Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

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gilligan911
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p.1 #1 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

Heading to the US west coast (San Fran, Yosemite, DV, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, etc) in September and I would like to expand my filter set for the trip. While I would love to pick up a Lee Big Stopper they seem just about impossible to get. So, I am left comparing the Singh Ray Vari-ND and the Hitech Prostop. The reviews on the Hitech Prostop seem okay and it should give me an extra 2 stops over the Vari-ND. THe Vari-ND of course has the advantage of being variable.

I have been around long to know not to trust everything I read on the internet so I was wondering if anyone wants to venture an opinion based on hands on experience?

I was going to mail order from either B&H or Singh Ray, but it occurred to me that if someone knows a particularly good store in San Francisco I could pick up filters there when I arrive. THis seems more sensible than having someone post them half way around the world just so I can pack them and fly them all the way back...

Any help appreciated.

cheers,
Glen.

Jul 16, 2012 at 10:56 PM

howardm4
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p.1 #2 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

What do you think you're going to shoot w/ a 10stop ND filter? IMO, those are very (very) specialized and limited utility whereas the variable-ND would be eminently more useful as would a small selection of GNDs. I use the Tiffen HD variableND filter. Check this vendor (they are very good) 2filter.com

Why dont you have the filters shipped from B&H directly to your destination hotel?

Jul 17, 2012 at 10:42 AM

michaelnel
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p.1 #3 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

gilligan911 wrote:I was going to mail order from either B&H or Singh Ray, but it occurred to me that if someone knows a particularly good store in San Francisco I could pick up filters there when I arrive.

I live in San Francisco and have for a long time. Near as I can tell there isn't a particularly good camera store here. Calumet could be, but they never seem to have anything I want in stock. Adoph Gasser is a pale shadow of its former self.

If you want to go to Palo Alto (30 or so miles south of San Francisco), then Keeble & Shuchat is definitely worth a visit, although their prices are sky-high.

I'd say buy your stuff from B&H.

Jul 17, 2012 at 01:52 PM

gilligan911
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p.1 #4 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

howardm4 wrote:
What do you think you're going to shoot w/ a 10stop ND filter? IMO, those are very (very) specialized and limited utility whereas the variable-ND would be eminently more useful as would a small selection of GNDs. I use the Tiffen HD variableND filter. Check this vendor (they are very good) 2filter.com

Why dont you have the filters shipped from B&H directly to your destination hotel?

Thanks for your input. I realise that a 10 stop is not a filter I would use often and my intended use would be for long exposures in daylight. As I am travelling with wife and kids I will not be able to choose the time of day for my photos as much as I would like, so I want to have options to add interest to a scene (cloud movement, silky smooth water, etc) if the light is not attractive. I already have 2, 3, and 4 stop NDs ( and 2 and 3 stop GNDs) so I am not lacking in milder ND department.

Having said that the idea of only having one filter that gives me everything from 2-8 stops is pretty attractive. It will vignette at wide angles but I already get that with other filters and can work around it.

Would love to get them shipped to where we are staying but B&H can only ship to the billing address for the credit card - no doubt for security reasons which is fair enough.

I think I am leaning toward just getting the Singh Ray Vari-ND direct from them - will pick up a reverse grad at the same time.

cheers,
Glen.

Jul 17, 2012 at 11:29 PM

michaelnel
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p.1 #5 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

For the price of the Singh Ray you can buy a nice house in San Francisco and change your billing address to there and then have B&H ship it to your new home in SF. ;-)

Jul 18, 2012 at 12:25 PM

kdphotography
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p.1 #6 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

I won't buy a Hi-Tech filter. The Hi Tech ND filters that I have exhibit extreme color cast. Filters are one of those times that you do get what you pay for.

Singh-Ray filters are excellent with great customer service. No more cheap filters for me; almost all my filters are from Singh-Ray.

The Vari-n-Duo is good but as noted tends to vignette at wide angles. It's a brick. I may consider selling mine as I've transitioned to a technical camera for landscape work and the Vari-N-Duo isn't a good match (screw-on = heavy vignette vs. 4x6 filters) for the Cambo. Nice filter to keep in the bag.

ken

Jul 18, 2012 at 02:10 PM

gilligan911
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p.1 #7 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

Yeah, the SIngh Ray is hellishly expensive, which was why I was considering the Hitech. The blue colour cast of the Hitech was a concern as well but not being screw-in it could be used with all my lenses.

In the end weighing up the pros and cons I am going to get the Singh Ray on the basis it is a better long term investment. Let's hope that turns out to be the case...

cheers,
Glen.

Jul 18, 2012 at 11:14 PM

Dennis M 1064
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p.1 #8 · Filter advice please - SR Vari-ND vs Hitech Prostop

The Big Stopper is available through http://www.2filters.com/ and will take about 2 weeks. I just ordered mine.

Aug 02, 2012 at 08:44 PM

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