Lee/Cokin Filter System Advise

[andeelym]

Hi folks,

Am thinking of buying a Lee/Cokin filter system so that I can adjust the area for GND filters as I do not want to always position the horizon in the middle. Will be using it to take landscape shots.

Also thinking of using a CPL together with the GND. I understand that CPLs reduces the amount of light already so how much of GND should I be getting if I want to use them together?

And if I get both CPL and GND, should I get it as a same system (Lee or Cokin all the way) or separately (eg. Hoya CPL and Lee/Cokin GND)? Cos I would like to get the Wide angle holder for the Lee/Cokin system. Not sure if I have to use a CPL of the same system or I can use a screw-on one so that when I just want to use the CPL, I can remove the Lee/Cokin system.

Thank you for your advises.

 

[lkkang]

Hi folks,

Am thinking of buying a Lee/Cokin filter system so that I can adjust the area for GND filters as I do not want to always position the horizon in the middle. Will be using it to take landscape shots.

Also thinking of using a CPL together with the GND. I understand that CPLs reduces the amount of light already so how much of GND should I be getting if I want to use them together?

And if I get both CPL and GND, should I get it as a same system (Lee or Cokin all the way) or separately (eg. Hoya CPL and Lee/Cokin GND)? Cos I would like to get the Wide angle holder for the Lee/Cokin system. Not sure if I have to use a CPL of the same system or I can use a screw-on one so that when I just want to use the CPL, I can remove the Lee/Cokin system.

Thank you for your advises.

I am currently using LEE filter system.
I also own a Hoya CPL filter.

Its not easy to use both of this items together. Because the CPL will requires you to rotate the outer ring to get the light polarization angle you want. But the LEE filter holder is going to be attached to the outer ring of the CPL filter.

Hence, if you were to use both items together, you will need to

1) attach the LEE's adapter ring onto the CPL.
2) rotate the CPL to the angle that you wanted.
3) mount the filter holder and put on the square GND filter you want.

very seldom I need to use both of the items together.

LEE also sells circular polarizing filter for existing holder system, but the price is super super expensive.

 

[kriegsketten]

LEE also sells circular polarizing filter for existing holder system, but the price is super super expensive.

Yups... SUPER expensive... equates to buying a new 500 to 600 bucks lens! :bsmilie:

I'm at this stage of filter system research as well.

 

[andeelym]

I am currently using LEE filter system.
I also own a Hoya CPL filter.

Its not easy to use both of this items together. Because the CPL will requires you to rotate the outer ring to get the light polarization angle you want. But the LEE filter holder is going to be attached to the outer ring of the CPL filter.

Hence, if you were to use both items together, you will need to

1) attach the LEE's adapter ring onto the CPL.
2) rotate the CPL to the angle that you wanted.
3) mount the filter holder and put on the square GND filter you want.

very seldom I need to use both of the items together.

LEE also sells circular polarizing filter for existing holder system, but the price is super super expensive.

Hmm, even though I think I will not use it often but I have encountered situations where I wished I had both. So, its kinda quite often for me...

Yups... SUPER expensive... equates to buying a new 500 to 600 bucks lens! :bsmilie:

I'm at this stage of filter system research as well.

Wow! so ex? Is that just the CPL alone or at least together with adapter to fit the CPL to the existing system?

 

[kop2000]

Alternatively, you may also want to explore the Hitech GND filters. You can find them at TK Foto in Funan Centre. BTW, it is difficult to get the LEE GND filter, usually no stock. Regarding polarizer, I guess others have already answered, you would need a LEE adapter ring which mount infront of the filter holder and I think it is for a 105mm polarizer. The 105mm B+W polarizer would set you back another USD 200+ and the LEE polariser USD 300+. You may want to consider holding the GND infront of the polarizer without the filter holder.

CP

 

[andeelym]

Alternatively, you may also want to explore the Hitech GND filters. You can find them at TK Foto in Funan Centre. BTW, it is difficult to get the LEE GND filter, usually no stock. Regarding polarizer, I guess others have already answered, you would need a LEE adapter ring which mount infront of the filter holder and I think it is for a 105mm polarizer. The 105mm B+W polarizer would set you back another USD 200+ and the LEE polariser USD 300+. You may want to consider holding the GND infront of the polarizer without the filter holder.

