Hi Guys
I would like to get this filter but with the holder + ring, kind of expensive....
what will be your best advice with other brand to get this effect and cheaper ?
Hitech has similar filter system to Lee (prostopper). Not necessarily too much cheap. If you buy it from UK, you may save some bucks.
I had the both lee holder and big stopper, broken it
Now on a back order again.
If you just need the ND effect only, there are screw in type filters from other brands I belive.
edit this down http://www.thierrydehove.co
m/2009/01/04/professional-
photography-studio-equipment
a little too much "gear love"
now as to cost. you are a photographer and that is a capital expentidure (aka: write off) the $77 for the holder and $60 for the adapter shouldn't be a deal breaker. it is a system which will grow with you.
Both B+W and Hoya make a screw-on 9 or 10stop ND filter. They are both available on B+H. B+W has both a multi coated and non-multi coated version it is the 110 ND. Hoya is the 400x ND. I'm actually looking at these as an alternative to the Lee Big Stopper. I managed to get the Lee ND hard grad set of 3 from B&H and I have the Lee holder and 77mm WA adaptor on its way via ebay from Hong Kong (we'll see if this is actually the real deal when it arrives but its stuck in customs right now). I'm not sure (and would appreciate if anyone knows) if I can use the screw in type from B+W and the Lee ND grads overtop of that?? I'm hoping to find the Big Stopper in stock before my vacation in February but I'm not very hopeful as you know the Lee stuff is very hard to find in stock.
arbitrage wrote:
Both B+W and Hoya make a screw-on 9 or 10stop ND filter. They are both available on B+H. B+W has both a multi coated and non-multi coated version it is the 110 ND. Hoya is the 400x ND. I'm actually looking at these as an alternative to the Lee Big Stopper. I managed to get the Lee ND hard grad set of 3 from B&H and I have the Lee holder and 77mm WA adaptor on its way via ebay from Hong Kong (we'll see if this is actually the real deal when it arrives but its stuck in customs right now). I'm not sure (and would appreciate if anyone knows) if I can use the screw in type from B+W and the Lee ND grads overtop of that?? I'm hoping to find the Big Stopper in stock before my vacation in February but I'm not very hopeful as you know the Lee stuff is very hard to find in stock. ...Show more →
Yes you can and thats what I do, screw the filter holder into the 110ND, I found that method cheaper overall and works just as well.
Slight color cast with the 110ND filter but not too bad, good filter for the money. Never tried the Hoya version but figured 10 is better than 9 stops. I could always open up an extra stop if I wanted less SS, but with the 9x can't really do anything to get that extra stop which can be make or break on a bright day
thierrydehove wrote:
Hi Guys
I would like to get this filter but with the holder + ring, kind of expensive....
what will be your best advice with other brand to get this effect and cheaper ?
The Cokin Z size will also fit the 100mm wide Lee, Singh Ray, Hitech , square and GND filters and is cheaper than the Lee Foundation setup. The Cokin Z can be modified by placing the lens adapter ring in the first slot, mimicking the WA Lee adapter. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=34697350
As mentioned by another poster, the Formatt/Hitech Prostop is very similar to the Lee Big Stopper in its blueish color cast (easier to remove in post) and is resin, not glass. It also costs less than the Lee. Any 10 stop filter will have some color cast as residual IR leaks through the sensor's hot filter. Most very strong NDs like the B&W have a magenta cast that is tougher to deal with.
Availability of any of this equipment is another question.
Screw-in 10-stop filters are such a PITA. If you only use them occasionally they are fine, otherwise a Big Stopper is so much nicer. The only less costly alternative I am aware of is the Hitech Prostop line, NOT their original resin version which apparently has terrible IR leakage.
To get a Big Stopper look at small secondary vendors. Getting in line at B&H or 2filter is a loosing proposition. Use the Lee USA web site to find authorized suppliers in your area and CALL all those that do not have an e-commerce website.
This is the first time I've heard anyone say a screw in filter (other than the inflexible and rather useless ND grads) is a PITA compared to a filter system.
I find it so much easier to screw filters on/off than trying to stack several filters into my holder and make sure I don't drop them or touch the face of them.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Screw-in 10-stop filters are such a PITA. If you only use them occasionally they are fine, otherwise a Big Stopper is so much nicer. The only less costly alternative I am aware of is the Hitech Prostop line, NOT their original resin version which apparently has terrible IR leakage.
To get a Big Stopper look at small secondary vendors. Getting in line at B&H or 2filter is a loosing proposition. Use the Lee USA web site to find authorized suppliers in your area and CALL all those that do not have an e-commerce website.
arbitrage wrote:
Both B+W and Hoya make a screw-on 9 or 10stop ND filter. They are both available on B+H. B+W has both a multi coated and non-multi coated version it is the 110 ND. Hoya is the 400x ND. I'm actually looking at these as an alternative to the Lee Big Stopper. I managed to get the Lee ND hard grad set of 3 from B&H and I have the Lee holder and 77mm WA adaptor on its way via ebay from Hong Kong (we'll see if this is actually the real deal when it arrives but its stuck in customs right now). I'm not sure (and would appreciate if anyone knows) if I can use the screw in type from B+W and the Lee ND grads overtop of that?? I'm hoping to find the Big Stopper in stock before my vacation in February but I'm not very hopeful as you know the Lee stuff is very hard to find in stock. ...Show more →
You can, but then you need to be concerned about vignetting from the holder frame. The beauty of the Lee system is that I can stack three filters (ND, GND, and 4x4 polarizer) if needed and not have to worry about vignetting, even as wide as 17mm with my 17-40L on a FF camera. Ditto for the 16-35L at 16mm. Can't say the same if stacking multiple threaded filters.
