Some Lee filters advice

[DVDHack]

I looked into these filters a while back and from what I read it appears the first version of Hitech had significant color cast and flare issues caused in part by the IR properties of the filter. It seems they fixed that problem.

Guess if you can't buy the Lee, the question is academic.

Personally I use the Scheider Tru-Match adjustable set, it's very good.

[Modafroman]

Right. Finally put through an order for the foundation kit, wide angle adapter and 0.6 soft edge nd grad. Cost me $256 at teamworkphoto.

I think i'll probably get a 0.9 soft, and either a 0.6 or 0.9 hard nd grad in the future, as well as a 10 stop (not sure whether hitech or lee yet).

Apparently you can use the hard grad nds as a standard nd if you move the nd section down to cover the entire lens circle, seems like a cheaper alternative to getting a 2/3 stop straight nd?

Anyways, hurray for more stuff

[^catalyst]

Originally Posted by Modafroman

Apparently you can use the hard grad nds as a standard nd if you move the nd section down to cover the entire lens circle, seems like a cheaper alternative to getting a 2/3 stop straight nd?

Anyways, hurray for more stuff

If the lens has a small enough front element you can do that; won't work for *every* lens.

[Azrael]

Will work for most lenses which have a <75mm front element. Would be touch and go with most L lenses though which use 77mm elements.

[Modafroman]

Originally Posted by ^catalyst

If the lens has a small enough front element you can do that; won't work for *every* lens.

Yea that's what I figured, the lens i'll be using it on mostly will be the 17-40mm, which has a 77m filter thread but the actual front element is a lot smaller than that - and with the lee filters being 150mm high, that means the ND section is about 75mm, so should work fine.

[Kow]

Need a set of lee's + foundation. Looking for the best site to order from these days.

[^catalyst]

Well I work at one of the Australian Lee importers and we're bang out of stock on filter holders

More soon.

Order from wherever has em!

[Deftone2k]

Originally Posted by Kow

Need a set of lee's + foundation. Looking for the best site to order from these days.

Read back a page

[Modafroman]

Originally Posted by Deftone2k

Read back a page

+1

I did a price comparison between a number of places (Mediavision, Vanbar, Teamworkphoto, B&H, Linhof Studio and Teamworkphoto) - teamworkphoto ended up being the cheapest by a fair margin.

Also, I decided to swap, changed my order to a 0.9 Soft GND instead. Good idea? I just figured if it turns out to be too much, I can always bring it back in post or get a 0.6. *shrugs*

[Deftone2k]

Nope good choice.. 3 stop is pretty much what I use exclusively.

I want the 4 stop + 3 stops and that will be my GND kit. Just have to offload my Cokin Z kit first. The 4 stop is what has pushed me to do it in the end as well (since I dont stack filters anymore, it removes the Cokin colour cast)

[Modafroman]

Originally Posted by Deftone2k

Nope good choice.. 3 stop is pretty much what I use exclusively.

I want the 4 stop + 3 stops and that will be my GND kit. Just have to offload my Cokin Z kit first. The 4 stop is what has pushed me to do it in the end as well (since I dont stack filters anymore, it removes the Cokin colour cast)

Awesome, sounds good

Also, fwiw, teamworkphoto have a 12% discount running on filters - have a look at their fb page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teamwo...01269139911446

Devastated that I didn't find that earlier! Oh wells, it would have saved me $25. Meh.

Edit: They're gonna credit me the discount, winning

[Azrael]

For others out there with the Lee big stopper, im wondering how much colour correction you need for your filter.

The Lee i borrowed needs a +2200k and +20 tint WB conversion.
The Hitech needs +2100 and +25 tint.

Would be interested to hear what other people get.

[Kow]

Mmmm Hard or soft grad ND, Do a lot of landscape stuff. I use the grad nd feature of light room a lot but can see the benefits of both.

[DVDHack]

Originally Posted by Kow

Mmmm Hard or soft grad ND, Do a lot of landscape stuff. I use the grad nd feature of light room a lot but can see the benefits of both.

I found that for wide angle, 24mm or wider, the soft graduated area on Hitech was just too wide. The soft in Hitech are ok for normal up. On wide I found hard grad better.

Obviously I discovered this after I bought soft grads.

I expect Lee are the same but I have no experience with them.

[Kow]

It will be more in the wide area .. so maybe some hards will do.