Filter advice

[0970373]

I really need to step up my filter game.

Let’s pretend I don’t have any except protection/UV haze filters (I use Hoya HMC Multi-Coated UV filters). I really would love to move into the world of square filters but not really sure where to start. I’ve seen some really large and cheap sets on Amazon and then there are the very expensive Cokin and Lee filters. Is there a good set somewhere in the middle? Or better to mix & match?

I mostly shoot on my Olympus OMD EM5. I actually just sold the Cannon 7D last month so not sure if that makes a difference. I saw that Cokin has a Mirroress set but their regular sets will work on M43 lenses as long as you have the right ring adapter, no? I'll be using these mostly for landscape shots.

Thanks, pals!

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

I really need to step up my filter game.

Let’s pretend I don’t have any except protection/UV haze filters (I use Hoya HMC Multi-Coated UV filters). I really would love to move into the world of square filters but not really sure where to start. I’ve seen some really large and cheap sets on Amazon and then there are the very expensive Cokin and Lee filters. Is there a good set somewhere in the middle? Or better to mix & match?

I mostly shoot on my Olympus OMD EM5. I actually just sold the Cannon 7D last month so not sure if that makes a difference. I saw that Cokin has a Mirroress set but their regular sets will work on M43 lenses as long as you have the right ring adapter, no? I'll be using these mostly for landscape shots.

Thanks, pals!

The use of a UV filter as a form of protection is a very personal thing. Some people swear by them and others don't. Personally, I have only found them to deteriorate an image slightly, so don't use them, even the expensive ones.

In regards to full ND filters, screw on ones are the easiest to use and you won't get any light leaks from the front of the lens when using them.

Pertaining to graduated ND filters, then by all means go for the slide in types, be aware that many of the cheaper ones will give off a colour cast. Some you can overcome in post-production with some twiddling, others, not so much as it varies across the filter!

I swear by Formatt-Hitech, but they are at the higher end of the price spectrum.

Definitely buy large enough to cover your widest lens and then get step up rings for your other lenses to be able to use them on.

Sorry I can't actually point you to some moderately priced ones that are clean of colour casts, even the famous Lee filters have a blue cast to them. After trying most of the famous brands, I have ended up with Formatt-Hitech for no colour casts, and even though I am on a very tight budget with my photography, I think they were worth every cent.

 

[kenoh]

+1 to what has been said. I have cheap ones, they were a waste of money.

I now have the Lee 100mm holder with a few grads, 6, 10 and 16 stop nds and then a selection of screw ins. Mostly B&w and hoya. Hoya are fine.

Much prefer the square ones but feel a bit of a numpty getting them out and setting them up... but they make a difference.

Lee do a seven5 range which are smaller than the 100mm and are designed for mirrorless setups. Marginally cheaper but smaller so be careful if you go that route as they incease likelihood of vignette on wide lenses. I think it is the same with Cokin. They do a P and an F series or K or something series.

I think like a good tripod, filters are a buy once cry once item... looked after and bought wisely they will last a long time.

The m43 cokins aee just a smaller size square filter both sets will wprk with your lenses as long as you buy the right adapter rings. All straightforward really.

On my lenses I am mixing and matching Format Hitech and Lee.

Hope this helps

 

[bunnspecial]

Cokins are actually on the "cheap" end of square filters, and sometimes their quality can be a bit hit or miss.

In all honesty, I only bother with grads in square. I very rarely use grads with print film, and modern digitals shot in RAW have enough DR that I don't bother with using them there either. Slide film is pretty much the only place where I bother with grads these days.

Aside from that, Cokin use to make a lot of what I call "gimmick" filters like keyhole or heart shaped vignettes. Honestly, that stuff is better done in Photoshop. The same goes for a lot of the other old ones-whether Cokin or screw-in-like stars and soft focus.

For screw-ins, I tend toward Hoya, B+W, and Nikon although I have lots of brands of them. A film photographer needs colored filters-both "light" color correction for print and slide film, and "hard" colors for contrast adjustment in B&W.

In any case, I've found B+W to make about the most neutral polarizers, but like the Nikon "thin" ones.

