Beginner Hitech or Lee filter kit?

Ceinfryn

Ceinfryn

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Arran
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Hello

Does anyone have a preference over these different kits.

I'm looking at getting the starter kit however after looking around it seems to be between these two systems.

Looking for some advice. I can see that the Lee filters are much more expensive however if rather just but one kit to last so not to worried about the price. (Within reason)

Thanks
Arran
 
I like a bit of a mix.

I prefer the Lee holder as I can leave the rings on each lens and use the Lee caps as lens caps (saves time). It's then really fast to swap lenses and go back to the same filters.

I also use the Lee Landscape Polariser which I really like. Would have possible gone for the Hitech Firecrest if I could have found more shots taken with it online.

Filter wise I like the Hitechs, especially the Firecrests which don't have any cast, even with a 16 stop.

I've read good things about Nisi lately, but not tried them.
 
That's great :) it will be my first set so I don't have anything to compare it to.

Thanks for your feedback :)
 
Wissel said:
I like a bit of a mix.

I prefer the Lee holder as I can leave the rings on each lens and use the Lee caps as lens caps (saves time). It's then really fast to swap lenses and go back to the same filters.

I also use the Lee Landscape Polariser which I really like. Would have possible gone for the Hitech Firecrest if I could have found more shots taken with it online.

Filter wise I like the Hitechs, especially the Firecrests which don't have any cast, even with a 16 stop.
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+1 to this - the only irritation with Firecrest filters is having to put the gasket on yourself - which can be a bit of a pain.

I have the Firecrest polariser and find it works well.

There is also slightly less vignetting with the Lee adaptor (I have both)
 
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Dave Semmens said:
+1 to this - the only irritation with Firecrest filters is having to put the gasket on yourself - which can be a bit of a pain.

I have the Firecrest polariser and find it works well.

There is also slightly less vignetting with the Lee adaptor (I have both)
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The easiest way to get the gasket on is to leave the middle in, peal off the backing for the gasket only, stick to the filter and then remove the middle. It helps the gasket keep it's shape by doing it this way, and gives you something to hold onto (y)
 
sarahhj said:
The easiest way to get the gasket on is to leave the middle in, peal off the backing for the gasket only, stick to the filter and then remove the middle. It helps the gasket keep it's shape by doing it this way, and gives you something to hold onto (y)
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I did that :) I still think they should do it when we are paying around £100 for a piece of glass.

The other problem is that sometimes the gasket is missing when the filter is delivered - happened to me when I bought my 8 stop from Amazon.

Took a week to get one sent out from Hitech - wouldn't have been a problem if already fitted
 
Ceinfryn said:
Hello

Does anyone have a preference over these different kits.

I'm looking at getting the starter kit however after looking around it seems to be between these two systems.

Looking for some advice. I can see that the Lee filters are much more expensive however if rather just but one kit to last so not to worried about the price. (Within reason)

Thanks
Arran
Click to expand...

I have the Hitech kit holder but use Lee filters as the neutral quality is IMHO considerably better.
 
Have you tried the Firecrest filters Neil?

I have an old Hitech 10 stop that has a cast to it.

Comparing the Firecrest to a Lee gave me a slightly cold / blue cast in the Lee but not the Firecrest.

The Lee holder allows me over 1mm on the lens more before vignetting (2 filters and Polariser fitted)

Hitech failed by making the polariser attachment ring too deep due to how it attaches to the main holder - that is how the Lee adaptor allows the extra 1mm+ at the wide end.
 
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Dave Semmens said:
Have you tried the Firecrest filters Neil?

I have an old Hitech 10 stop that has a cast to it.

Comparing the Firecrest to a Lee gave me a slightly cold / blue cast in the Lee but not the Firecrest.

The Lee holder allows me over 1mm on the lens more before vignetting (2 filters and Polariser fitted)

Hitech failed by making the polariser attachment ring too deep due to how it attaches to the main holder - that is how the Lee adaptor allows the extra 1mm+ at the wide end.
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Ah, sorry Dave, should have been a little clearer.

Yes, have used the 16 stop firecrest which wasn't for me purely due to the exposure times, but yes it was fairly neutral.
I had the original Hitech 10 stop which was horrible in colour cast terms, much worse than the Lee's which is fairly modest by comparison and easy to correct PP.
When I made the comment re neutrality I was referring to graduated filters, not ND's. I started with Hi-tech's offering but found a slight purple hue in them compared to Lee, especially when used in combo with an ND. I eventually ditched them last year and replaced with Lee grads which I have no neutrality issues with at all. Ive not checked to see if hitch do firecrest grads, but i would presume if they do then I can imagine them being on par with Lee's equivalent. As far as the holder is concerned i would like the Lee one but again its more outlay! No doubt i'll eventually replace that too!
 
Sorry Neil - I had assumed it was NDs :) I haven't tried both grads but if my normal luck continues then the Lee will be better than Hitech as I bought the Hitech ones ;)

I did manage to break the 0.9 grad on the back of my head in the lake district a month or so ago. The camera fell on the tripod but luckily my head broke the fall.

The gash behind my left ear stopped bleeding after an hour.

So - I need a new 0.9 anyway.
 
Dave Semmens said:
Sorry Neil - I had assumed it was NDs :) I haven't tried both grads but if my normal luck continues then the Lee will be better than Hitech as I bought the Hitech ones ;)

I did manage to break the 0.9 grad on the back of my head in the lake district a month or so ago. The camera fell on the tripod but luckily my head broke the fall.

The gash behind my left ear stopped bleeding after an hour.

So - I need a new 0.9 anyway.
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Ouch!!

Worth trying the Lee one Dave, see if you like it and not much more expensive!
 
Hi, some will disagree with me but I used LEE filters and had thre NDG hard & three Soft, ND 0.6, big stopper, Polorizing filter 105mm. Now the NDG's have gone as for me I see no reason to use them as what they can do on camera can now be done in PP with most software. Even if you do use them (the NDG's) you still have to adjust images in software when you have mountains, hills etc intruding into the sky even at the seaside with flat horizon you can take two images, one for sky and one for land then merge in software so mush easier than fiddling with getting the holders on the lens then trying to line up the grads edge with light and darker and of course when you need to move taking it all apart again (and why take it all apart? I used an 0.6 ND one day, picked up the tripod, moved no more than 4 steps and the filter fell out the holder and being glass chose a stone to land on) and if you think I was just unlucky just ask Karl Taylor
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkqeGV6r_gY


Russ
 
russellsnr said:
Hi, some will disagree with me but I used LEE filters and had thre NDG hard & three Soft, ND 0.6, big stopper, Polorizing filter 105mm. Now the NDG's have gone as for me I see no reason to use them as what they can do on camera can now be done in PP with most software. Even if you do use them (the NDG's) you still have to adjust images in software when you have mountains, hills etc intruding into the sky even at the seaside with flat horizon you can take two images, one for sky and one for land then merge in software so mush easier than fiddling with getting the holders on the lens then trying to line up the grads edge with light and darker and of course when you need to move taking it all apart again (and why take it all apart? I used an 0.6 ND one day, picked up the tripod, moved no more than 4 steps and the filter fell out the holder and being glass chose a stone to land on) and if you think I was just unlucky just ask Karl Taylor
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkqeGV6r_gY


Russ
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Each to their own I suppose - I've tried the occasional exposure blending by using simple masks in photoshop and whilst some results have been OK it takes a bit of time to get the combined exposure to look right Personally I much prefer the simplicity and ultimately less PP time by using a graduated filter to begin with.
 
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