Need help with filters! (GND,ND, polarizer)

andregrafie

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Hi guys,

first of all I am not sure if this is the right sub thread, so excuse me for it, if I am wrong!

And secondly I am not a native English speaker, so excuse me for mistakes too!

Well, I want to begin using filters for my Canon 17-40L/4 (and Canon 6D), I have never used any filters yet.
I try to find a good way between not too cheap that I have to buy it twice but also not too expensive, which I, as not a professional can afford.

So yesterday I read a lot about opportunties. I have found a system from Cokin (Cokin Z-PRO), which is supposed to be not the BEST quality but still a good compromise.
I could buy it as a set, with the holders 3 grad filters and bag. The ring for the holder is not that expensive, probably around 10-30€.
So with the Cokin Z-PRO set, I also want to purchase a ND-Filter 1000x from Haida for the Cokin set.
So I would have 3x GND 1x ND(1000) Filter. But I don't have a polarizer yet. I've read that it seems to be possible to put a polarzier in front of the lense and put the cokin set on the polarizer as well. But it seems 1) a bit unhandy 2) it can give vignettes on wide angle with the Cokin set.

I mean that it gives me vignettes on wide angle is annoying, but on the other hand I have read that on wide angle like 17mm using polarizer (especiially skies) is not a good idea anyway.

Of course I could just use a polarizer without ND/GND Filter, but maybe I want to use a polarizer and do a long exposure.

What would you suggest to do ? Is it overall a good idea, what I thought of and want to do?

Oh and also one question. Is it okay to use a GND Filter for landscape (for example on a sea) to get a better look for the clouds and also use a ND-Filter to get the water very soft at the same time?

Thanks for read this long text! I'm looking forward to read your thoughts.
 
Hey thank you very much for your quick reply!

First of all, great photos, which you took with the filter system!
I've seen you used the polarizer with the Lee system, I mean you put the polarizer in the end of it, that is cool, it is also possible with Cokin polarizer, which cost ~400$ though...

May I ask, how much your whole system did cost? Because I guess it was very expensive, with all the filters + holder, wide angle adapter ring... right?

For those, who use Cokin Z-Pro system, does anyone know if I will get vignetting at 17mm? And if it is possible to put a polarizer in front of the lense and the adapter ring + cokin set on the polarizer ?

I am pretty sure that I will get vignetting at 17mm then, but that is okay I guess. How about the handling then?
 
Cokin Z-Pro filter holders are designed to accommodate 100mm wide filters. The most common size of Lee filters is also the 100mm wide size. This means those two are basically interchangeable (but not for all filters and, in particular, not the polarizers.)

Colin does make a circular polarizer which is round and has a frame that is a bit "gear" like to make it easier to rotate and it drops into a slot on their holder -- but it drops into a special slot on the Cokin filter which is the closest slot to the lens and if you look at your holder you'll notice that slot is just a bit wider than the rest. The lip at the top and bottom of the holder prevent the rotating polarizer from falling out.

The Lee circular polarizer is a bit different. It's a 105mm diameter round filter with filter threads and a rotating turret just like most screw-on type polarizers. Lee has a mounting ring is designed to be screwed onto the front of their normal filter holder. This means that if you were to get the Lee CPL then you'd need the lee filter holder for it.

As for the square and rectangular filters... you should be able to slide any of those into either holder given that you chose the Cokin Z-Pro (100mm wide slots) and that means you should be able to use Lee 100x100mm and 100x150mm filters in those slots.

I bought several round thread-on B+W brand ND filters and circular polarizers (not cheap) in the 77mm thread size. Then I had to buy a few step-up rings for lenses with smaller diameters (I needed a 67-77 step up ring and a 72-77 step-up ring). THEN I bought the Lee filter system including 1, 2, 3 stops in both soft and hard edge as well as a the Big Stopper. I sometimes wish I had bought the Lee system first because slide-in filters can be used on a lens of any size (all you need is the adapter ring.)
 
It was expensive.

Foundation Kit $80
Wide Angle Adapter $60
Big Stopper $140
Little Stopper $140
Polarizer $260
Soft GND's (0.3, 0.6, 0.9) $260
Hard GND's (0.3, 0.6, 0.9) $260
Front Adapter Ring $64
Lee Field Pouch $60
HiTech 0.6 Reverse GND $190

All in all that is $1514.