 

[0970373]

The use of a UV filter as a form of protection is a very personal thing. Some people swear by them and others don't. Personally, I have only found them to deteriorate an image slightly, so don't use them, even the expensive ones.

In regards to full ND filters, screw on ones are the easiest to use and you won't get any light leaks from the front of the lens when using them.

Pertaining to graduated ND filters, then by all means go for the slide in types, be aware that many of the cheaper ones will give off a colour cast. Some you can overcome in post-production with some twiddling, others, not so much as it varies across the filter!

I swear by Formatt-Hitech, but they are at the higher end of the price spectrum.

Definitely buy large enough to cover your widest lens and then get step up rings for your other lenses to be able to use them on.

Sorry I can't actually point you to some moderately priced ones that are clean of colour casts, even the famous Lee filters have a blue cast to them. After trying most of the famous brands, I have ended up with Formatt-Hitech for no colour casts, and even though I am on a very tight budget with my photography, I think they were worth every cent.

This is very helpful! I do have screw on filters but I don't tent to use them much. I have bad luck w/ them - they tend to get stuck or I can't get them screwed on right when I really need it. Plus I'd rather use a system w/ adapter rings than having to buy various filters of varying sizes.

Anyway, I used the square filters when I had a guide take me up into Glencoe on my last trip to Scotland. I was the only person so we were able to skip the beginner stuff and he tailored the day to me learning more about using filters properly. It was a great day and exactly what I needed.

I don't mind spending $ if the quality is there. Thank yo for the note about color cast. I will keep that in mind.

Also:

The Formatt-Hitech Christmas sale is now LIVE!!
The sale runs from today until January 7th and gives 20% off all products using the code:
FHXMAS20

[doublepost=1515199199][/doublepost]

+1 to what has been said. I have cheap ones, they were a waste of money.

I now have the Lee 100mm holder with a few grads, 6, 10 and 16 stop nds and then a selection of screw ins. Mostly B&w and hoya. Hoya are fine.

Much prefer the square ones but feel a bit of a numpty getting them out and setting them up... but they make a difference.

Lee do a seven5 range which are smaller than the 100mm and are designed for mirrorless setups. Marginally cheaper but smaller so be careful if you go that route as they incease likelihood of vignette on wide lenses. I think it is the same with Cokin. They do a P and an F series or K or something series.

I think like a good tripod, filters are a buy once cry once item... looked after and bought wisely they will last a long time.

The m43 cokins aee just a smaller size square filter both sets will wprk with your lenses as long as you buy the right adapter rings. All straightforward really.

On my lenses I am mixing and matching Format Hitech and Lee.

Hope this helps

Yeah, my cheapies aren't worth mentioning. I had checked out the Lee 100m holder and I liked it esp since they adapter rings for most of the lenses I would use for such things + a special adapter ring just for the Olympus 7-17mm Pro lens, which is my fave lens. And I will someday get another DSLR probably so getting a holder that is versatile makes the most sense.

So most square filters fit in the Lee holder system? Incl the Formatt-Hitech filters?

 

[bunnspecial]

Plus I'd rather use a system w/ adapter rings than having to buy various filters of varying sizes.

Fortunately, for SLR/mirrorless users the "one size fits all" approach is cheap and easy with screw ins.

Just buy your filters in the largest size you need, and buy step rings for your lenses. Cheap step rings are $2 or less each, although I'd suggest buying the good brass ones for $5 each or so.

When I first got into photography and was dealing mostly with old MF lenses, 72mm use to be the "safe" size. I bought a kit with my 5 key filters(yellow, orange, red, 81A, CPL) in 77mm when I got my RB67 since AFAIK all lenses in that system use that size, and have added a handful of others as demand dictated. I'd suggest that as a realistic minimum these days as even 35mm lenses like my 80-200 2.8 take 77mm. You can even go up a size or two.

Of course these can get unwieldy, and I do have a VERY big collection of 52mm(old standard Nikkor size as well as Canon nFD) and 55mm(Canon breech lock).

 

[0970373]

Fortunately, for SLR/mirrorless users the "one size fits all" approach is cheap and easy with screw ins.

I will eventually get another DSLR so I'd rather have a system that worked for both in the end. Plus I think graduated filters for landscape only come in square or at least the good ones.

