John Hollenberg
23-Feb-2004, 22:28
I have been shooting landscapes on color transparency film without filters and have run into situations where I would like to use a polarizer, a warming filter, or graduated neutral density filter. Spent quite a bit of time combing the archives for information, but still have some questions. I have the Lee Prohood that fits the Cokin P holder, but really don't care for the Cokin holder much--just seems flimsy to me. My LF cameras are the Arca Swiss Discovery and Wista DX II (latter for backpacking). Lenses are 90 (least used), 135, 210 (favorite focal length), 300 and now a 450 on the way. The largest thread size for my lenses is 67 mm, with the exception of the 90 mm lens, which is 82. I already have a series of 4 warming filters size 72 mm which I bought for another camera.
Questions:
1) I am considering getting the Lee foundation kit instead of the Cokin P holder and buying ND grads to fit this (don't have any yet). Can anyone who has experience with the Lee holder and the Cokin P holder comment on differences and their personal preference?
2) If I get the Canham Compendium hood for the Arca Swiss, will the ND grads work OK with it, or would the grads necessitate using the standard hood from the Lee system?
3) I have narrowed the polarizer down to Heliopan or B+W, probably a warm polarizer. Don't think I need the Kaesemann type polarizer as most of my shooting is in Southern/Central California. For anyone who has used both, what is your current preference and why? The article on this web site on filters showed B+W warm polarizer to be most neutral, but others have commented that the Heliopan is very neutral. Are there other options besides the specific ones I see listed at B&H and Adorama? For instance, only a few warming polarizers are listed in those two brands, and it isn't always clear whether they are the 81A, 81B or KR1.5 (which I gather has a touch of red in it). I was planning to get a 72 mm filter and use step-up rings for that and my current warming filters, but still am not sure if the polarizer can be used attached to the lens with the Lee hood attached directly to the polarizer, or if I would be better off with a compendium hood when using the polarizer.
4) For those who have used both Lee and Singh Ray grad ND filters, which do you prefer and why? I would probably start with 2 stop soft and perhaps 3 stop hard.
Thanks for any input. This forum is certainly a great resource.
--John
Questions:
1) I am considering getting the Lee foundation kit instead of the Cokin P holder and buying ND grads to fit this (don't have any yet). Can anyone who has experience with the Lee holder and the Cokin P holder comment on differences and their personal preference?
2) If I get the Canham Compendium hood for the Arca Swiss, will the ND grads work OK with it, or would the grads necessitate using the standard hood from the Lee system?
3) I have narrowed the polarizer down to Heliopan or B+W, probably a warm polarizer. Don't think I need the Kaesemann type polarizer as most of my shooting is in Southern/Central California. For anyone who has used both, what is your current preference and why? The article on this web site on filters showed B+W warm polarizer to be most neutral, but others have commented that the Heliopan is very neutral. Are there other options besides the specific ones I see listed at B&H and Adorama? For instance, only a few warming polarizers are listed in those two brands, and it isn't always clear whether they are the 81A, 81B or KR1.5 (which I gather has a touch of red in it). I was planning to get a 72 mm filter and use step-up rings for that and my current warming filters, but still am not sure if the polarizer can be used attached to the lens with the Lee hood attached directly to the polarizer, or if I would be better off with a compendium hood when using the polarizer.
4) For those who have used both Lee and Singh Ray grad ND filters, which do you prefer and why? I would probably start with 2 stop soft and perhaps 3 stop hard.
Thanks for any input. This forum is certainly a great resource.
--John