Yes, that's a lot of money. No, I didn't buy that in one shot. It took me close to a year and a half to purchase all that. But I can also say that I use it on a weekly (sometimes multiple times a week) basis. Those filters will last me forever unless I scratch or break one (which of course I don't have plans to). But I can't stress enough the difference they make. For me, after using them like I have, I couldn't live without them. Those who've attended my workshops usually end up buying them. Really and truly, the Lee system is incredibly useful and versatile.

Just starting out, I'd say pick up the foundation kit, a wide angle adapter, and a soft set of GND's. That'll run you about $400, and be a SOLID starting point. That's always my recommendation. And if you have a few pennies left over, the next thing I'd recommend is the little stopper.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thank you very much for your replies again!

Well after reading your comments and several blogs and watching videos, I guess, I will choose the LEE System, even though it is a hard decision, because as you both said already, it is pretty expensive.

The thing is, I've read so much about the color problems of the GND Filters of Cokin and besides the starter set cost also more than 140$ here, which is still way more cheaper than the Lee SET. But in the end I want to have a good photo quality, that is what matters, so I rather pay more, in order not to have to pay it twice.

But I still don't want to spend so much money for the beginning (although it is already a lot :p ), so I'm thinking of buying this:

- LEE 100mm holder foundation kit 91$
- wide angle adapter 65$
- just one LEE GND 0.6 soft filter - 102 $
- Haida ND 3.0 - 1000x - 90$
- Filter bag - 25$
- Hoya HD polarizer - 73$
____________________
446$

As you can see I have just one GND Filter and a Haida HD Filter (which is supposed to be a brilliant alternative to the big stopper of LEE) and a screw polarizer.

The thing about the polarizer is, that it is a way cheaper opportunity, than the original LEE solution. Yet, I have to screw it on the front of the lense and then the wide angle adapter on the polarizer. It is admitelly a bit unhandy solution, because you have to pay attention, that you don't change the settings of the polarizer by adding the adapter. But I can use this polarizer then without the system as well and I still have the opportunity to upgrade the polarizer from LEE later. And it seems that this solution won't get vignetting at 17mm on FF.

What do you think about it? Do you have any suggested improvments?

Thanks again!
 
Thank you very much for your replies again!

Well after reading your comments and several blogs and watching videos, I guess, I will choose the LEE System, even though it is a hard decision, because as you both said already, it is pretty expensive.

The thing is, I've read so much about the color problems of the GND Filters of Cokin and besides the starter set cost also more than 140$ here, which is still way more cheaper than the Lee SET. But in the end I want to have a good photo quality, that is what matters, so I rather pay more, in order not to have to pay it twice.

But I still don't want to spend so much money for the beginning (although it is already a lot :p ), so I'm thinking of buying this:

- LEE 100mm holder foundation kit 91$
- wide angle adapter 65$
- just one LEE GND 0.6 soft filter - 102 $
- Haida ND 3.0 - 1000x - 90$
- Filter bag - 25$
- Hoya HD polarizer - 73$
____________________
446$

As you can see I have just one GND Filter and a Haida HD Filter (which is supposed to be a brilliant alternative to the big stopper of LEE) and a screw polarizer.

The thing about the polarizer is, that it is a way cheaper opportunity, than the original LEE solution. Yet, I have to screw it on the front of the lense and then the wide angle adapter on the polarizer. It is admitelly a bit unhandy solution, because you have to pay attention, that you don't change the settings of the polarizer by adding the adapter. But I can use this polarizer then without the system as well and I still have the opportunity to upgrade the polarizer from LEE later. And it seems that this solution won't get vignetting at 17mm on FF.

What do you think about it? Do you have any suggested improvments?

Thanks again!

Oh you'll get a lot of vignetting with the polarizer + adapter + filters. I couldn't really shoot below 24 or 25mm on full frame when I did the exact same thing. Granted, I didn't have a wide angle polarizer, and I tried to use all three filter slots. You might be able to get away with 20 or 21mm if you use a w/a polarizer and only 2 filter slots, but definitely not 17.

Jake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think it is okay Jake, to make this compromise, even if I will be just able to shoot with a polarizer at 20mm. Besides I've read that using a polarizer especially with skies in wide angle isn't that great idea anyway.

Jake while you did the exact same thing, was it hard to handle? I mean setting up the polarizer with the LEE system?
 
I think it is okay Jake, to make this compromise, even if I will be just able to shoot with a polarizer at 20mm. Besides I've read that using a polarizer especially with skies in wide angle isn't that great idea anyway.

Jake while you did the exact same thing, was it hard to handle? I mean setting up the polarizer with the LEE system?

More awkward than anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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