Lee Filters, what do I need to get started?

jetpack

jetpack

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Lyle
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Really depends what you want to do with them?

I shoot landscapes almost always, plus I live near the sea and like seascapes.

For landscapes, I use a 2 stop hard and 2 stop soft grad. I use these for seascapes as well, but also a 2 stop reverse grad for sunsets.

I also use a few ND filters to slow shutter speeds. I like my 7 stop for a bit of sea movement in daylight, and my 16 stop to totally flatten the sea and give clouds more streaks, I also want a 4 stop.

I also use a polariser (a lot) to kill water reflections and boost clouds.

By the way, I use a Lee holder and polariser, but prefer the Hitech Firecrest filters as no colour cast, even with the 16 stop.
 
Thanks guys, I really want the following to start with:

- a 77mm adapter
- the 100mm Lee system
- a good nod grad for sunsets / sunrises
- a good nd filter that will give movement but don't want a 3 mins exposure to flatten things
- a polariser
 
jetpack said:
Thanks guys, I really want the following to start with:

- a 77mm adapter
If this is on a wide angle lens, then go for the wide angle adapter. It moves the filters closer to the lens so reduces potential vignetting
- the 100mm Lee system
Great holder IMO. I like to leave the adapters on each end, so have the Lee caps (cheap as chips as well)
- a good nod grad for sunsets / sunrises
A 2 stop soft edge would be a good starting point. Hard edge can be a pain without a flat horizon IMO
- a good nd filter that will give movement but don't want a 3 mins exposure to flatten things
6 stop if mainly in dawn/sunset shots (gives maybe 1/2-1 1/2 second, good for movement) 10 stop if in daylight for same effect
- a polariser
Click to expand...
Hold your breath before looking at the cost of 105mm polarisers :)
I went for the Lee "Landscape" version as it's thinner so less vignetting at wide angles.

All just one persons opinion of course :)
 
If you know somebody who has the book/s they produce, it might be worth looking at them to see what you would use most.
 
I wouldn't buy a kit. you'll just end up with filters that you will never use. eg. 0.3 ND Grad

You will need a 77mm adapter Standard or Wide (You will need wide if you are using UWA lenses)
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/lee-filters-77mm-standard-adaptor-7965-p.asp
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/lee-filters-77mm-wide-angle-adaptor-ring-7982-p.asp

A Lee foundation Kit http://srb-photographic.co.uk/lee-filters-foundation-kit-4461-p.asp

and filters of your choice.
I wouldn't bother with 0.3 (1 stop ND grads).
0.6 (2 Stop) and 0.9 (3 Stop) would be the ones to go for.

If you are using a crop sensor then I wouldn't recommend the soft grads as the gradation is to slight for a crop sensor. Lee do now offer a Medium Grad.
Hard grads are a good idea if you are wanting to do seascapes.

The polariser is eye wateringly expensive but very nice. Get the new slim landscape version. It's a bit cheaper, slimmer and gives a bit of a warming effect.
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/lee-filters-105mm-landscape-polariser-7989-p.asp

You will need to adapter ring as well which bolts on to the foundation kit and allows you to screw the filter to the front.
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/lee-filters-polariser-accessory-ring-8020-p.asp


I've provided some links above just for the sake of showing what you need. You may of course find the items cheaper elsewhere.
 
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Can't comment on the price as n idea what a big stopper costs, but if you want the 10 stop then I guess the first would be good. On a 20mm prime I think I'd want the wide angle adapter (to be safe with future polariser).

Good supplier though (Teamworks), I've bought quite a bit through them. Also big on Amazon.
 
If it's any help Lyle, I went with a Nisi holder, and a 77mm and 82mm filter thread adapters.
I picked up a .6 and .9 soft and a .6 hard, plus a reverse ND.
That would seem to be a decent starting point.
I went for Hitech Filters as there was a set on here for sale.
The new Nisi filter holder has a built in polariser too, but I don't know how it's rated. My older Nisi is pretty solid though!
 
jetpack said:
Thank you kind sir. Should I go with the wide angle kit just in case? I'm using a 20mm prime on a d810 but may want to go wider at some point and would like to future proof.
Click to expand...
If you are going wider at some point then get the wide angle one. I started with a wide angle but ended up getting a standard adapter too as I found swapping adapters in the field was a pain. You can also pick up white plastic end caps to go over the lee adapter so there is no need to take the filter adapted off, unless you are swap to using a screw in filter.

