Canon 17-40mm & ND filter

[Dave_NYC]

I was wondering if anyone out there is using a Canon 17-40mm lens with a high (i.e. 10 stop) ND filter. I'm thinking of building a small set of 82mm ND filters (separate, not variable - probably a 4 and a 10 stop to start with) along with step rings so I can use it on all my glass.

I guess the question is two-fold:
Is anyone using strong ND filters with this lens and do you see any vignetting on the 17mm end?
Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

TIA for any info.

 

[andyhad]

I tried my Dad's Cokin P holder on the 17-40 a year or so ago when I was thinking about doing the same thing, and it did vignette iirc - can't remember how wide I had to go, though. Not sure if it's possible to cut it down, but that's not much use if you're stacking filters. I ended up sucking it up and buying 100mm (mix of Cokin Z grads & Lee ND, with a Hitech 10 stop as you can actually buy them).

 

[jdramirez]

A little off topic... but if you use a 4x ND filter and a 6x... and you stacked them on top of each other, that would essentially be a 24x ND filter, right? It is a factor of multiplication and not addition. I just want to make sure. I haven't wanted a ND in a while, but you never know if I get the itch.

 

[DavidB]

I use a B&H 10x ND Filter on the 17-40, there is definitely heavy vignetting @ the 17MM end but it's easily correctable in Lightroom - although you'll have to go a step further than just using the built in profile corrections for the 17-40mm, I had to go into Manual Vignetting on top of that and adjust to +40. Here are a few samples, first one is raw straight out of camera, second is processed and vignetting taken out:

 

[ahab1372]

A little off topic... but if you use a 4x ND filter and a 6x... and you stacked them on top of each other, that would essentially be a 24x ND filter, right? It is a factor of multiplication and not addition. I just want to make sure. I haven't wanted a ND in a while, but you never know if I get the itch.

It is addition: 4 stop and 6 stop is like one 10 stop filter

 

[surapon]

I use a B&H 10x ND Filter on the 17-40, there is definitely heavy vignetting @ the 17MM end but it's easily correctable in Lightroom - although you'll have to go a step further than just using the built in profile corrections for the 17-40mm, I had to go into Manual Vignetting on top of that and adjust to +40. Here are a few samples, first one is raw straight out of camera, second is processed and vignetting taken out:

Dear friend DavidB.
Your Photos are almost same location, but difference point of view, of my Photo.
Surapon

 

[sunnyVan]

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful.

Thanks for the examples DavidB. Appreciate you taking the time to do that.

Scottburgess - I would be using F8 - F11 range mostly. I might use wider apertures on something like my 70-200 2.8 or the longer end of my 24-70 but only if I were using maybe a 4x and my einsteins for portraits outdoors in sunny conditions. The rest would likely be an 82mm 10x filter on a step ring stopped down at the 17mm end of the 17-40. I am a little concerned about heavy vignetting from the perspective that I will likely want to do panoramas. I would definitely research specific products about color cast etc. before trying one.

You could research Haida slim pro II ND filter. I have 3,6 and 10 stops in 77mm size. They work beautifully on my 1740 without vignetting. There's a slight blue cast that takes a few clicks to correct in LR. Let's face it. All ND filters have some color cast. It's just that some have a warmer cast that seems more natural and pleasing. I prefer tweaking the color in LR myself. What's important is that I see no noticeable image quality degradation with these ND filters on.

You can also have Lee but they don't have 6 stops. In my opinion 6 stops seems just right and is the most used out of the three I have. If you plan on shooting in broad daylight or want to do ultra long exposure 10 stops is nice to have.

I just ordered a 6 stops Haida in 82mm for my 2470ii. I was thinking of getting Lee big stopper but I know that 6 stops will get used more. If needed I can stack my Lee 0.9 to add 3 more stops making it 9 stops. I love the versatility that this setup gives me.

 

[sunnyVan]

All ND filters have some color cast.

I just ordered a 6 stops Haida in 82mm for my 2470ii. I was thinking of getting Lee big stopper but I know that 6 stops will get used more. If needed I can stack my Lee 0.9 to add 3 more stops making it 9 stops. I love the versatility that this setup gives me.

Thanks.

I'm not concerned about consistent color cast, I usually have my CC Passport in my bag, so color correction and custom color profiles are easy enough to generate. I have seen some reports of filters being uneven either in density, or color. How are the Haida filters in that respect?

Suffice to say that if I'd noticed something wrong I wouldn't have had purchased another one.

If budget allows Lee is great.

