Filters for Landscape photography

smilyanp

smilyanp

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Smilyan
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Hi,

I'm looking at filters for landscape photography and after reviewing different results i really like what they do and want to try them.

I read about Lee filters, which i feel are too high-end ones for my skills and am thinking of getting hitech ones.

From the articles i read, they suggest that most useful ones would be 2 and 3 stop gradient filters (maybe 1 soft + 1 hard) and a full 10 stop ND filter.

Do you guys have any suggestions of where i should read more on this, what filters are a good kit to start with in more practical terms (i.e. for most cases or the widest range of cases)?

Where can i get them at a reasonable price, i.e. i don't need to buy the best new filters, i want to learn and try with a good quality ones that are at an accessible price?

Thanks
 
Hitech are probably the best choice for you if lee are a bit pricey.

Like many I have started off with a cokin P kit as a cheap way in to filters and regretted not buying a better system first due to strong colour casts.

Hi tech are pretty well regarded behind Lee, although I think some are using hi tech filters with lee holders as a compromise between quality and reasonable outlay.

Used ones come up for sale here in the classifieds regularly but hold value quite well I believe, not many bargains around.
 
My somewhat limated personal expereince definately favours Lee, the 2 stop Lee grad I have has no noticble colour cast where as the 4 stop hitech grad(bought new from WEX a few months ago) has a strong red/purple cast. That could I spose not a result of the darker filter but it does seem to reflect alot of what I'v heard.

The disadvanatge of Lee of course is that they only make the more expensive 100mm and larger filters which on a D90 would only really be useful with ultrawide lens.
 
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rjbell said:
http://www.srb-griturn.com/ own brand square system always gets good reviews for the price, beating cokins in many cases. They're only £12.50 a filter, then about £15 for the holder.
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Thanks for this. I will look at it, as it seem interesting. Even if they're not "amazing" it will be a good start.

As i said, i think i need maximum 3 filters to start with and those should be 2 stop (GND),3 stop (GND) and 10 stop (ND). Do you think that's reasonable or i should look at other starting sets?

I'm looking for sunrise-sunset photography as well as some day photography (with the ND filter) of water, etc.
 
spudey said:
Hitech are probably the best choice for you if lee are a bit pricey.

Like many I have started off with a cokin P kit as a cheap way in to filters and regretted not buying a better system first due to strong colour casts.

Hi tech are pretty well regarded behind Lee, although I think some are using hi tech filters with lee holders as a compromise between quality and reasonable outlay.

Used ones come up for sale here in the classifieds regularly but hold value quite well I believe, not many bargains around.
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Thanks for the reply. I hear a lot of bad reviews on the cokin filters. But i read things like "even the hitech are better than cokin" which implies that cokin are generally better regarded than the hitech.

I really wouldn't want to have colour cast on my photos, since it will render the filter useless to me. I would go for the hitech ones or would look at the brand that rjbell mentioned.
 
I have Hitech, and find the grads fine, however the 10 stop does have a very blue colour cast, it can be sorted out in processing but its a faf
 
lizzy23 said:
I have Hitech, and find the grads fine, however the 10 stop does have a very blue colour cast, it can be sorted out in processing but its a faf
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Thanks, that's good to know. So the grads are ok, but the 10 stop i should get from another brand? But what about the new 10 stop Pro released from Hitech? Is that any different/better?
 
smilyanp said:
Thanks, that's good to know. So the grads are ok, but the 10 stop i should get from another brand? But what about the new 10 stop Pro released from Hitech? Is that any different/better?
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The main reason the Hitech became popular was the availability of the Lee Big Stopper, from what I recall the manufacturing of the big stopper was quite labour intensive and they couldn't keep up with demand leading to long waiting lists and a healthy used market. Hitech 10-stops were widely available new without ridiculous lead times so many people went down that route saving a few pounds on even the used price of the lee.
 
I would recommend a Lee foundation kit holder and a wide angle lens adaptor, As i've read reports that the Hitech holders can rip the gasket on 10 stop filters. Hitech filters are very good and http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1047_78 have a very good selection of them.