I don't see any vignette on a standard adapter on a 20mm f1.8 but then I only use two slots and no polariser. Three slots and/or polariser may get vignette get. If you have plans to get a 16-35 f4 then go for the wide angle adapter as it can be used with longer focal lengths.
 
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jetpack said:
Would this be a good start:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271851467779
Click to expand...

That look like pretty good value if you want the 10 stop filter. They are usually around £100 on their own.
Just be aware that the 77mm adapter is not the wide version.

You'll need the wide version if you are going to use a wide angle lens with a couple of filters and the polariser otherwise you will get vignetting.
 
ecoleman said:
That look like pretty good value if you want the 10 stop filter. They are usually around £100 on their own.
Just be aware that the 77mm adapter is not the wide version.

You'll need the wide version if you are going to use a wide angle lens with a couple of filters and the polariser otherwise you will get vignetting.
Click to expand...
You can buy exactly the same bits separately from WEX for £172 including free postage. It's worth shopping around to find out what prices are like before buying a made up 'kit' from eBay.
 
Just get the knock off ebay clone and KOOD filters. It won't be perfect but close enough. Your wallet will thank you particularly when you scratch, dent or lose your first lot which will inevitably happen one day.
 
I bought some of the cheaper hitech ND filters a few years back and they give a colour cast that I find difficult to remove especially stacked (but I'm not brilliant at PP).
I now use hitech firecrest ND's and they are more expensive but no colour cast even when stacked.
At £150 I'd rather buy just a couple of better filter's and get any others when I could.
Hope you get sorted!
 
Ok, having a quick squizz at your Flickr it looks like you're into landscapes (including a lot of sunsets) and wildlife but no portrait stuff.

I don't know whether the lower density plain NDs are going to be hugely useful, except perhaps a big stopper and maybe little stopper. I have a 2-stop plain ND which I use for shooting portraits outside (for flash sync) but otherwise I'm not sure I'd ever really use it. Big stopper is handy obviously for LEs if you shooting with the sun up and a little stopper if you're shooting LEs with the sun having just set.

The most useful for your landscapes will be 1, 2 and 3 stop hard grads IMO. And with those three you can also construct your own reverse grads by turning one upside down (google is your friend on this). Three grads can be had for less than £20 a pop from Kood and they're great value and have far less of a cast than some more expensive ones (so better than Cokin and perhaps even Hitech). A tiny hint of a cast (but not much on the grads, the plains are slightly worse in that regard) but it's nothing to worry too much about IME. The Lee type filter holder and wide angle 77mm adaptor is essential, but it doesn't have to be Lee - I got the WA adaptor from FilterDude in the US on eBay and it's excellent. The 10 stop is where you'll need to spend your money.

The final thing to check is whether you're ever likely to get the UWA Nikon lens that will require you to buy 150mm filters instead of 100mm. If that's the case, you might think about saving the £100-odd and going straight to Progrey. Damned expensive but saves buying twice. Just get the mortgage first ;)
 
Yelkrub said:
I bought some of the cheaper hitech ND filters a few years back and they give a colour cast that I find difficult to remove especially stacked (but I'm not brilliant at PP).
I now use hitech firecrest ND's and they are more expensive but no colour cast even when stacked.
At £150 I'd rather buy just a couple of better filter's and get any others when I could.
Hope you get sorted!
Click to expand...

This ^^^ - The Firecrests are brilliant, but the others less so.
 
Guys thanks for your thoughts, appreciated as always. I'm looking for some premium filters so I would rather go with quality over quantity. I have £350 to spend so ideally I'd like:

Holder - I like the Nisi as it comes with a polariser
Hard Grad(s) - I'd like a selection but maybe something in the middle for now - 3 stop??
ND Filter - 3 stop
ND Filter - 10 stop

What do you reckon?
 
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