Lee/Hitech filters

gary996

gary996

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Gary
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Thinking of buying some filters.
I allready have the Lee holder and been looking at the set of 3 ND grads (hard edge). Polariser + 105mm ring and possibly a ten stop.
My question is are the Lee definitely better than the Hitech?
 
I use Lee but have no experience of HiTech so I can't answer your question. However, I have never found a use for the 1 stop grad. You may be able to save a little cash by not bothering with it.
 
bought Hitech/Formatt, now have Lee - even though my filter set is now topping about 700 quid, I got fed up with magenta colour casts from the Hitechs when stacking them

so I always say, buy cheap, buy twice

Get the LEEs :)

drew
 
PS. i've got the CPL but the square slot-in filter version, decided against the 105mm one as you can get vignetting on wide angle due to the adapter sticking out on the front, and I'm always shooting @ 17mm on full frame.

Square filter works just as good, and it's rarely ever not the optimum angle
 
buckas said:
bought Hitech/Formatt, now have Lee - even though my filter set is now topping about 700 quid, I got fed up with magenta colour casts from the Hitechs when stacking them

so I always say, buy cheap, buy twice

Get the LEEs :)

drew
Click to expand...

The Hitechs are not that much less to be honest (the money doesn't really bother me) I just wanted to know if they are ALOT better than Hitech alternatives.
I read a couple of reviews on the 10stop and the hitech seemed to have less colour cast.
 
buckas said:
PS. i've got the CPL but the square slot-in filter version, decided against the 105mm one as you can get vignetting on wide angle due to the adapter sticking out on the front, and I'm always shooting @ 17mm on full frame.

Square filter works just as good, and it's rarely ever not the optimum angle
Click to expand...

Interesting never thought about going square polariser. Is that the Lee square polariser?
 
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I've had both Hitech and Lee, the Lee are more neutral and suffer less from flare.

I've also got the square and circular CPLs, both Lee. The square one is handy if you don't need any other filters, it is a ballache if you want to use it with grads, that isn't really an option.

I've got the Lee 105mm and with it on a 1 slot holder can use it to about 19mm or so on FF without vignetting.

I agree about 1 stop filters, not really worth it.
 
I've owned both and unquestionably Lee are better which obviously they should be considering the cost differences...for the 105mm polariser the Heliopan "slim" model is excellent too.

Simon
 
markmullen said:
The square one is handy if you don't need any other filters, it is a ballache if you want to use it with grads, that isn't really an option.
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Absolute rubbish :)

I regularly use it with two other slot in grad/nd/big stopper without any issue

The cpl must go at the front so once that's in the rest is same as normal

edit

If you're on about getting the optimum polarisation rotation angle and the possible occurrence of the filter needing to be not on the perpendicular for use with grads, then I've not experienced this and if the filter need to be on + or -90 degrees then simple remove, rotate it and slot it back in.

Besides it's common knowledge to not use any CPL at max polarisation as you create uneven effects especially shooting a blue sky on wide angle/panoramic

cheers
 
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gary996 said:
Interesting never thought about going square polariser. Is that the Lee square polariser?
Click to expand...

Yes the circular square version not linear - about £140 iirc
 
buckas said:
Absolute rubbish :)

I regularly use it with two other slot in grad/nd/big stopper without any issue

The cpl must go at the front so once that's in the rest is same as normal
Click to expand...

Far from being absolute rubbish how do you get it to work if your square polariser needs to be at 45 degrees to the shot but your grad needs to be upright? You can do it with a tandem ring and another foundation kit but that will leave you with vignetting at wide angles.
 
buckas said:
see edit
Click to expand...

I've seen it and it confirms exactly what I said, far from optimum.

Imagine the scene with a bright but overcast sky which needs a grad, and a lake where you want to cut through the reflections to make a foreground interest out of the underwater rocks. Not an unusual situation.

You'll want the optimum effect from the CPL, and the grads upright. If the optimum effect from the CPL comes in with it rotated 45 degrees to the frame it just isn't possible to do it with the square CPL.

