I'm Pretty Sure the Big Stopper Makes Every Scene More Beautiful

[Aloicious]

I've never been sure what the attraction is for the Lee system. Seems like paying about $300 extra up front for no particular reason to me. Being able to lift them out quickly might be nice, but if you simply use live view, in most scenes even at 10 stops of ND, you can compose and even autofocus just fine with it still on.

its just personal preference really, if all you've got is sub 77mm lenses, then yeah step up rings work, but there are many lenses larger than 77, for example, my 21mm lens which I most frequently use with the lee takes 82mm front filters, and when you get into sizes like that, quality circular filters start costing very close to the $300+ range alone, with the lee setup, you have everything to use filters on a variety of lenses, then new 4x4 filters are usually around the $100-$200ish range each.

so for example if you wanted a 10 stop ND, and a .9 ND, and a .6 GND that will fit an 82mm lens, and a 77mm lens:

Lee:
foundation kit - $88
82 and 77 adapter - $28 + $60
10 stop - $140
.9 ND (glass) - $180
.6 GND (glass) - $180
Total - $676

high end circular:
10 stop B+W - $269
.9 ND B+W - $287
.6 GND B+W - $169
82mm to 77mm Step down ring - $10
Total - $735

The price starts becoming negligible or even in favor of the Lee at that point (of course there are cheaper options on either side too). also remember that the lee offers some benefits that circular filters lack, such as stacking filters on wide angles, the lee won't have nearly the same (if any) vignetting effect that stacking circular filters would. and with a GND filter, the circular ones will allow you to rotate them, but not necessarily adjust where the graduated break is in the frame, where a square GND filter is longer on one side allowing you to slide it up/down in the frame as well as rotation.

in the end both ways of doing things will get great results, and it just comes down to what you need and personal preference.

 

[D-B-J]

I love my lee system, and find it so much easier and more versatile to use than circular filters.




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[NancyMoranG]

Very nice. I've got to look closer at my 'uninteresting' surroundings! I got the Singh-Ray a few weeks back but haven't gotten a lot of great ones yet...more practice and better tripod on the list.
Nancy

 

[pm77]

Maybe an uninteresting scene but nice shots. I like the atmosphere

 

[D-B-J]

Maybe an uninteresting scene but nice shots. I like the atmosphere

Thanks. It was a very peaceful evening of shooting.

Jake


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[BrickHouse]

I would love this system but the sun will burn out before I pay that much.

Cheaper to get a pinhole cap for your DSLR.

Can I make a pinhole cap with an extra lense cap?? This sounds like it might be fun.

 

[D-B-J]

I would love this system but the sun will burn out before I pay that much.

Cheaper to get a pinhole cap for your DSLR.

Can I make a pinhole cap with an extra lense cap?? This sounds like it might be fun.

Make it with a body cap.


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[BrickHouse]

So body cap, small hole, no lense but the small aperature should give near infinite DOF, then just play with it in manual for the shutter time?

 

[D-B-J]

So body cap, small hole, no lense but the small aperature should give near infinite DOF, then just play with it in manual for the shutter time?

I believe so. Do a quick google search before you do anything.

Jake


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[IronMaskDuval]

Great photos DBJ. I've been looking into a ND filter set. I just need to do more research to understand which ones I should get. I did the noob thing the other day and went out for long exposures during the afternoon and blew out most of my exposures. I literally sat around until a cloud covered the sun just to get a few shots here and there-- pathetic results none the less.

 

[BrickHouse]

So body cap, small hole, no lense but the small aperature should give near infinite DOF, then just play with it in manual for the shutter time?

I believe so. Do a quick google search before you do anything.

Jake


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That's my new goal for the week. Build a pinhole cap and come up with some "pseudo-D-B-J" landscape shots. Wish me luck.

 

[D-B-J]

So body cap, small hole, no lense but the small aperature should give near infinite DOF, then just play with it in manual for the shutter time?

I believe so. Do a quick google search before you do anything.

Jake


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That's my new goal for the week. Build a pinhole cap and come up with some "pseudo-D-B-J" landscape shots. Wish me luck.

Can't wait to see the results!

Jake


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[Scatterbrained]

I would love this system but the sun will burn out before I pay that much.

I guess it's all a matter of perspective; I shoot Singh Ray filters almost exclusively and the first time I saw the price of a Lee kit I thought, "wow, that's a pretty good deal."

 

[D-B-J]

I would love this system but the sun will burn out before I pay that much.

I guess it's all a matter of perspective; I shoot Singh Ray filters almost exclusively and the first time I saw the price of a Lee kit I thought, "wow, that's a pretty good deal."

Seems legit. The lee filters, while expensive, perform flawlessly.


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[Scatterbrained]

I love looking at these. Very calming effect. Wish I had the cash to get a system like that. Better sell a kidney.

so much nicer than trying to get various circular filters for each lens you may want to use.

You can get a 10 stop ND filter from a perfectly respectable company for like $100 in 77mm big enough to fit almost any lens with some $5 step up rings so that it fits everything smaller than 77mm.
Amazon.com: B+W 77mm ND 3.0-1,000X with Single Coating (110): Electronics
Amazon.com : Goja 52-77MM Step-Up Adapter Ring (52MM Lens to 77MM Accessory) + Premium MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloth : Camera Lens Filter Step Up Rings : Electronics (etc. for each other size filter thread)

I've never been sure what the attraction is for the Lee system. Seems like paying about $300 extra up front for no particular reason to me. Being able to lift them out quickly might be nice, but if you simply use live view, in most scenes even at 10 stops of ND, you can compose and even autofocus just fine with it still on.

The point isn't cost, it's the versatility of a plate system. You can compose the scene, drop your GNDs into place, calculate the final exposure, then drop the ND in and shoot. Not only that, but you can get your composition, focus and exposure set before dropping the filter in, even on a heavily overcast day; something that is quite difficult to do with liveview. With plate filters you can also use a screw on CPL, then drop the plates in when you're ready to shoot without disturbing the angle of the CPL.