Hi all, another question about ND filters - without hijacking the other thread . I am interested in learning more landscape photography, previously having shot portraits and macro almost exclusively. I have seen some of the work here and wow!!
What I have learnt so far: To go for a Cokin style holder as opposed to a screw on type, that the std P holder will vignette on an ultra wide, that Singh Ray is superb at a price, but Lee and Hitech make more affordable alternatives.
My question is this: I currently shoot an XT with a 10-22mm and a 24-105mm, and hoping to upgrade to a FF when $$ permits. I would like to get a ND grad system w 2-3 filters max. What do you suggest I get to start off with (until a learn my needs) to suit esp my 10-22mm keeping in view that I want to upgrade to FF and the 17-40mm one day?
I was thinking about the Cokin P ultrawide holder with 77mm adapter. But which filters would I use most initially? 2 or 3 stop? soft or hard? Will shoot almost anything Oh BTW any alternatives to B&H and 2filter.com for purchasing filters? Thx in advanced.
I'll try and start you off. Of course my experiences could be different than others. If you are going to go mainstream than the cokin filter system is hard to beat. It can accomodate the Singh Ray filters or their own and is the most affordable. I actually started off with the Cokin P ultrawide holder 77mm adapter which was a single load filter system. I enjoyed the use of the system but quickly grew out of it's inflexibiity and found as well that many of the lenses that I own exclusively Nikon lenses were either too loose or tight for my liking when mounted on the camera. Taking this into consideration and the fact that you could only load a filter at a time I decided to move to the Lee holder system.
In hind sight I could have saved quite a few bucks had I just gone to the Lee system but with Ebay abound it wasn't too hard to move my previous filters. The main filters are usually the 2 stop hard or soft. They seem to be the most popular from what the Lee rep told me when I spoke to them. I have gradually built up to both the 2 & 3 stop soft and hard over the last few months and I have to say the quality is there as well as the performance. For a neutal filter IMHO it's about as it good as it gets as the saying goes.
Good luck on your journey I hope this helps getting you started.