drop-in rotating polarizer on Lee system

[Karl Amo]

I am interested in using a mounted polarizer that can be slid into a Lee filter-holder slot and rotated in place. This is in lieu of rotating the holder itself with a 100 mm square polarizer filter in place, or installing a ring on the front of the Lee filter holder for a 105 mm diameter polarizer filter. Century Optics is selling a 100 mm polarizer for professional video that can be slid into a slot and rotated in place. It is called a "rotating True-Pol." The polarizing element itself is made by Schneider.

http://www.centuryoptics.com/products/filters/polarizers/rotating.htm

I believe that the filter is 4 mm thick, since 100 mm square filters used in professional video are 4 mm thick. Lee sells filter guides for 4 mm thick filters; the filter guides can be installed on the Lee filter holder.

Has anyone tried the Century Optics polarizer on a Lee holder? Is there any reason why the combination might now work?

[Brian Ellis]

I'm not familiar with this particular polarizer but if it's 100mm square and fits on the end of the Lee hood there could be a problem rotating it with some cameras and lenses. When I tried to use the Lee square polarizer and hood on a Linhof Technika camera the polarizer couldn't be rotated with larger lenses in their normal position because the corners of the hood/filter bumped into the bed of the camera.

[Steve Hamley]

Karl,

Singh-Ray say they make a round polarizer that fits into a Lee slot and can be rotated in the holder. Bob Singh said you would need to "block" the bottom of the slot used for the polarizer so it doesn't drop out the bottom.

http://www.singh-ray.com/

I investigated the possibility of using one of these at one time but never did.

Steve

[Karl Amo]

Steve,

I did not know that Singh-Ray made such a polarizer. I will call Bob Singh when his company opens again (hurricane season).

My motive for using such a polarizer is to get away with having just one filter holder while being able to using a hood, graduated neutral density filter, and polarizer all at the same time.

Karl

[Steve Hamley]

Karl,

Please let us know how you like the filter if you get one.

Thanks!

Steve

[Don Miller]

Karl, your concern is vignetting with using two Lee filter hilders and a hood? It does seem that two holders with tandem adapters would ony work with long lenses.

Don

[Karl Amo]

Don, Steve:

My goal is to minimize weight and bulk for backpacking. Thus, I want to be able to get away with using just one filter holder.

I am hoping that a rotating polarizer that fits in a Lee filter-holder slot will work with a SA 58XL lens with a Schneider center filter installed. To have a chance of not vignetting, the polarizer would need to be in the slot closest to the lens. I am having SK Grimes make a slip-on adaptor for the regular Lee filter holder to allow the holder to sit on the periphery of the center filter, bringing the holder as close as possible to the front of the center filter.

I will post my findings.

Karl

[Bob Salomon]

Karl,

Heliopan makes a 77mm and a 105mm rotating brass filter holder with a 4mm wide slot that allows rectangular grads slide to position and hold their position via a spring on each side. The front of each holder is threaded to accept 77 or 105mm screw-in filter (depending on the adapter) and the adapters mount to 77 or 105mm diameter lenses directly or smaller sizes via Heliopan's slim brass step-up rings.

One of these may do exactly what you are trying to do and let you use standard type screw-in polarizers.

[Karl Amo]

Bob,

I did not know about the Heliopan rotating brass filter holders. Thanks.