Photography is an expensive business!
Photography is an expensive business!
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dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Sunday 20th February 2011
quotequote all
I've just splurged £270 on Lee filters - £170 on a starter kit and adapter ring, and a ton on a Big Stopper. Utterly ludicrous biggrin

Who else has had a blowout of late? - come on, confess hehe

Adz The Rat

18,885 posts

238 months

Sunday 20th February 2011
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My cheapo tripod broke 2 weeks ago so went in town the day after and spent £150 on a Manfrotto with 3 way head.
Not a huge amount of money but it is to me.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Sunday 20th February 2011
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I'm stil thumbtwiddling on filters, very tempted by Lee but there a pain to get in NZ.

Alternative is singh-ray I guess.

I want Either ND 4/8 and big stopper or variable ND, nd grad (soft/hard) and reverse ND grad. hmm...

S. Gonzales Esq.

2,559 posts

241 months

Sunday 20th February 2011
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I like the look of the new 80mp Phase One digital back, but I don't think they've announced UK pricing yet. It's $44,000 in the US though...

LongQ

13,864 posts

262 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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RobDickinson said:
I'm stil thumbtwiddling on filters, very tempted by Lee but there a pain to get in NZ.

Alternative is singh-ray I guess.

I want Either ND 4/8 and big stopper or variable ND, nd grad (soft/hard) and reverse ND grad. hmm...
Don't know how current this information still is - it seems to date back to 2004 - but here is a Thom Hogan post about filters including some interesting observations about variable NDs.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Well think I agree with all he's saying, dont think that has changed too much. Thom is usualy spot on with what he says even if he uses nikon. tongue out


Downside of a variabel ND filter is its a polariser right? and produces an X like effect on max.. Not sure if the singh ray does that, have a friend with one cost him about $1300 nz landed :O

LongQ

13,864 posts

262 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Well think I agree with all he's saying, dont think that has changed too much. Thom is usualy spot on with what he says even if he uses nikon. tongue out


Downside of a variabel ND filter is its a polariser right? and produces an X like effect on max.. Not sure if the singh ray does that, have a friend with one cost him about $1300 nz landed :O
Rob, I was trying to refrain from making the Nikon connection .... wink

It was mainly the observation (from memory) that the singh ray filters are (were) quite easy to scratch and so required careful handling - especially if taken to challenging locations where sand'grit/etc. and windiness were usual.

Maybe I misread that. However at the price I would find it disconcerting if I read it right.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Their rectangular filters are resin based like cokin and I would expect them to scratch easily, like cokin.

Have to say I dont baby my filters and have some scratches on them but then I dont use them that much due to the poor results cokin p usualy gives.

Fitler and holders vignette/enter frame on my 10-20 and 17-55 also, tho usualy I'm happy to hold one filter infront of the lens than use the mount etc.

Just not sure I can justify spending multiple $100's on something else. Prehaps Hitech filters.... And a 'cheap' variable nd (fader) from ebay.

crmcatee

5,805 posts

256 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
I'm stil thumbtwiddling on filters, very tempted by Lee but there a pain to get in NZ.

Alternative is singh-ray I guess.

I want Either ND 4/8 and big stopper or variable ND, nd grad (soft/hard) and reverse ND grad. hmm...
You should have said - given that I'm currently touring NZ at the moment.


Oh and I decided to splash out on a 16-35 L and a 50mm 1.4.

GetCarter

31,251 posts

308 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Last purchase was a pro HD camcorder. Cost an arm and both legs. Stunning results mind.

MartinP

1,275 posts

267 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Just bought a twin Bowens Gemini 400 studio lighting kit and have a backdrop and stand on order. Am thinking I ought to invest in a few modifiers (beauty dish, big softbox, snoot etc) whilst I'm at it. At least I'm owed a big rebate from the VAT man and I'll get the VAT back on this lot too. Still all expensive though...

muppetdave

2,118 posts

254 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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RobDickinson said:
I'm stil thumbtwiddling on filters
Last splurge for me (well technically the wife for my Xmas present) was for the Lee DSLR starter kit and circ. polariser - still twiddling my thumbs waiting for the starter kit to turn up frown

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 21st February 2011
quotequote all
muppetdave said:
Last splurge for me (well technically the wife for my Xmas present) was for the Lee DSLR starter kit and circ. polariser - still twiddling my thumbs waiting for the starter kit to turn up frown
Oof that's bad! Who did you order from Dave ? (please tell me it wasn't StudioKitDirect irked)


YorkshirePudding

2,193 posts

214 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Got a Lee filter housing and a couple of adapter rings in the new year, since added a Big Stopper
and a 1 stop soft grad.

Last week was an i1 x-rite monitor calibrator and San Disk card reader.

Today I've been looking at iMacs, cloud9, and new software rofl

drink, anyone?

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Well done YP - that's the spirit thumbup

It's up to us togs to kick start the economy all on our own hehe

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 21st February 2011
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Japan says thank you.... biggrin

Have an op to sell my 70-200 and 'upgrade' , not sure I can be bothered.

YorkshirePudding

2,193 posts

214 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
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dibbly dobbler said:
Well done YP - that's the spirit thumbup
Well I try my best, just need some software now.

hehe

markmullen

15,877 posts

263 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
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Haven't bought too much recently, a Peli case, OpTech dual camera harness and pro 3/8ths strap, 430 exII flash and today a Hitech 10 stop ND,

350Wedge

2,364 posts

302 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
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Well in January I managed to buy... (deep breath!) Canon 17-40L, Canon 70-200 F2.8L, Canon 400 F5.6L and the cherry on top a Canon 85mm F1.2L, oh and a 1D MKIIn to use them on!!

Needless to say I'm rather skint at the moment!!

dibbly dobbler

Original Poster:

11,492 posts

226 months

Tuesday 22nd February 2011
quotequote all
Good effort Wedge! - I think we have a winner bow