Archive 2016 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

xsv21
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

I am looking to upgrade my POS plastic filters and am having issues selecting what brand I should go with. I am really looking for a .6 and .9 graduated and possible a super stopper for long exposure shots. I focus on landscapes and would like a brand with a good bracket (pref plates over screw on filters). Lee was an option but might be a little out of my price range. The Cokin filters seem to have mixed reviews and Im not wild about that large of a quality difference. An
y recommendations are welcome!

May 31, 2016 at 11:51 AM

henryp
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

For non-grad filters you can use round ones. They're all glass and your options are brass or aluminum filter rings and whether or not they're mult-coated.

For grad-ND I think you have to stick with rectangles so you can set the line or demarcation where you want it to optimize the desired effect vis a vis composition. Brands include Cokin (resin), Formatt-HiTech (some glass and some resin), SinghRay (CR-39 Optical Resin), Ice, & Tiffen (glass).

Most of these can be used with Cokin mounting hardware. Even folks who don't like their filters don't mind the mounts. YMMV

Henry Posner
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B&H Photo-Video

May 31, 2016 at 12:42 PM

dlabrecque
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

Singh Ray and Lee are hands down the best ones when it comes to GNDs with Lees being a little cheaper.

For high stop NDs, I'd just buy Lees. I like the foam gasket they put on the outside edge of their filters. That's important since light coming through the sides of my ungasketed Formatt NDs have ruined more than a few of my shots.

Plastic filters are indistinguishable from glass filters if they use a good optical plastic formula. Lee, Formatt and Singh Ray do.

May 31, 2016 at 01:53 PM

xsv21
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

So if I were to go Lee what would everyone's recommendation for which ones to purchase and on which bracket? It will be used on a Canon 24-70 for the most part and from what iv seen ill need the 100mm mounting bracket from Lee. Main use is mountain landscapes

May 31, 2016 at 02:16 PM

wtlloyd
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Guidance on ND and Graduated Filters

Well, you would get the Lee Foundation kit, and 4x6 resin grads....probably need soft grads for mountains. And you will need an adapter ring, it's either 77mm or 82mm for that lens, but definitely pay more for the wide angle ring to avoid vignetting.
I find the 3 stop and 6 stop (little stopper from Lee) of more use than the Big stopper (9 stops)

Formatt-Hitech Firecrest filters may be the most color neutral currently available, better than Breakthrough filters in some opinions. Worth investigating before investing. The Lee foundation filter holder is notorious for losing it's spring on the holding clip.
Eh. YMMV.

Jun 03, 2016 at 11:09 AM


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