Good GND filter to go with new Lee system

[FunPhotons]

I got the Lee Big Stopper, kit and 82mm adaptor. Can't believe they charge (and I paid for) for these things. Of course everything else is exponentially more expensive.

Anyhow I could use a grad. I'm looking at this new one from B&H which should be top of the line

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/900553-REG/B_W_661075266_100_x_150mm_701.html

but it's crazy expensive. Other suggestions?

[Eli]

Wow for that price you can get a whole set of LEE grads.
Have you checked how much the LEE ones are? Their big stopper is expensive but the grads aren't too bad, for the quality you get.

[neuroanatomist]

The B+W filter is glass, like the excellent ND grads from B+W's parent company, Schneider Optics.  The specs of the filter you link don't say, but the Schneider filters are 4mm thick, vs. the 2mm thickness of the resin filters from Lee, Singh-Ray, etc.  If you go the glass filter route, you'll need the Lee 4mm side guides (for which reviews are mixed), not sure if you can use more than one filter at a time.

[scrappydog]

I generally carry a Lee 4x6 0.6 (2 stop) soft and Lee 4x6 0.9 (3 stop) hard on me when I shoot (and sometimes more).  They are not inexpensive, but they are less expensive than the B+W and they work great.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/87380-REG/LEE_Filters_6NDG_S_4x6_Graduated_Neutral_Density.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/87388-REG/LEE_Filters_9NDGH_4x6_Graduated_Neutral_Density.html

[J.R.]

Wow for that price you can get a whole set of LEE grads.
Have you checked how much the LEE ones are? Their big stopper is expensive but the grads aren't too bad, for the quality you get.

The LEE grads "sets" are resin filters as opposed to the B+W which is made entirely out of glass which explains the difference. The LEE glass GND filters is for $170 ... that isn't cheap either.

I've read on the net that there is very little difference between the glass and resin filters - don't have the means to compare. Maybe someone who has used both can throw some light on this

[FunPhotons]

Also I wonder how many ND's you really need? Seems like one, or max two would do me for all my shooting.

[J.R.]

Also I wonder how many ND's you really need? Seems like one, or max two would do me for all my shooting.

I'm not located in the US/Europe so the shipping itself costs $80 - $100. Not taking a chance of missing out on something, I ordered the set of 3 resin filters. If I miss out on something like a single filter I have to wait for approximately 6-8 months before I place a large enough order to justify the shipping.

BTW, I can't say I've used all of them together, yet but maybe with a pro-LEE kit I plan to get soon, I may try using more than a couple of GNDs together. 

[charlesa]

I use Big Stopper and have a set of their resin graduated NDs, set of hard 1, 2 and 3 stop filters, can vouch for their quality.

[FunPhotons]

The B+W filter is glass, like the excellent ND grads from B+W's parent company, Schneider Optics.  The specs of the filter you link don't say, but the Schneider filters are 4mm thick, vs. the 2mm thickness of the resin filters from Lee, Singh-Ray, etc.  If you go the glass filter route, you'll need the Lee 4mm side guides (for which reviews are mixed), not sure if you can use more than one filter at a time.

I found this link

http://aifo.se/pdf/BWF_Graduated_ND_100x150.pdf

Which says it is 2mm.

So the question is would it be better to get three Lee resin filters, or one glass B&W filter for a bit more? I'm inclined to just get the B&W.

[neuroanatomist]

The B+W filter is glass, like the excellent ND grads from B+W's parent company, Schneider Optics.  The specs of the filter you link don't say, but the Schneider filters are 4mm thick, vs. the 2mm thickness of the resin filters from Lee, Singh-Ray, etc.  If you go the glass filter route, you'll need the Lee 4mm side guides (for which reviews are mixed), not sure if you can use more than one filter at a time.

I found this link

http://aifo.se/pdf/BWF_Graduated_ND_100x150.pdf

Which says it is 2mm

Excellent, and good to know - thanks!  I'm in a similar boat - have the WA adapter rings for 77mm and 82mm, foundation kit is en route from B&H (after being out of stock, as usual).  Now, I just need to pick filters.  Was planning on Lee, but with the B+W being 2mm it's worth a thought. The MRC coating is nice.   Then again, they only come on 1- and 2-stop densities (I'll want a 3-stop), and no option for hard vs. soft edge.   More choices with Lee.

I'm not a fan of Singh-Ray - I don't like a filter maker that doesn't publish transmission curves, and who won't say if their filters are uncoated or single coated, but say multicoating has negligible benefit 'outweighed by several disadvantages' with no elaboration (which is BS - the only 'disadvantage' I can see to multicoating is that it would cost more to produce and reduce their profit margin).  But I'm considering a reverse grad ND, and for that Singh-Ray and HiTech seem to be the only games in town...

[neuroanatomist]

[quote author=FunPhotons link=topic=13250.msg238314#msg238314 date=
So the question is would it be better to get three Lee resin filters, or one glass B&W filter for a bit more? I'm inclined to just get the B&W.
[/quote]

If the B+W was a 3-stop, I'd be inclined to just get it. I don't see much need for a 1-stop, and while the 1- and 2-stop filters could be stacked for 3 stops (after waiting perhaps several weeks for the 2-stop to be available), that's a very expensive way to get a 3-stop grad ND...

[FunPhotons]

Is 3 stop really necessary NA? I live in a perennially sunny part of California where a ND is required for landscape shots, I'm getting good results with a 1 & 2.

By the way I got the foundation kit as soon as it came in stock, figured I can't wait until it goes out for a long time again. We probably bought from the same lot.

[Eli]

If it was me, I'd get the resin set. I think you'd be hard pressed to find any difference in real world shooting, especially since LEE produce great quality filters, unless maybe you stack a whole heap of them together in a controlled test environment. But if you went with the glass one and you're out shooting and you find you need a darker gnd, what are you going to do?
I have two sets of the LEE resin gnds (hard & soft), never had a problem with them.

[traveller]

FYI, Lee also make glass filters for their system; I believe that they are made to order. 

http://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera-directory/camera-dir-list/category/proglass-neutral-density-standards

[jsexton]

I've had the Lee grad kit (soft) for almost a year and the big stopper for about 6 months.  Love the quality, very durable (big stopper is glass so don't drop it)  All come in decent packaging but I've added an external plastic case to put them in when I travel.  They are often in short supply (finally got mine from 2filter.com).  Will be using them on the north shore of Minnesota next weekend shooting ice floes, can't wait.