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400d
4-Jul-2006, 15:51
I am currently using Cokin's P series Graduated ND filter. The Cokin doesn't offer much useful choice on that. I am looking at Hitech Graduated ND filter, either hard or soft edge. Any 1 has experience on using the Hitech filters? And would you share what graduated ND filters set you have for landscape?

Dan V
4-Jul-2006, 16:50
There are times when stronger and/or hard-edge filters would be useful, but I carry in my backpack only Lee's 1, 2, and 3 stop GND rectangular soft-edge filters for landscape photography.

Capocheny
4-Jul-2006, 16:53
There are times when stronger and/or hard-edge filters would be useful, but I carry in my backpack only Lee's 1, 2, and 3 stop GND rectangular soft-edge filters for landscape photography.

I concur with your choice in the Lee filter system... I carry the same ones. :)

More commonly available in our neck of the woods too!

Cheers

400d
4-Jul-2006, 21:06
Where did you guys buy your set?
Each resin filter sells for 79.95 on B&H right now. It seems pretty overpriced to me, as far as a resin filter is concerned. Why do you guys choose it rather than Hi-tech or Cokin?

Capocheny
4-Jul-2006, 21:14
Hi 400D,

I bought the Lee simply because it was what was available at the time. And, I can understand what you're saying about them being expensive because... they are! :)

BTW, I live in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Unfortunately, we don't tend to have what you folks have in the US.

So, the Lee was available and that's what I went for! :)

Cheers

Dan V
5-Jul-2006, 06:02
Where did you guys buy your set?
Each resin filter sells for 79.95 on B&H right now. It seems pretty overpriced to me, as far as a resin filter is concerned. Why do you guys choose it rather than Hi-tech or Cokin?

Yes, I agree that they are expensive. I picked up the adapter ring new at Calumet and paid full price of course. I got the filter set at a decent price from that auction site.

You might try placing a WTB (Want To Buy) ad in the classifieds section of this site as well as APUG and Photo.net.

400d
5-Jul-2006, 06:50
So, as a resin filter, are the filters from Lee any better than the Cokin's or Hitech's?

Larry Gebhardt
5-Jul-2006, 07:17
I have read bad things about the Cokin resin filters. Something about them slightly distorting the images. I use a Hitech .6 hardedge and it has worked just fine for me. I haven't seen any issues with it.

Mike Kovacs
5-Jul-2006, 08:54
The biggest problem with the Cokins is they are not neutral, rather they have a noticeable colour cast.

I have a 2 stop Hitech hard. I compared to the Singh Ray hard - it has a much harder transition than the Hitech (the soft is almost closer to the Hitech hard). I would settle on the Hitech hard as a happy compromise.

At about $40 per filter, they represent the best bang for the buck IMO.

Andrew Ito
5-Jul-2006, 10:39
I've used the 2 and 3 stop soft Singh Ray ND grads with success. I also use a 3 stop HiTech hard.

SteveL
5-Jul-2006, 13:27
I won't bore you with the list, but I carry a large number of Lee GND's. The quality is superb, and they're well worth the money. A set of three standard GND's in the U.K. is around £110.

Prior to switching to Lee, I used Hitech for my LF work, and I've kept hold of them to use with my DSLR. They're great value for money, but the range isn't as extensive as Lee, and they're a little thinner and less robust. HTH.

400d
6-Jul-2006, 20:47
Seems like it makes sense to get some soft edges from Hitech then. Lee's may be good, but for $79.95? That is glass price. I still think Hitech is overpriced, but doesn't seem there are better choice. I have couple Cokins, didn't check if the ND is neutral or not, but I will do a little test and will post the result after I am done.

Is the hard edges (Lee's or Hitech) too hard for landscape for you guys' taste?

Ralph Barker
6-Jul-2006, 21:51
Hard-edge NDs are nice for ocean or prairie shots, where the horizon line is actually flat. For most other landscapes, though, even grads can be problematic sometimes.

Jeffrey Sipress
6-Jul-2006, 22:36
ND grads can be problematic, as Ralph indicates. Using them takes practice, it's not as easy as you think at first. I use the Lee system, with some Galen Singh Ray's, too. I like the Lee holder. Resin is better than glass. That's why mine are not broken !

Ryan Hill
7-Jul-2006, 05:10
I use the Cokin P holder but Singh-Ray filters. I have been generally pleased with this set up. The Cokin P holder is very inexpensive and works pretty good. It is 84mm wide, so if you have alot of lenses with 77mm fronts, you might want the wider Lee system. With smaller lens fronts you are probably fine.

I generally do not like the High-Tech filters in the P holder because the High Tech filters are 85mm wide and that extra 1mm cause them to be dificult to slide in sometimes (and can lead to dropping a filter or getting a fingerprint on it). But otherwise the HT filters are good.

FWIW-I like the P holder but the only actual Cokin filters I use are a red and yellow for the rare day I do B+W. All my grads are Singh-Ray.

SteveL
7-Jul-2006, 05:14
Seems like it makes sense to get some soft edges from Hitech then. Lee's may be good, but for $79.95? That is glass price. I still think Hitech is overpriced, but doesn't seem there are better choice. I have couple Cokins, didn't check if the ND is neutral or not, but I will do a little test and will post the result after I am done.

Is the hard edges (Lee's or Hitech) too hard for landscape for you guys' taste?

I'm happy to use a hard edge with wider lenses, say up to 120mm. Above this I'm more likely to use the softer transition grads, but I will use these on the wider lenses in some circumstances. It's all down to a little experience and judgement.

naturephoto1
22-Jul-2006, 14:03
I have been switching from the Lee filter system size to the Cokin P size. As has been pointed out the Cokin Grad ND filters are not very neutral.

I have and have used the Hitech filters, they are high quality and have a softer gradation than say the Singh Ray ND Grads. However, they are 85mm and 1 1/2mm thick. The holder is designed to accept 84mm 2mm thick filters. It will accept the Hitech, but with a little difficulty.

I have been switching to the Lee and Singh Ray P size filters (both 84mm and 2mm thick). Both are very nice and fit the Cokin P holder very well. The Singh Ray filters are even more expensive than the Lee. Having spoken with one of the reps at Lee Filters, they have also informed me that they will special order any of their larger filters in the Cokin P size.

Rich

Doug Dolde
22-Jul-2006, 14:12
I use Singh Rays. For the most part soft edge ones are best. You can turn them upside down to get a reverse ND. You won't see the edge as they are too close to the lens. Hard edge ones make the whole sky dark and usually you only need the effect at the horizon where the sun is.