Spec me a filter kit

Gundog48

Gundog48

Gundog48

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Joined
13 Sep 2009
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Maidstone, Kent
Really getting into landscape photography now and would like to kit myself out with some filters for my birthday, I know which filters I'm looking for but I'm completely clueless when it comes to sizes, holders and where to get them. I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me what I need, where I can get it and how much it will cost. I am a real ammature so I don't really want to spend more than £15 on each filter. Anyway, this is what I need:

  • 0.9 Hard ND Grad
  • 1.2 ND
  • Polariser
  • 10-stop ND (3.0)

Thanks for the help!
 
If you're shooting digital, with a decent body in particular, you might want to consider forgetting about the ND grads. They're nice to have but you can replicate the effect nicely in Adobe Camera RAW for far less effort and virtually identical results whereas grads are a pain to position and such in the field.

A good circular polariser and 10 stop ND in 77mm screw on form will likely be better options (77mm is the largest really common filter size and you can get step up rings for other lenses, you could push it up to an 82mm but that's more money).

There are multiple options for those, largely depending on how much money you want to spend. I like B+W as they're dependably good but that's not to say you can't get as good for less if you shop around, read enough reviews etc. Worth finding slim filters if you can for reasonable money, on a 16-35 or similar the thicker 77mm filters can vignette a bit.
 
I don't agree about the grad NDs -- I find them really useful, as you can expose for the ground and still have proper exposition on the sky, instead of a blown one. If you don't use a grad, you can "darken" it later, but it's blown and you have no details in the clouds etc...

/ideally/ you want a Cokin or compatible filter, so you can slide it as well as turn it...

IMG_5555.jpg
 
On your budget then you probably have to look at Cokin, Kood or Hitech. You'll be trading down on quality at that price though.

Hitech do a 10 stop but that's something like £45+ on it's own. Lee seems to be the choice of most pro's and a Big Stopper (3.0 ND) is £100ish (with a 2 to 3 month lead time).
 
I use HiTech filters. There's a noticeable warming colour cast, but it's a hell of a lot less pronounced than the casts from cheaper filters. Got the 10ND, which I use a lot, and then a load of different grads. I'd recommend them highly for the price.
 
Thanks for the advice. What was particularly baffling me was the holders, how exactly does it attach to the lens? Obviously it could screw into the filter thread, but wouldn't that mean getting a different holder for different sized lenses? At the moment I've got a Pentax K-x which I've been really impressed with it and I'm currently using the kit lens, but I plan to invest in a a 70-300mm telephoto and a wide angle lens of some sort so I wouldn't like to limit myself.
 
They generally have an adaptor ring for the lenses filter ring, which the holder clicks onto. You need a different ring for different size filter rings but they're only a few quid.

Or you can buy one big one and then buy step up rings to convert from smaller ones up to the one you have. Again a few quid each.
 
So I would need a 52mm adapter ring and a standard holder, plus whatever filters I need. How would I adjust how far down a filter goes (on an ND grad for example) and hold it in place. I'm struggling to find much clear information so I suppose it's best to clarify it with you! Thanks for the help!
 
yes it works just like that. You use step-up rings for your lens to the adapter, and the 'front' can be rotated... you can also move the ND grad in/out so you can control where exactly it is in the image.. It's very straightforward.

Of course the P filters are quite big and conspicuous, so you'll look bizare if you handhold in a crowd, but for landscape + tripod, it's very nice.

Note that I also use my grad ND P filters without holders now and then, especialy when shooting at night to "dodge" strong lights... I just wave the filter in front if the lens in the place I want, on long exposure... it's the reverse of light painting :=)
 
Thanks for the help, I think I have it sussed now. However, I'm still in the dark as to the best place to buy these filters. I mean, they have some stuff at Jessops, some stuff at other shops but nowhere seems to stock the whole range- any suggestions?
 
Can't help there. Bought TONS of Kood stuff from the online shop in guernsey wich has a seven in it ;=)), but they don't seem to have a lot of it anymore. Glad I stocked up back then...
 
I've just ordered an Intro2020 magazine who seem to be the few proper Cokin stockists, although I bet they're expensive. I'd have thought they would be more easily available- probably a good few quid to be made from buying and selling Cokin gear and compatible filters!
 
I find all the cheaper filters give poor colour casts and reduce contrast. I have some Cokin filters which are useless and found other brands to be similar. For ND grad work I would shoot RAW and take care of the exposure in the field. ND-Grads are useful, so I am saving up for Singh-Ray set (waiting to see if I buy a Nikon 14-24mm lens first).

Whatever you choose I would buy a proper circular polariser with a threaded ring mount. The polarisers for the filter holders are basically useless. I use B+W filters exclusively now because they offer great image quality and a made very well. I am not a fan of the the low end Hoyas, they give a colour cast, reduce image quality and shatter badly when damaged. I had a Hoya HD filter break far too easily so I avoid them also. A friend has some Hoya Pro 1s and they seem sufficient.

My advice, save up for a good Circular polariser and avoid the cheap square filters.
 
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