I know, I've got both, used both in the field.
 
Understand what you're saying matey and I can only go by my personal experience over the last few years using it and it's never been an issue so on that I wouldn't bother paying out more money not only for the extra cost of the filter but the expensive adaptor as well
 
I'd suggest waiting on the Big Stopper (not that you'll have a choice, unless you pay a huge premium on eBay!) until reports come back about the new Hitech IRND filters. They're claiming they're the most neutral NDs available. They do 100mm Lee holder versions, so you can still go down the Lee route for holder/grads.

I've got an IRND on order, I'll post my thoughts when it arrives.

p.s. my twopence on this square CPL debate going on... I'd definitely get a rotary circular CPL instead of a square slot mount, unless you're plumping for the Pro Lee kit which allows independent rotation of the two sections. One of the useful features of a CPL is that the effect is adjustable, and you lose that ability with a rectangular one.

Bear in mind the Lee CPL isn't coated, it might be worth hunting down a multicoated one.
 
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Pablosammy said:
p.s. my twopence on this square CPL debate going on... I'd definitely get a rotary circular CPL instead of a square slot mount, unless you're plumping for the Pro Lee kit which allows independent rotation of the two sections. One of the useful features of a CPL is that the effect is adjustable, and you lose that ability with a rectangular one.
Click to expand...

The difficulty with using the Pro kit (essentially a tandem ring and another foundation kit) is that it makes the whole lot deeper and more susceptible to vignetting.
 
markmullen said:
The difficulty with using the Pro kit (essentially a tandem ring and another foundation kit) is that it makes the whole lot deeper and more susceptible to vignetting.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it doesn't sound like a particularly elegant solution. I'd plump for the 105mm ring, even though a decent CPL will set you back £200+ at that size. There's no perfect solution unfortunately - I wish there was, I've done far too much research into square filter systems! :lol:
 
Pablosammy said:
Yeah, it doesn't sound like a particularly elegant solution. I'd plump for the 105mm ring, even though a decent CPL will set you back £200+ at that size. There's no perfect solution unfortunately - I wish there was, I've done far too much research into square filter systems! :lol:
Click to expand...

The 105mm is the way to go IME.

You can buy stepping rings to use it as just a CPL without filter holders if you want.
 
I have used both systems and although Hitech do produce reasonable results, Lee are much better.
I find the most useful are 3 stop hard, 2 stop soft and the big stopper.
Regarding polarisers, my own thought is that saturation can be boosted with software and they are difficult to use in addition to square systems. They do stop reflections although many pics can be enhanced with reflections, therefore I do not use them.
If you go for Lee, I would suggest the wide angle holder.

This in example of a Lee 2 stop and big stopper. Often there can be a slight blue cast with the 10 stop, but it is not too bad.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter-young/8138890435/in/photostream/lightbox/
 
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Peter10d said:
I have used both systems and although Hitech do produce reasonable results, Lee are much better.
I find the most useful are 3 stop hard, 2 stop soft and the big stopper.
Regarding polarisers, my own thought is that saturation can be boosted with software and they are difficult to use in addition to square systems. They do stop reflections although many pics can be enhanced with reflections, therefore I do not use them.
If you go for Lee, I would suggest the wide angle holder.

This in example of a Lee 2 stop and big stopper. Often there can be a slight blue cast with the 10 stop, but it is not too bad.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter-young/8138890435/in/photostream/lightbox/
Click to expand...

Wow Peter! I clicked on your link and got a slide show! Some fabulous images on there. Excellent :)
 
glad that someone has posted this up as I was just about to ask the very same...now I've just gotta bit the bullet and buy. I must admit that my Hitechs have served me well but its coming upgrade time
 
Just ordered:
Big stopper
3 stop ND grad
2 stop ND grad
Heliopan 105 mm Cir Polariser & Lee 105 mm front Ring
82mm wide angle adaptor
Case and cleaning cloth/solution

All in stock
 
Is there a quality difference in the ND grads too ? My Hitechs seem ok but would I notice a difference going to Lee ?
 
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