 

[bunnspecial]

I consider screw in grads next to useless unless you are dead set on having your horizons in the middle of the frame(I'm not). So, I agree with that.

With that said, I've always found polarizers for square systems to be both bulky and inconvenient. I'll take a screw in polarizer any day.

 

[0970373]

Hmmm...this feels...like a good rate?



And now my wallet hurts.

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

I consider screw in grads next to useless unless you are dead set on having your horizons in the middle of the frame(I'm not). So, I agree with that.

With that said, I've always found polarizers for square systems to be both bulky and inconvenient. I'll take a screw in polarizer any day.

Exactly, and I don't think you can get reverse ND filters as a screw on either.

 

[0970373]

I consider screw in grads next to useless unless you are dead set on having your horizons in the middle of the frame(I'm not). So, I agree with that.

With that said, I've always found polarizers for square systems to be both bulky and inconvenient. I'll take a screw in polarizer any day.

Yes, and the graduated filters are my main interest.

 

[kenoh]

This is very helpful! I do have screw on filters but I don't tent to use them much. I have bad luck w/ them - they tend to get stuck or I can't get them screwed on right when I really need it. Plus I'd rather use a system w/ adapter rings than having to buy various filters of varying sizes.

Anyway, I used the square filters when I had a guide take me up into Glencoe on my last trip to Scotland. I was the only person so we were able to skip the beginner stuff and he tailored the day to me learning more about using filters properly. It was a great day and exactly what I needed.

I don't mind spending $ if the quality is there. Thank yo for the note about color cast. I will keep that in mind.

Also:



[doublepost=1515199199][/doublepost]

Yeah, my cheapies aren't worth mentioning. I had checked out the Lee 100m holder and I liked it esp since they adapter rings for most of the lenses I would use for such things + a special adapter ring just for the Olympus 7-17mm Pro lens, which is my fave lens. And I will someday get another DSLR probably so getting a holder that is versatile makes the most sense.

So most square filters fit in the Lee holder system? Incl the Formatt-Hitech filters?

Yes, all 100mmx100mm and 100mmx150mm (grads are longer so you can move them up and down) fit in the 100mm Lee holder. - that I have tried anyway...

Lee also now do a 150mm system for the big cameras but we dont need to go there - thankfully... the price of the 100mm big stopper alone made me want to weep.

I have:

Lee Little Stopper
Lee Big Stopper
Formatt hitech 16 Stop

Lee 0.6 soft grad resin not pro glass
Lee 0.9 hard grad resin not pro glass

Lee Polarizer

Of all of these (I am still learning, there are others on here who can advise more) I use the Little and Big stoppers most often. The 16 rarely, and the 0.6 grad to smooth transition in bright skies. The polarizer I am just starting to play with so not really in a position to comment on it.

I am considering a reverse grad also for sunsets but not pushed the button on that yet.

I dont want to do the maths on what it all cost but I think I have a kit now that will cover me for most situations. Until I drop one of them. I hear they dont respond well to that

I would tell you the same thing @Mark0 helped me with. Look at the used sections on camera sites. I was pointed at Ffordes in the UK. I got a used 100mm holder and a few adapter rings plus the grads I think on each I saved on average 25-30% on new. For the NDs and the polarizer I bought new to make sure I wasnt getting scratched or chipped products. So saved some cash there... just a thought...
[doublepost=1515224939][/doublepost]

Yes, and the graduated filters are my main interest.

Ah but bracketing and blending later can remove most of the need for grads on digital in honesty... and the grads are the cheap ones... its the NDs that are where the majority of the cost is
[doublepost=1515224992][/doublepost]

Hmmm...this feels...like a good rate?

View attachment 745425

And now my wallet hurts.

You wont likely need anything else after that lot..... CHA CHING!

does it come with a pouch? I dont remember... you need a pouch

 

[Cheese&Apple]

Check out the NiSi filter system. Square and rectangular filters of top quality glass - no colour cast. Their filter holder design allows for the use of a polarizer with square filters. I've been using this system for a couple years and love it. This system is also a bit gentler on your wallet than some others.

Detailed review here at Photography Life.

