameras, filters are being developed and improved all the time. A few years ago Lee were at the top of the pile, but I think they have now been bettered by Hitech with their Firecrest range. Next year it will probably be another brand :)
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Thanks Steve, I did think it an old review so thought it best to point it out - that said it didn't look bad at all even then.
 
JohnN said:
Thanks Steve, I did think it an old review so thought it best to point it out - that said it didn't look bad at all even then.
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No problem, I only know about the difference as I have had both. The original is somewhere in the English Channel now ;)

Funnily the other one that he tested, the cheapo XCsource one is my goto 10 stop for early morning use, I tend to use the Zomie for full daylight. Dont ask me why though, I dont think I could explain it in words other than to say they render the image differently.
 
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