ND Filters
Author
Discussion

White Fly Swater

Original Poster:

1,131 posts

229 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
I need some help and I want to pick your brains

Whats the best make of ND filters on the market that will not break the bank

I have seen some great photos and want to have a go myself

Have you seen the work of Michael Wesely? have a look at
http://www.wesely.org/wesely/gruppe.php?var=potsda...

Two year exposures !!!! smile


miniman

30,150 posts

292 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
I recently bought a Cokin P-Series setup, which was a filter holder, a few adapter rings for my lenses, and 4 each of ND and ND Grad filters. Think the whole lot came to about £80. Seem very nice, trying to get the hang of the grad filters though.


_dobbo_

14,619 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
Cokin P series grad kit here, filter holder and 3 or 4 ND grads included. the filter holder is 77mm so remember you need a step down adaptor for each size front element you want to cover.

Otherwise you can do what I do and just hold them over the lens with your hand without bothering with the holder.

Yes, they aren't as high quality as Lee filters and no, they aren't as expensive either.

These both done with three grads covering various portions of the frame:





smile

edit to add - can be had for £40.

Edited by _dobbo_ on Thursday 8th May 12:17

GetCarter

31,296 posts

309 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
90% of my photos use ND grads.

For the past two years I have been using Lee. They are much better than Cokin, but 3 times the price.

Steve

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 8th May 13:47

Scho

2,479 posts

233 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
90% of my photos use ND grads.

For the past two years I have been using Lee. They are much better than Cokin, but 3 times the price.

Steve

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 8th May 13:47
yup.

lee are the ones to get. i used cokin for a while but the quality is not the best.





jamieboy

5,929 posts

259 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
For the past two years I have been using Lee. They are much better than Cokin, but 3 times the price.
Sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but what does "better" mean in this context?

Is it optically better, or more robust, or nicer to use, or something else?

_dobbo_

14,619 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
Scho said:
GetCarter said:
90% of my photos use ND grads.

For the past two years I have been using Lee. They are much better than Cokin, but 3 times the price.

Steve
yup.

lee are the ones to get. i used cokin for a while but the quality is not the best.
Lee are the ones to get if you already are using top quality glass. If you're firing off shots with a kit lens or a cheap zoom then I can't see why you need to buy lee filters, the cokin ones aren't going to be the weak link in your setup.

For reference, a set of 3x Cokin grads and a holder costs £40. The lee filter holder alone costs more than this, as do each of the individual filters. You'll be in for near to £200 once you've replicated the same kit.

Personally I don't use filters of any kind enough to justify that kind of outlay, so to say Lee are the ones to have isn't necessarily entirely true in all cases.


Scho

2,479 posts

233 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
jamieboy said:
GetCarter said:
For the past two years I have been using Lee. They are much better than Cokin, but 3 times the price.
Sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but what does "better" mean in this context?

Is it optically better, or more robust, or nicer to use, or something else?
optically better.

cokin ones degrade the image quality.

it you can live with that you could save some cake.

jamieboy

5,929 posts

259 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
Scho said:
optically better.

cokin ones degrade the image quality.

it you can live with that you could save some cake.
Great, ta.

White Fly Swater

Original Poster:

1,131 posts

229 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
Thanks guys and dolls

if you go for lee filters then resin or ployester????

more confusion !

Bob