~ Peter

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

Check out the NiSi filter system. Square and rectangular filters of top quality glass - no colour cast. Their filter holder design allows for the use of a polarizer with square filters. I've been using this system for a couple years and love it. This system is also a bit gentler on your wallet than some others.

Detailed review here at Photography Life.

~ Peter

Thank you, Peter. I was wracking my brains all day trying to remember their name! If I recall correctly, they are an Aussie brand?

The review you linked to on Photography Life is actually pretty unfair and misrepresentative of Formatt-Hitech, as the 10 stop ND filter they tested from Formatt-Hitech is the really old resin one, not the Firecrest Schott Glass version, of which they are now onto the second generation of.

I have the first generation Firecrest 16, 13 and 10 stop ND filters from Formatt-Hitech and I have no issues of colour casts.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I'm very new to the filter lark, but like others have said I prefer to buy once and buy the best.
I got the Lee adaptor, polariser and big stopper.
Plus a 0.9 grad filter. Only used it once so far, but will definitely be using again. I was more than happy with the results. Mrs AFB even asked me to print one!

 

[MCAsan]

For our E-M1-II bodies and Pro lenses the wife and I have B+W filters: polarizer, 10 stop ND (for slowing down water in waterfalls, streams...etc.). We did get a 15 stop ND for the solar eclipse last year, but those are not in our routine carry bags.

 

[anotherscotsman]

After a bit of research I went for the Formatt-Hitech 100mm holder system. This comes with a decent polariser that works well in this system in combination with the slot-in filters. I have the 16- and 8-stop Firecrest NDs and am very pleased with clarity and lack of colour cast. System works well for me - I like the fact that the ND filters form a light seal with the holder rather than sticking a gasket to the filter but this is personal taste. I have some Cokin ND grads from years back but don't use them much - being resin/plastic they do have a colour cast (magenta) but it can be corrected.

 

[bunnspecial]

I would tell you the same thing @Mark0 helped me with. Look at the used sections on camera sites. I was pointed at Ffordes in the UK.

In the US, KEH is the top dog. B&H and Adorama also have great used departments.

I'm allergic to buying new equipment. KEH has gotten a lot of money from me. That especially goes for filters, as they have VERY poor value retention(esp. the common ones in non-huge sizes).

My local favorite used shop has an old library card catalog full of used filters. For the 49-72mms, his standard price is $5 each. After I got to know then, that went to $3 then $10 for a pile then to a free add-on to whatever I was buying. Of course, I still have to pay for the really good ones, but it's usually pretty reasonable.

If you're shooting film and want to do it right(at least for B&W and slide film), you honestly need a LOT of colored filters. That can be a life-saver to nohave to spend $30 each on the 81 series filters, for example, or for a half dozen colors for B&W.

 

[bunnspecial]

BTW, here's a good article on filters

http://www.bythom.com/filters.htm

 

[Cheese&Apple]

Thank you, Peter. I was wracking my brains all day trying to remember their name! If I recall correctly, they are an Aussie brand?

The review you linked to on Photography Life is actually pretty unfair and misrepresentative of Formatt-Hitech, as the 10 stop ND filter they tested from Formatt-Hitech is the really old resin one, not the Firecrest Schott Glass version, of which they are now onto the second generation of.

I have the first generation Firecrest 16, 13 and 10 stop ND filters from Formatt-Hitech and I have no issues of colour casts.

You're quite welcome Alex.

I do believe they're a Chinese brand and manufacturer and I'm not surprised that the review on Photography Life comes across as unfair. As with any online review, you have to take it for what is - a personal opinion. Always do a lot of research from multiple sources and come here to this forum and ask questions...unless it's a question about DSLR vs. mirrorless.

Seriously though, I do think NiSi are good filters and have been quite happy with them. But I will also say that one of the selling features of this system is the ability to stack square and rectangular filters in front of a circular polarizer and I very rarely use a polarizer. I honestly don't know if it's a problem with this polarizer but I find that variable circular screw-on filters can cause uneven colour and light especially in blues skies.

 

[0970373]

Yes, all 100mmx100mm and 100mmx150mm (grads are longer so you can move them up and down) fit in the 100mm Lee holder. - that I have tried anyway...

