I have always wanted a good way to add a polarizer to the Canon 17 TS-E, to help with water reflections, and also for improved color saturation in a variety of subjects in nature. I know that scenes with blue sky in them can be seriously affected by a polarizer on a lens this wide, but the other uses are important to me.
The new Lee filter adapter for the 17 now makes it possible to mount a 105mm polarizer, so I have evaluated that option. For me, I would not often need a graduated ND fliter combined with a polarizer, so I configured the filter holder without any provision for the 4 inch wide filters. I removed the plastic filter holder edges completely, and then mounted the 105mm metal filter adapter ring directly to the face of the holder body. This allows the mounting of screw in filters as close as possible to the front of the lens for this adapter and system. I checked first the vignetting caused by just the filter adapter edge. I then installed my B+W 105mm KSM circular polarizer, and evaluated the additional vignetting that the polarizer caused. All evaluations were done by visual inspection looking through the view finder of a 5D3 with the lens wide open. Note that stopping down this lens causes the vignetting to get slightly worse, which is I believe related to the increased depth of field.
For landscape orientation of the camera, and for shifting in the vertical direction, the edge of the holder becomes visible at about 8 mm of shift. Stopping down the lens to f22 changes the start of vingnetting to about 7mm. When the polarizer is added on the front, the edge of the polarizer becomes visible at about 2 mm of shift.
For portrait orientation of the camera, and for still shifting in the vertical direction, the edge of the holder becomes visible at about 5 mm of shift. Stopping down to f22 changes that to about 4 mm. When the polarizer is added on the front, the edge of the polarizer becomes visible at about 1.5 mm of shift.
So it looks like a 105mm circular polarizer mounted on the Lee system using this adapter, and with no filter slot included, is usable, but not with much shift available before vingnetting occurs.
The best polarizer solution with the Lee 4 inch system may well be to get a high quality 4 inch square circular polarizer, and use it on a Lee adapter set up for just one slot. I have not yet tested that kind of configuration, but it looks like the vingnetting for a single filter set up would be limited by the adapter ring, with no further limitations caused by the filter holder edge. Now I just need to buy another very expensive circular polarizer. It never ends, does it.
Roland W wrote:
I have always wanted a good way to add a polarizer to the Canon 17 TS-E, to help with water reflections, and also for improved color saturation in a variety of subjects in nature. I know that scenes with blue sky in them can be seriously affected by a polarizer on a lens this wide, but the other uses are important to me.
The new Lee filter adapter for the 17 now makes it possible to mount a 105mm polarizer, so I have evaluated that option. For me, I would not often need a graduated ND fliter combined with a polarizer, so I configured the filter holder without any provision for the 4 inch wide filters. I removed the plastic filter holder edges completely, and then mounted the 105mm metal filter adapter ring directly to the face of the holder body. This allows the mounting of screw in filters as close as possible to the front of the lens for this adapter and system. I checked first the vignetting caused by just the filter adapter edge. I then installed my B+W 105mm KSM circular polarizer, and evaluated the additional vignetting that the polarizer caused. All evaluations were done by visual inspection looking through the view finder of a 5D3 with the lens wide open. Note that stopping down this lens causes the vignetting to get slightly worse, which is I believe related to the increased depth of field.
For landscape orientation of the camera, and for shifting in the vertical direction, the edge of the holder becomes visible at about 8 mm of shift. Stopping down the lens to f22 changes the start of vingnetting to about 7mm. When the polarizer is added on the front, the edge of the polarizer becomes visible at about 2 mm of shift.
For portrait orientation of the camera, and for still shifting in the vertical direction, the edge of the holder becomes visible at about 5 mm of shift. Stopping down to f22 changes that to about 4 mm. When the polarizer is added on the front, the edge of the polarizer becomes visible at about 1.5 mm of shift.
So it looks like a 105mm circular polarizer mounted on the Lee system using this adapter, and with no filter slot included, is usable, but not with much shift available before vingnetting occurs.
The best polarizer solution with the Lee 4 inch system may well be to get a high quality 4 inch square circular polarizer, and use it on a Lee adapter set up for just one slot. I have not yet tested that kind of configuration, but it looks like the vingnetting for a single filter set up would be limited by the adapter ring, with no further limitations caused by the filter holder edge. Now I just need to buy another very expensive circular polarizer. It never ends, does it.
Thanks for your report Roland.
I also tested the "Lens cap adapter" with the Lee 105mm polarizer mount and vingnetting was pronounced at smaller apertures. I came to the same conclusion..the Lee 4 inch square circular polarizer is the best option and actually works quite well.
Hi Fred,
I tested my adapter against our lens cap variety and I don't think there is much difference between them in terms when shifting before vignetting ? If there is, it is very marginal. Do you agree?
The only lens cap that I know of for the Lee system is a white plastic cap that Lee sells. I bought a set of those Lee caps several years ago, and they are useless. They barely snap on, and come off so easily that I have never put them in to use. Currently I see mixed reviews of those caps, so there is a chance that Lee has improved the design.
It would be really nice for Lee to come out with a cap with pinch type action that firmly attaches on to the rim on the front of the adapter. If it was a bigger market, I could see a third party design something and market it, but I doubt that would ever happen.
My only "solution" for now is to set up a filter holder as a cap, by removing all the filter slot hardware, and then attaching a thin piece of plastic to it to blank it off. That would give the function of a cap, but it is bigger than needed, and has the release stem sticking out, making it even harder to handle things than a proper cap would be. It is also an expensive way to go.
Came here via a link on Canon Rumors, the Fotodiox Wonderpana system allows 12mm shift in any direction with zero vignetting, it also allows 12mm shift and 4º of tilt before vignetting, or the full tilt and 8mm shift.
pbdtoo - could you clarify where it says that the CPL is included please? I agree, that would be a good deal. I'm not seeing it mentioned as such at the site though. Thank you for any clarification!