CP

Hmm interesting... at least now I know that I do not have to get stuck on LEE products all the way. Frankly I would prefer to use B+W KSM CPL. In the LEE product brouchure, they mentioned that the GND should not be infront of the CPL. And frankly, I would prefer to use a LEE GND cos I have read that a cheap or inferior GND or ND can create uneven or unwanted colour cast. Not sure if that is true or not though...

Btw, how much is the wide angle LEE filter holder with a 77mm adapter ring plus the 105mm filter ring infront?

 

[lkkang]

Hmm interesting... at least now I know that I do not have to get stuck on LEE products all the way. Frankly I would prefer to use B+W KSM CPL. In the LEE product brouchure, they mentioned that the GND should not be infront of the CPL. And frankly, I would prefer to use a LEE GND cos I have read that a cheap or inferior GND or ND can create uneven or unwanted colour cast. Not sure if that is true or not though...

Its very true regarding CPL producing uneven patches of sky. Because not the entire sky is evenly polarized. In Singapore, using a CPL does not gives you very huge impact. But , if you are in Australia or Europe, then the CPL makes huge differences.

If you are only using a single piece of LEE GND, personally I feel that the color cast is still acceptable. But if you start to stack 2 GNDs together, the color casting problem starts to come in.. but again, I must stress that different people has different level of tolerance on this and its hard to tell what is acceptable.

 

[kop2000]

Its very true regarding CPL producing uneven patches of sky. Because not the entire sky is evenly polarized. In Singapore, using a CPL does not gives you very huge impact. But , if you are in Australia or Europe, then the CPL makes huge differences.

If you are only using a single piece of LEE GND, personally I feel that the color cast is still acceptable. But if you start to stack 2 GNDs together, the color casting problem starts to come in.. but again, I must stress that different people has different level of tolerance on this and its hard to tell what is acceptable.

Hi, for my purpose, the polarizer is not so much for the sky but rather to cut the glare from the water element in the foreground while the GND is used to hold the sky back.

You may want to check out www.bhphotovideo.com for the LEE stuffs including pricing. I got some of my stuff from BH.

I am not promoting TK Foto but just want to share with you my good experience with them. They do carry the LEE filters, the few staff I spoke with are very friendly; the one I spoke with last week is quite knowledgeable and have work with filters before. He can advise you accordingly. Bummer, I did not get his name although we spoke at length. I excused myself and left when a number of customers came in so that he could attend to them.

Good luck in your search. It took awhile for me to build my kit. Very expensive but worth it.

CP

 

[leafster]

Hi,

After searching the site awhile on LEE filters, I just wonder can any LEE filters users who use LEE holder + 105 adaptor ring for polarizer share their experience in terms of just using polarizer in their setup?

I have the LEE holder and am considering getting the 105 adaptor so that I have a choice of using it both with the ND Grad and cpl or just the cpl alone.
I am hoping to add the 105 adaptor with a 105 B+W cpl.

Many thanks.

 

[boyboy80]

if u taking landscape, even pro need to think twice before stacking polarizer with gnd. becoz if u take a very wide sky chance of uneven polarisation is high.

lee filter advise is to put the polarisier at the front. but singh ray video I saw their pro use the vari Nd filter (screw in cpl) and hand hold the graduate filter to perform a 30 sec long exposure while in bulb mode.

there are many debates in the net. if u going use wide angel len then high chance don't need to use polarizer becoz framing is harder harder. I have lee stopper also I also haven't try stacking with polarizer. dunno what the effect will be.

better think what u really need to stack filter together for? in what kind of landscape shot u really need to stack.

more stacking doesn't mean Merrier.

that pcs of lee 105mm cpl cost near 490 sgd to 500 buck at Cathay photo. not including holder .

go out and shoot and find out whether how many percentage of the time u will use a cpl at all. dont buy Liao later regret.

FYI i have lee and singh ray stuff. I find I use cpl very less so I didnt buy that lee filter cpl big glasses.