Filter and Camera Support Help and Info needed for use with panoramic photography...

Hi all!
I have recently acquired a Fuji GX617 with a 90mm SWD lens and am just looking for some advice and info on getting filters and camera stability for this panoramic setup...

For camera support I have been looking into the Novoflex Quadropod Variable (http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/metal/.../19154_p.html), which can be used as a tripod or a four legged quadropod for added stability, would it be better to spend the money on this setup with 4 3 sector aluminium legs or get a Gitzo carbon Fibre Mountaineer tripod for example...
This tripod needs to be light weight with a fairly big maximum load weight, and is going to be carried mostly by hand for a lot of work outdoors shooting landscapes...

As for a filtration system, I am looking at Lee, but am not 100% sure what product to buy...
I am looking at the 100mm holders and square filters, preferably The Professional Kit (http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/lee_co...it/6886_p.html)

But do I need the wide angle adaptor to connect the holder to the lens, or will a normal adaptor suffice? Also, is a centre filter essential with use with this lens?*
Am I right in thinking my 90mm SWD lens has a 82mm filter mount size?
I am looking at just getting ND grad filters (http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/lee_co..._/14832_p.html) are these the correct filters for what I need? Are there any other filters, apart from maybe a polariser, that are essential to landscape panoramas?
And finally, what graduations of filters are best to use for this panoramic kit primarily for landscapes and urban cityscapes/architectures? Hard or soft?

Thank you in advance for all your help in advance!
Cheers!
N†

I'm thinking that a 4 legged tripod would be a pain to keep stable for landscape work. Just think about the chairs and stools that wobble all the time.

I use a Gitzo GT3530LS which has been perfectly fine for 4x5 and panoramic work. It is heavier than mountaineer series, but I carry it for hours and on backpacking trips without any issues other than me being too fat. I would be concerned with the stability of a mountaineer series tripod's skinny legs under heavy load.

look & see what Fuji say to use for filters

Quote:

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Originally Posted by njrfotografia

Hi all!
Are there any other filters, apart from maybe a polariser, that are essential to landscape panoramas?
And finally, what graduations of filters are best to use for this panoramic kit primarily for landscapes and urban cityscapes/architectures? Hard or soft?N†

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For color work, the only filters I use are polarizers and GNDs. For GNDs, I prefer to carry only 2 & 3 stop hard edge. If I need a soft edge, I just jiggle the filter up and down during the exposure to create a soft edge (be sure to lock everything down tight first).

Forget the Quadpod; extra weight for no real gain. Please trust me when I say that a regular tripod will suffice. The GX617 is no heavier than a pro DLSR with a pro zoom. Any "decent" tripod will do. Consider Kerry Thalmann's range of cheap CF tripods.

As for filters, be aware that the front and the back of these filters are generally different diameters. For example, the CF for a Schneider 72mm lens is 95mm/rear and 112mm/front. The 90mm Schneider is 82/105mm.

As such, you will possibly need to look at something bigger, such as the Cokin X-Pro series filters.

If you are going to shoot "slide" film, you will almost definitely need a CF.

As for the grads, I have a 1 stop and a 3 stop soft grad. PM me for more info on these...

Quadrapod, good idea kinda like opening a snowplowing business in long beach. Bob, where are you?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vinny

Quadrapod, good idea kinda like opening a snowplowing business in long beach. Bob, where are you?

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Right here.

The Quadropod is available in 3 versions, no center column with 4 legs QPODB, with center column with 4 legs QPODC and no center column with 3 or 4 legs QPODV.

The B and C are normally stocked in the USA the V is special order only. Any of the above are available with 2 or 3 section aluminum or carbon legs or with WALKINGSTICK legs (Leki trecking poles) or tabletop legs.
Currently when any set with aluminum or carbon legs is purchased the table top legs and the monopod adapter are supplied at NC.

There is no tripod manufactured today for photography with the capacity of a full sized Quadropod. With either aluminum or carbon 2 or 3 section legs the QPOD system support over 110 lbs. A 4 leg 2 section QPODB aluminum system weighs 6.5 lbs and the carbon version legs are 1 lb lighter.

The QPOD is a full size camera support, a tabletop system a monopod, canverts to a clamp-on camera support and a suction camera support system that can support cameras up to 10 pounds. It can also be positioned within 15cm of a wall or building with full suppor capability making it able to be set-up closer to a wall then any tripod made. The entire system can break down and be packed in a carry-on suitcase.

See:

http://www.novoflex.com/en/service--...datenblaetter/

For full info and variations.

So there is considerable gain for the amount of weight of a QPOD.

And, as long as I am answering this question may as well address the polarizer too. With a lens as wide as a 90mm on 617 when doing outdoor shots that include wide expanses of sky you will capture some sky areas that are naturally polarized as well as sky areas that are not. This will result in dark streaks in the areas that are polarized as compared to the sky areas that are not polarized. In addition, for most accurate work with a polarizer yiu would want to ground glass focus and compose which is not available on the Fuji (it is available as an accessory for the 617 SIII Linhof). You can work around the GG problem with a fully rim calibrated polarizer like theeliopan (either regular or high transmission types) but if you use the center filter (which you probably will need) you will need a polarizer the screws into the front of the CF.

I use a Gitzo 3540LS. I'm very happy with it and wish it had been my first tripod. The 3 series CF Gitzo tripods (without the center column) are light enough to carry but are stable enough for almost anything you would be willing to carry. With 6x17 you will probably want to change the aspect to vertical from time to time and will be flopping your tripod head over unless you get an L-bracket. The lighter than series 3 Gitzo CF tripods should keep your GX617 stable but the center of gravity moves away from the center of the legs making it very easy to knock over the tripod. Really Right Stuff makes a CF tripod comparable to the 3 series.

As Lachlan pointed out the center filter will probably be wider than 100mm but I don't have info on Fuji. I believe the lee wide angle adapter was intended for the Nikon 14-24 zoom lens and probably won't be of much help. You can just hold the rectangular filter in front of the center filter. Remember the direction of the gradient needs to be matched to landscape / vertical format. The protection bars on the gx617 90mm might interfere at times.