Recommendations for ND grad fliters pls.

Lardinio

Lardinio

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Hi All,

Have decided that I'll like to look at using ND grads as I'd like to set more into landscape (or at least pics with sky and a horizon).

I currently have a D300 and the lenses I would attach to are Tamron 17-50/2.8 (67mm) and Sigma 10-20/4-5.6 (77mm).

I was thinking getting a slot in rather than screw based solution and understand that I need to get a UW holder, 2 x adapters (67 and 77) and a grad kit (normally set of 3 with 1,2 and 3 stop grads).

Do you have any recommendations for manufacturers? I was looking at Hitech but Cokin seem like good value. I don't want to spend more than £100 if I can help it (so clearly I'm not looking at the best kit available, just the best value)

Any help appreciated.

Cheers

Bruce
 
I'm very pleased with my HiTechs, they seem to do the job admirably. There were a lot of reports of cokin giving a magenta cast to pictures which was why I avoided them.
 
I've got the HiTechs too. Same price ballpark as Cokins but not magenta (I tried Cokins, yes they were magenta).
 
Seems like there's no cheap answer to this. The grad nd filter set is £60 (hitech), the adapters are £40 for the pair and the holder is £44 (both Lee).

As a very casual landscape photographer it's hard to justify the investment esp when you consider adding full grads, polarisers etc.

Gotta start somewhere right?
 
Used to use Cokin ND & ND grads but got the magenta cast when stacking filters and using long exposures.

Swapped to Hitech, still get a magenta cast when stacking ND and ND grads with long exposures but a little less than with the Cokins.
 
:thumbs: for hitech filters, along with a lee holder and lens adapter ring.

I think hitech now do their own filter holder
 
Lardinio said:
Seems like there's no cheap answer to this. The grad nd filter set is £60 (hitech), the adapters are £40 for the pair and the holder is £44 (both Lee).

As a very casual landscape photographer it's hard to justify the investment esp when you consider adding full grads, polarisers etc.

Gotta start somewhere right?
Click to expand...

You don't need to buy a set. Just start off with one - say a 2stop hard....

You don't even need a holder - you can hold the filter firmly but carefully against the rim of the lens.

I would say get the polariser first, the ND grad(s) second, and the ND's a long way behind in third.
 
I must chime in about Hitech - very good value for the money. I'd avoid Cokin at any cost; I used them for years without realizing how they were imparting a colour cast to my images. When I finally switched to Hitech the difference in my results was startling, to say the least, and I wish I'd switched years earlier.
 
Hitech - Either in Lee 100mm or Cokin "P" 85mm.

Cokin are dire so avoid them even if someone offers you them for free (colour cast issues)
 
I have Cokin and have noticed the colour cast, certainly if attempting filter stacking. As I have P series, there are also issues with the holder being visible at the 10mm end of the Sigma, which I also have. I don't do a lot of landscapes and it was mainly for the polariser that I got it.
 
I have some ND grads (Cokin and I don't see a colour cast but then I wouldn't as my colour vision is not perfect) and now rarely use them. I like a natural look to my landscapes and grad filters can be pretty obvious. Most people seem to use one that is far darker than necessary.

On the odd occasion that I do use a grad I usually don't bother with the mount and just hold the filter to the face of the lens - so for seeing if you like what the filter does all you need is the filter to start with.
 
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