Filter system confusion! Help!

Rob_ · Apr 25, 2013

I am looking to build a filter system for my landscape work. I have a Canon 5D MKII and I use a Canon 17-40 F4/L for my work. I first began by looking at the Lee filter system (The LEE Camera Filters System - Includes Filter Holders, Adaptor Rings and Lens Hoods) which looks great, but it's confusing as hell to me. It mentions two different holders, one for wide and one for not wide...but no model number? name? No big deal! I made my way over to Amazon to see if it just didn't list the items out (it doesn't) I see the following Amazon.com: Foundation Kit Filter Holder System (4" Holder requires Ring Adapter): Camera & Photo. I have no idea if this if for wide angle or not. Does anybody have any insight they can offer? Which holder is right for me? What size filters do I need? 4x6?

Overread · Apr 25, 2013

The only thing I can say for sure about Lee filters is be prepared to shop around for them. The company produces in Germany (I think) and remains in-house for their filters. As a result they've been unable to scale their production up to meet the sudden worldwide demand that their high quality has bought them. So some products of theirs can be tricky to get and you'll have to be prepared to ask around several shops and get onto a few waiting lists to try and jump on them where you can get a hold of them (stock doesn't go out "evenly" so sometimes one shop will get more stock than others).

Rob_ · Apr 25, 2013

Overread said:
The only thing I can say for sure about Lee filters is be prepared to shop around for them. The company produces in Germany (I think) and remains in-house for their filters. As a result they've been unable to scale their production up to meet the sudden worldwide demand that their high quality has bought them. So some products of theirs can be tricky to get and you'll have to be prepared to ask around several shops and get onto a few waiting lists to try and jump on them where you can get a hold of them (stock doesn't go out "evenly" so sometimes one shop will get more stock than others).

I am willing to go with Cokin as well, I'm just confused by both systems.

Overread · Apr 25, 2013

Lee has the best filters - most expensive too but also some of the best. I've also read that quite a few will use the Cokin holders with the Lee filters since the Cokin are cheaper (and the holders are well made).

I'm afraid the only "wide angle" understanding of the Lee system that I know of is their superwide angle adaptor which is a separate thing to their normal wide angle attachment - the superwide being aimed at the 13mm and wider lenses which traditionally have a domed front element and are "no filter" lenses since they won't accept normal filters because of how wide an angle they cast (by filters I mean screw thread kind).

Lee are popular though and I'm sure some Lee users more experienced in their range can drop in to give some advice

Derrel · Apr 25, 2013

Lee has had a decade, plus five years, to pull their collective head out of the orifice into which it is jammed. I thought they were based in the UK. I bought a Lee filter holder 13,14 years ago, but getting filters, or ANY of their products in the uSA, proved to be a Herculean task...no inventory, lousy customer service, all in all a sucky excperience...the way the company is run is simply ridiculous.

David444 · Apr 26, 2013

David444 · Apr 26, 2013

Rob_ · Apr 26, 2013

David444 said:
There is only one foundation kit, the difference is in the adapter rings.
For your 17-40 you will need

Lee foundation kit

77mm wide angle adapter ring

I would recommend the Lee holder instead of the Cokin, I have owned both. Nowadays I don't use the holder much, I handhold the filter in front of the lens since my camera will be on a tripod. As far as size, the ND filters are 4x4" while the graduated ND are 4x6", both will work in the foundation kit.

Thank you! So on a full frame DSLR the 4x4 won't cause any vignetting issues?

David444 · Apr 26, 2013

Derrel · Apr 26, 2013

No wonder their filters are in so few stores. The video shows a very 1835-style of manufacturing. Pre-mass-production methods. Graduated filters dyed "by eye" with a woman dunking them in a tank by hand and waving them around in dye, etc. Hand band-saw type cutting of filters. My gosh!!!

Overread · Apr 26, 2013

I don't think they ever expected to be "mass market" in appeal. Digital cameras and HDR and heck built in HDR modes and the rest I think had convinced them that there was a market for high quality, but not a mass market for them. What actually happened was they stumbled upon a far larger market than they expected!

That said chances are if the shifted to mass market production the costs would be huge. It might simply be that its in their best interests to continue as they are and expand within their current style of production rather than to shift to a mass market style of production - esp as they don't want to simply outsource to another country for production. I suspect if this were back in the film days it would be a lesser risk, but with digital cameras getting better at a very fast rate and with things like HDR gaining popularity I suspect that they don't want to end up suddenly finding their market shrinking. (and lets not forget once you've got your Lee filters you've got them and they should last you decades provided you look after them well so its not a product you can easily re-sell to the same customers).