I wouldnt worry about colour cast from the hitech 10 stop filter as it can easily be corrected.

http://blog.robertstrachan.com/archives/1314/hitech-pro-stop-review/

http://blog.robertstrachan.com/arch...e-lee-big-stopper-or-hitech-pro-stop-filters/
 
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I use Hitech 100x150 filters and the Lee 10-stop (which I'm always scared of dropping). :)

For white balance purposes, it's best to take a shot and then set a custom balance based on the first one. It works well for me but isn't completely fool-proof!
 
smilyanp said:
Thanks, that's good to know. So the grads are ok, but the 10 stop i should get from another brand? But what about the new 10 stop Pro released from Hitech? Is that any different/better?
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sorry missed this, its the pro i have, i can get the cast on, and i think it varies from filter to Filter, but i will probably buy the Lee at some point
 
lizzy23 said:
sorry missed this, its the pro i have, i can get the cast on, and i think it varies from filter to Filter, but i will probably buy the Lee at some point
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Hi, can you clarify if this is the ProStop IRND you are on about? If it is, that's disappointing it has the cast after all the hype about it.

Is this under a specific condition or pretty much all the time? This is the first negative feedback I've read on the new IRND.

Hope you can clarify.
 
Spiritflier said:
I use Hitech 100x150 filters and the Lee 10-stop (which I'm always scared of dropping). :)

For white balance purposes, it's best to take a shot and then set a custom balance based on the first one. It works well for me but isn't completely fool-proof!
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I think you made a good point onf "always scared of dropping". As i'm a beginner i wouldn't want to get the most expensive equipment, which i can't use to full potential and preventing myself from using it for fear of the damage and cost.
 
Hotshots said:
I would recommend a Lee foundation kit holder and a wide angle lens adaptor, As i've read reports that the Hitech holders can rip the gasket on 10 stop filters. Hitech filters are very good and http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1047_78 have a very good selection of them.

I wouldnt worry about colour cast from the hitech 10 stop filter as it can easily be corrected.

http://blog.robertstrachan.com/archives/1314/hitech-pro-stop-review/

http://blog.robertstrachan.com/arch...e-lee-big-stopper-or-hitech-pro-stop-filters/
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Thanks for the links. From the article you gave me it seems like the hitech filters are quite good and have the general philosophy of getting better and better. And considering that price-wise they're cheaper they look like the best beginner's filters kit.
 
graphilly said:
Hi, can you clarify if this is the ProStop IRND you are on about? If it is, that's disappointing it has the cast after all the hype about it.

Is this under a specific condition or pretty much all the time? This is the first negative feedback I've read on the new IRND.]

Its the one below and under all conditions, i know my friends was so bad that they ditched it and bought a Lee, shoot in raw and you can get rid of it, i will post some photos tonight of it in both raw and tweaked versions, i don't believe they have brought another out.

http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-hitech-10-stop-100mm-pro-stop-10-nd-filter-1-5mm-gasket.htm


if i had my time again i would order the Big Stopper from Dale and pay the extra £25 and wait

http://www.dalephotographic.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/DalePhotographicOnline/_Lee%20Big%20Stopper%2010/443049/Lee%20Big%20Stopper%2010%20stop%20Long%20Exposure%20Filter%20-%20OUT%20OF%20STOCK
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lizzy23 said:
Its the one below and under all conditions, i know my friends was so bad that they ditched it and bought a Lee, shoot in raw and you can get rid of it, i will post some photos tonight of it in both raw and tweaked versions, i don't believe they have brought another out.

http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-hitech-10-stop-100mm-pro-stop-10-nd-filter-1-5mm-gasket.htm


if i had my time again i would order the Big Stopper from Dale and pay the extra £25 and wait

http://www.dalephotographic.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/DalePhotographicOnline/_Lee%20Big%20Stopper%2010/443049/Lee%20Big%20Stopper%2010%20stop%20Long%20Exposure%20Filter%20-%20OUT%20OF%20STOCK
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Thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure what one smilyanp was referring to in their post.

I assumed it was the newest version of the HiTech ProStop, the IRND version, which, according to them is, "the world’s most neutral ND filter, especially at higher densities where other brands suffer from colorcast."

At around £150 for the glass one, it would have to be perfect before I'd shell out.
 
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graphilly said:
Thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure what one smilyanp was referring to in their post.

I assumed it was the newest version of the HiTech ProStop, the IRND version, which, according to them is, "the world’s most neutral ND filter, especially at higher densities where other brands suffer from colorcast."

At around £150 for the glass one, it would have to be perfect before I'd shell out.
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But at that price with Hi tech's track record on 10 stops, i would still buy the Lee which is proved over and over again
 
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