ND graduated filters

Yellowbelly

Yellowbelly

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Bob
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Given the Lee filters appear to still be in short supply and horribly pricey, I'm looking to buy an alternative. Does anyone have any experience of Hitech filters? Or indeed I an happy to accept the recommendations of you lads and lasses.
 
I bought Hitech filters during xmas and i couldn't be happier. Ultimately i want Lee filters but too expensive for me to invest on.

Otherwise Hitech is good
 
I'm the kind of guy who'd keep thinking "wish I'd gone for the better one" so I bit the bullet and I just went for the Lee DSLR starter kit (now thinking "should I have saved money by going Hitech?" :lol:). Bought from Dale Photographic in Leeds who are very helpful folks. Comes with 0.6 ND hard grad and 0.6 ProGlass ND standard. It's a pretty versatile middle of the road set up that's useful in a variety of situations. I have no issues with the quality at all as you'd hope at this price. The guys at the shop told me the failure rate in QC for Lee filters are something like 75%!
 
Hi,

I got the Lee Foundation Set and adapter rings (just felt the quality was really good) then got Hitech filters including the 10 stop ND (heard the 1.5mm Lee holder version was a better fit than the 3mm Hitech holder version).

So at the moment I've the value of the Hitech filters and over time if I want to get any Lee filters then I can.

Ta,
Shane
 
Thanks for the replies. I may see "the Keeper of the Purse" and track down some Hitechs.
 
I started off with standard Cokins and had a horrible magenta cast with the grads and then switched straight over to Lee's and now have 0.6 hard and 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 soft grads, along with the Lee Big Stopper and Lee 0.6 Proglass ND filter.

Cannot fault them whatsoever in terms of performance. If you do end up getting some, be very careful as they can scratch easily. I keep mine in a 10 filter Lee pouch...
 
I started off with the Hitech filters and you know what I still recommend them, they did the job in the Lee Holder, but there was a but, they did suffer from a slight amount of colour casting when stacking filters together, and the ND 0.9 did have a colour cast effect when used in conjuction with their grads.

I also have the hitech 10 stop pro and couldnt be happier, works well, but I have replaced all my main ND grads with Lee and the hitech 0.9 ND with a Lee ND 0.9 Proglass, and yes the Lees do not have colour casting when stacked.... you get what you pay for I think.

Looking back, I ought to have just gone for Lee filters, but thats part of the journey in someways

andy
 
Hi,
I have recently purchases Hi Tech ND & ND Grads along with a 10 stop, as somebody commented earlier yes you do get a tint when stacking but this can easily be corrected by using the cameras Custom white balance. Didn't want the long wait for the Lee or the extra cost if I'm honest. There are lots of examples on my Flickr and most of them over the last 2 months will have had 1 or more Hi Tech filters used. Hope that this is of some use. I ummed and ahhd for a couple of months before taking the plunge but I'm pleased with the results.

Phil
 
Just a heads up that Dale Photographic have 1,2 and 3 stop Lees in stock in both soft and hard. £72 each and have just purchased the 0.3 hard and 0.9 hard to complete my set.

Not sure who else has them in stock, Warehouse Express seem to have the fewest stock in Lee Filters..
 
markta said:
I started off with standard Cokins and had a horrible magenta cast with the grads and then switched straight over to Lee's ...
Click to expand...

Same here - I once compared images with another photographer who was standing right beside me - we both had our 5D II on a tripod. He used LEE and I Cokin. The difference on a 4sec exposure was clearly visible on the camera screens. Mine had an incredible magenta cast, his was perfect.

I just got my filters (DSLR Starter Kit, 0.9 Pro Glass and adapter rings) within 3 days from a local dealer in Austria who happened to have one Starter Kit left :thumbs:
Will give them a try this weekend.
And I'm on the waiting list for the BIG STOPPER.
 
I've never had a problem with the Cokin P series, and TBH can't see myself ever needing to upgrade these!

I've never experienced the magenta cast on either the ND4 or ND8. Maybe there were batch variations?
 
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odd jim said:
I've never had a problem with the Cokin P series, and TBH can't see myself ever needing to upgrade these!

I've never experienced the magenta cast on either the ND4 or ND8. Maybe there were batch variations?
Click to expand...

Me too never had a problem with the P series
 
Philbuckle said:
yes you do get a tint when stacking but this can easily be corrected by using the cameras Custom white balance.
Click to expand...
I can see how a tint can be corrected with a custom WB if it is an ND filter, but not if it is an ND grad as only part of the image needs a WB change.
 
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