Posted by Andy Bate on October 21, 2007 at 6:22 AM
Hi all
Just considering doing some more landscape photography and was wondering what filter/filter systems i would need, never been a great user of filters so any help would be great
thanks
andy
Posted by Graeme Lee on October 21, 2007 at 6:32 AM
Good post Andy. Sorry to hijack but are there any specific polarisers people would swear by/recommend?
Posted by Andy Bate on October 21, 2007 at 6:34 AM
There's a few options, as I'm sure you're aware. Choice depends on a few factors, including what lenses you have, and how much you want to spend, etc.
A cheaper option that is fine with lenses that aren't super-wide, or for use on crop bodies is the Cokin 'P' system. Adapter ring and filter holder will set you back around £20, and then you can get a set of there ND Grads (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9) made by Hi-Tech, available from Teamwork Photo (google them, and you'll find them) for around £40. The Hi-Tech filters are better than the Cokin P ND Grads IME.
For wider lenses, or with full-frame bodies, larger filters will be needed, in which case it's a choice between a few, notably Lee and Cokin X-Pro or Cokin Z-Pro. I have the Cokin Z-Pro filters for use with my 5D and 24-105 and have found them excellent. The X-Pro are quite a bit bigger (they're like tea-trays!) and IMO only needed for big, wide lenses. All of these systems are quite a bit more expensive, and will set you back quite a bit more (£100+). Of all ND Grads, I find I use the 2-stop most often, and 3-stop fairly often. The 1-stop is rarely used, and then only in addition to another when needed (sometimes inverted to darken the foreground slightly).
Then there's polarisers too, which some landscapers swear by, but I don't use them anymore - haven't used a polariser for about 2 years now.
The problem with polarisers is that with very wide lenses they produce a blue spot of polarised light in the middle with fall off either side.
I use the Lee system and would say that a 2 stop ND hard and soft Grad, a 3 Stop Hard grad, a 81B and 81D are all you really need.
I would stick to the use of Contrast or normal colour correction filters, beware of using the 'special effect' filters too much as they are usually easy to see and generally frowned upon.
The advantage of the adapter system is that if you change lense (thread diameter) you have only have to buy the adapter again.
T
Posted by Graeme Lee on October 21, 2007 at 6:49 AM
I assume the 17-40 isn't classed as a very wide angle lens?
17mm is very wide on 35mm, but it is my most used focal length. For filters I use Lee. I started out with Cokin P and found the colour casts of the grads to be horrendous. I also have one SingaRay filter which also seems to have a colour cast. Hi-tech I've heard are very good and well priced but I've never used them. I'd start out with a 3 stop hard grad as for me it is by far the most used filter. To test the water just hand hold the filter and buy a holder later if you need it. Blending from one or more file is also another route you could take. Tristan
Further to Tristan's comments, I think some qualification may be needed. Tristan says to go for a 'hard' grad, as he uses it most often. Perhaps this could be clarified, but this may be due to the fact that Tristan seems to take a lot of shots looking out to sea, where the horizon is flat. If the horizon isn't flat (i.e. pretty much any landscape NOT looking out to sea - or in Holland!) then I would advise getting a soft grad.
Yes I suggest a hard grad as a starting point because I use it most often but the sea is far from my usual subject matter as I only manage to get to the coast once per year. The Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale are my usual subject matter and I still find the three stop hard by far my most used despite the (reasonably) mountainous terrain. It is possible however that Lee hard grads may be softer than other makes - perhaps due to their larger size - I dont know.
A couple of grads (3 hard and 3 soft as Tristan suggested), polariser (thin one for your wide angle) and say 5 or 10 stops regular ND is all you would need, if you are using digital. I would throw additional 1 or 2 coral grad in Lee's or Cokin's system for film.
Hi the lee filter system is what I use occasionally if you go to the warehouse express web site you can see all the filters as they have individual images of them lee also do a starter kit for landscapes which are reasonably priced, idea preferred the soft graduated filters No 2 and 3 I think I've got also the lee filters sunset number 2 filter and a a few natural density filters is all you really need I do have a large collection of screw in the polarised filters but don't use them, if you're going as wide as 10 mm a centre spot grad may be worthwhile although very expensive.
Phillip.
Posted by David Clapp on October 22, 2007 at 1:22 PM
When I use filters which is rare these days I use the Hitech 100 range, 2stop soft and hard, 3stop soft and hard. They are around 25quid each, very good, no casts, dont vignette on full frame at 17mm, the holders are well made (I bought mine second hand but very good even though the old style) I would thoroughly recommend this range as they are affordable and bounce well on rock unlike the glass ones (!)
For polarisers and screw in ND0.9 filters I use Heliopan as the 77mm Slim is only about £70. I have also seen Schneider polarisers which are just spectacular, but so is the price.
Discussion
13 repliesJust considering doing some more landscape photography and was wondering what filter/filter systems i would need, never been a great user of filters so any help would be great
thanks
andy
A cheaper option that is fine with lenses that aren't super-wide, or for use on crop bodies is the Cokin 'P' system. Adapter ring and filter holder will set you back around £20, and then you can get a set of there ND Grads (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9) made by Hi-Tech, available from Teamwork Photo (google them, and you'll find them) for around £40. The Hi-Tech filters are better than the Cokin P ND Grads IME.
For wider lenses, or with full-frame bodies, larger filters will be needed, in which case it's a choice between a few, notably Lee and Cokin X-Pro or Cokin Z-Pro. I have the Cokin Z-Pro filters for use with my 5D and 24-105 and have found them excellent. The X-Pro are quite a bit bigger (they're like tea-trays!) and IMO only needed for big, wide lenses. All of these systems are quite a bit more expensive, and will set you back quite a bit more (£100+). Of all ND Grads, I find I use the 2-stop most often, and 3-stop fairly often. The 1-stop is rarely used, and then only in addition to another when needed (sometimes inverted to darken the foreground slightly).
Then there's polarisers too, which some landscapers swear by, but I don't use them anymore - haven't used a polariser for about 2 years now.
I am assuming that we are talking SLR and not LF.
The problem with polarisers is that with very wide lenses they produce a blue spot of polarised light in the middle with fall off either side.
I use the Lee system and would say that a 2 stop ND hard and soft Grad, a 3 Stop Hard grad, a 81B and 81D are all you really need.
I would stick to the use of Contrast or normal colour correction filters, beware of using the 'special effect' filters too much as they are usually easy to see and generally frowned upon.
The advantage of the adapter system is that if you change lense (thread diameter) you have only have to buy the adapter again.
T
Cheers,
Marko
Phillip.
For polarisers and screw in ND0.9 filters I use Heliopan as the 77mm Slim is only about £70. I have also seen Schneider polarisers which are just spectacular, but so is the price.