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Archive 2012 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

djpstyle
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p.1 #1 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

Hi guys, filter question!

I currently have a full-frame body (5Dc) and 17-40L equipped with a lovely B+W 77m Kaesemann circular polarizer. I'm now ready to invest in a Lee filter system and 77m adapter ring, but am concerned that this will cause vignetting + tight fit when used infront of my B+W CP.

Money is pretty tight so I'd like to avoid buying the $300 Lee 105mm polarizer and 105 adapter, if possible. I'm also not a fan of the circular ND filters as my horizons are never half-way down photo composition.

TL;DR:
-Can my 77m CP and full-frame body be used with the Lee kit without vignetting? Or should I sell my B+W CP and get a Lee 105mm adapter and polarizer?

Jan 24, 2012 at 10:51 PM

djpstyle
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p.1 #2 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

Answered my own question after three hours of Googling for this setup. Mike Ganz and Roy Pertchik on this forum had the answer:

Mike Ganz wrote:
I tried using a B+W Kaesemann CPL on the 17-40L/5D, with the Lee holder and wide adapter ring screwed into the filter. It was a little difficult to adjust the CPL when all was said and done, and I also had some vignetting caused by the filter slots. I say filter slots since after I removed two of the three slots, the vignetting went away...

Roy Pertchik wrote:
The verdict: there is only a tiny, tiny vignette in a smidgen of the corners... negligible. It's from the WA ring, not the holder, so I could try adding a slot or two back, but I have no reason to because the GND filter is the only one I have or want to use in the Lee. Anyway, Whehoooo!!!! It is a little tricky to level the Lee w/ GND after the CP is set; I have to get the tip of my finger on the CP within the WA adapter, to keep the CP from tuning out of adjustment while I revolve the Lee stuff... but thats a small inconvenience to save the almost $400 it would cost to get a 105 MRC CP and the 105 ring.... Whehoooo!!!

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/577015

TL;DR: It's do-able if you are willing to live with a) only 1 of the 3 filter slots b) using your finger to hold the CP steady while attaching the holder and c) a negligible amount of vignetting. This may be appealing to some people trying to save $400 on a new 105 polarizer.

Jan 25, 2012 at 01:58 AM

chez
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p.1 #3 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

I hand hold my GND filters. After some practice, I find hand holding a lot quicker and more flexible than using a holder.

Jan 25, 2012 at 02:24 AM

djpstyle
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p.1 #4 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

[Accidental dupe post, please ignore.]

Edited on Jan 26, 2012 at 09:57 PM · View previous versions

Jan 25, 2012 at 03:33 AM

djpstyle
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p.1 #5 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

chez wrote:
I hand hold my GND filters. After some practice, I find hand holding a lot quicker and more flexible than using a holder.

Good point, Chez. I'm actually leaning in this direction (hand-holding) since all I really need is a single filter.

Jan 25, 2012 at 03:34 AM

TheWengler
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p.1 #6 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

I find it much more practical to have the polarizer in front of the filter holder. You don't have to shell out $300 for the Lee polarizer. There are other options.

Jan 25, 2012 at 09:21 PM

Roland W
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p.1 #7 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

When I have the occasional need to combine a graduated neutral density filters with a polarizer, I use the 105mm screw in filter adapter and a 105mm polarizer with my Lee system. I have the 105mm adapter mounted in front of only one slot on my Lee holder, which works well with wide angle lenses. It is very easy to adjust the polarizer when it is in front, and I am kind of a nut about selecting just the effect I want from a polarizer. I have an expensive B+W 105mm polarizer that gets used some, but the large B+W filters are not multicoated. I took a chance on getting a very low cost polarizer off of the big on line auction site, and I am very impressed with its performance, especially since it only cost under $35, and it is multicoated. It is also easy to see that it has much less reflection than the single coated B+W, so it really is multicoated. The one I have seems to still be available there, and is called a Zeikos 105mm MC Circular Polarizer. You might want to consider getting one to try out if you want to go the 105mm route.

Jan 25, 2012 at 11:06 PM

Mike Ganz
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p.1 #8 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

Do yourself a favor and go with the Lee 4x4 circular polarizer...simply slides into one of the slots and still lets you maintain three slots in the holder for additional filters if needed without any vignetting. I tried the 105mm CPL route...the extreme vignetting required the removal of two filter slots when shooting wide. Since I'll normally combine a GND and ND filter (at times) with a polarizer, this simply wasn't working for me. If you're shooting only requires the use of a single filter slot, then the 105mm will work just fine. But if you get to the point where you need multiple filters, its not a workable solution. The Lee 4x4 CPL is adjustable in 90-degree increments (slide it out of holder, rotate it 90-degtrees, then re-insert), but after using it for the past year this doesn't seem to a limiting factor.

Feb 01, 2012 at 12:50 PM

arbitrage
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p.1 #9 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

I guess the only problem I saw when researching the 4x4 is that if I want my GND to be at an angle and not horizontal then the polarizer will angle also and won't this reduce the effect (assuming I'm looking for maximum polarization effect). I angle the GND sometimes when there is a mountain on one side of the shot.

Therefore, for now I'm sticking with my B+W 77mm XS-Pro K MRC and putting the Lee over that and doing the fiddly way to make it all work.

Feb 01, 2012 at 04:05 PM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #10 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

I very rarely ever need to use both a GND and a polarizer at the same time. Typically, if you're shooting with a GND, it means you're generally facing the sun. When you face the sun, a polarizer essentially has no effect. In those rare circumstances where you need both, you could always hand hold the grand in front of the lens mounted polarizer, but again, this will be a very rare circumstance.

Feb 01, 2012 at 04:12 PM

David Kirsch
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p.1 #11 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

I have a related question about a 105mm CP at the front of the Lee system. As Ben Horne said, it's rare to use GNDs and polarizer at same time. So, assuming I have no filter in the foundation holder slots, i.e., if I ONLY want the CP (no GND or ND in the slots), is the light that comes in from the vacant slot areas going to cause a problem? Will that light affect the polarization effect? Would it matter if I had 1 or 2 slots? Last question, if I'm shooting towards sun and want a GND, would leaving the CP mounted be an issue; I know there's no polarization effect but taking it off is a PITA.

David

Jun 05, 2012 at 04:22 PM

Khun Hans
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p.1 #12 · Polarizer infront of Lee system?

Good question. I'm also interested in a reply to your first and third question

To second question 'would it matter if I had 1 or 2 slots'.
It matters

With the Lee Polarizer you use the front slot of 2 slots. Wider then 19mm on full frame you see vignetting. With one more slot (2 slots free) vignetting will appear earlier.
With a Heliopan 105 SLIM Polarizer instead of the Lee CP and only one slot below for ND or whatever you can shoot as wide as 16mm without vignetting.

Nov 30, 2012 at 08:03 AM

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