Lee also now do a 150mm system for the big cameras but we dont need to go there - thankfully... the price of the 100mm big stopper alone made me want to weep.

I have:

Lee Little Stopper
Lee Big Stopper
Formatt hitech 16 Stop

Lee 0.6 soft grad resin not pro glass
Lee 0.9 hard grad resin not pro glass

Lee Polarizer

Of all of these (I am still learning, there are others on here who can advise more) I use the Little and Big stoppers most often. The 16 rarely, and the 0.6 grad to smooth transition in bright skies. The polarizer I am just starting to play with so not really in a position to comment on it.

I am considering a reverse grad also for sunsets but not pushed the button on that yet.

I dont want to do the maths on what it all cost but I think I have a kit now that will cover me for most situations. Until I drop one of them. I hear they dont respond well to that

I would tell you the same thing @Mark0 helped me with. Look at the used sections on camera sites. I was pointed at Ffordes in the UK. I got a used 100mm holder and a few adapter rings plus the grads I think on each I saved on average 25-30% on new. For the NDs and the polarizer I bought new to make sure I wasnt getting scratched or chipped products. So saved some cash there... just a thought...
[doublepost=1515224939][/doublepost]

Ah but bracketing and blending later can remove most of the need for grads on digital in honesty... and the grads are the cheap ones... its the NDs that are where the majority of the cost is
[doublepost=1515224992][/doublepost]

You wont likely need anything else after that lot..... CHA CHING!

does it come with a pouch? I dont remember... you need a pouch

It does indeed come with a pouch. I have until tomorrow to decide if I'll buy this set before the discount disappears. Decisions, decisions!

 

[kenoh]

It does indeed come with a pouch. I have until tomorrow to decide if I'll buy this set before the discount disappears. Decisions, decisions!

I took this with grads tonight... I say go for it...

 

[Cheese&Apple]

I took this with grads tonight... I say go for it...

View attachment 745522

Wow, that just screams "buy those filters"! Well done Ken...I love this shot.

 

[0970373]

After a bit of research I went for the Formatt-Hitech 100mm holder system. This comes with a decent polariser that works well in this system in combination with the slot-in filters. I have the 16- and 8-stop Firecrest NDs and am very pleased with clarity and lack of colour cast. System works well for me - I like the fact that the ND filters form a light seal with the holder rather than sticking a gasket to the filter but this is personal taste. I have some Cokin ND grads from years back but don't use them much - being resin/plastic they do have a colour cast (magenta) but it can be corrected.

Yes, I looked at the Formatt-Hitech Firecrest holder a little more closely last night, watch some YouTube vids and I think I am going for that as well, especially since they are having a sale at the moment. So I need to decide if their Travel kit will suit me fine for now and add on later/mix-n-match or just bite the bullet and go all in with this Master kit. for $200-ish more.
[doublepost=1515277778][/doublepost]

I took this with grads tonight... I say go for it...

View attachment 745522

Showoff...

When I come back to Scotland in the summer, we'll need to have a Best Use of Filters contest somewhere.

 

[bunnspecial]

I honestly don't know if it's a problem with this polarizer but I find that variable circular screw-on filters can cause uneven colour and light especially in blues skies.

Out of curiosity, what focal lengths have you tried them on?

The polarization of the sky varies with angle to the sun, and if you use a lens with too wide of an angle of view you can end up with uneven coloration on the sky.

I personally find roughly a 35mm(35mm eq.) to be a comfortable max for polarizer use, and I really prefer working with them in the ~50mm or longer lengths. Once you get down to about 24mm, you're asking for trouble if the sky is in the scene.

The common effect is that you get a sort of soft-edged parabolic "finger" of darker blue in your frame when you start getting into really wide angles, but it can at least partially show even on longer lenses.

If you're nutty about rich blue skies, in my experience at least in my area nothing beats a clear fall day. Some of my best photos that included that sort blue sky were taken on such days with no polarizer. That sort of thing also goes to show that filters are often used to salvage what is otherwise marginal light-nothing beats good light.

Of course, if you're cutting reflections from water or windows or darkening foliage, there's really no substitute for a polarizer.