 

[surapon]

I was wondering if anyone out there is using a Canon 17-40mm lens with a high (i.e. 10 stop) ND filter. I'm thinking of building a small set of 82mm ND filters (separate, not variable - probably a 4 and a 10 stop to start with) along with step rings so I can use it on all my glass.

I guess the question is two-fold:
Is anyone using strong ND filters with this lens and do you see any vignetting on the 17mm end?
Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

TIA for any info.

Dear Dave_NYC.
With 17-40 L Lens, This Afternoon, I try with my Genus 77 mm. Varible ND Filter, and these are the results.
Enjoy
Surapon

PS. All these Photos have no Post Processing, Just reduce the size Per CR. Post

http://www.genustech.tv/collections/nd-fader-filter/products/genus-nd-fader-circular-filter-system-77mm

 

[mrsfotografie]

I was wondering if anyone out there is using a Canon 17-40mm lens with a high (i.e. 10 stop) ND filter. I'm thinking of building a small set of 82mm ND filters (separate, not variable - probably a 4 and a 10 stop to start with) along with step rings so I can use it on all my glass.

I guess the question is two-fold:
Is anyone using strong ND filters with this lens and do you see any vignetting on the 17mm end?
Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

TIA for any info.

FWIW this lens has a rear 'gel' filter holder so you can use tiny gel filters that cause no vignetting at all

Never tried it though myself ;D

 

[Jim K]

I was wondering if anyone out there is using a Canon 17-40mm lens with a high (i.e. 10 stop) ND filter. I'm thinking of building a small set of 82mm ND filters (separate, not variable - probably a 4 and a 10 stop to start with) along with step rings so I can use it on all my glass.

I guess the question is two-fold:
Is anyone using strong ND filters with this lens and do you see any vignetting on the 17mm end?
Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

TIA for any info.

FWIW this lens has a rear 'gel' filter holder so you can use tiny gel filters that cause no vignetting at all

Never tried it though myself ;D

Had to get up and look at my 17-40 f/4L and can't find where the gel filter goes. Nothing like my 500 has for filters.

 

[mrsfotografie]

I was wondering if anyone out there is using a Canon 17-40mm lens with a high (i.e. 10 stop) ND filter. I'm thinking of building a small set of 82mm ND filters (separate, not variable - probably a 4 and a 10 stop to start with) along with step rings so I can use it on all my glass.

I guess the question is two-fold:
Is anyone using strong ND filters with this lens and do you see any vignetting on the 17mm end?
Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

TIA for any info.

FWIW this lens has a rear 'gel' filter holder so you can use tiny gel filters that cause no vignetting at all

Never tried it though myself ;D

Had to get up and look at my 17-40 f/4L and can't find where the gel filter goes. Nothing like my 500 has for filters.

It's in the lens mount; you can cut the filters to size

 

[Marsu42]

Any ramifications to using an 82mm ND filter and step ring to put it on the 77mm thread of the 17-40 lens?

YES! That's exactly what I have (77->82 + Heliopan 10x ND) and you're getting vignetting @17mm... nothing bad and just the very far corners, but unfortunately there it is... by zooming in just a little it disappears.

 

[kkelis]

77->82 step ring + Heliopan 10x ND @ 25mm. Dont know if this helps

 

[Marsu42]

77->82 step ring + Heliopan 10x ND @ 25mm. Dont know if this helps

That's better than my result with the same setup, probably I didn't screw in the filter far enough into the reducer ring fearing that I won't get it out again - so obviously ymmv.

 

[kkelis]

77->82 step ring + Heliopan 10x ND @ 25mm. Dont know if this helps

That's better than my result with the same setup, probably I didn't screw in the filter far enough into the reducer ring fearing that I won't get it out again - so obviously ymmv.

Mind you this was taken @25mm not 17mm. I believe you have to screw both the filter and ring to the end to avoid vignetting.Or maybe your step ring is not slim enough?

 

[mrsfotografie]

It's in the lens mount; you can cut the filters to size

Doh. For some reason that gel holder in the back slid right in one ear and out the other. I think because of concerns about the disposable nature of the gels. Out of curiosity, what size does it need to be cut to? I checked the manual for the lens and while it mentions the gel holder, it does not say what size that marked square is. If I can get two or three out of a 3 stop 3" or 4" kodak wratten it may be worth doing that and a variable ND for my other glass that doesn't need the 10 or more stop reduction. At that point I could fashion a small case with separation papers and maybe a pair of plastic tweezers for handling the cut gels to try make them last.

One thing that does appeal to me about trying it this way is that it would open up using my polarizer on the front of the lens without introducing major vignetting.

Has anyone tried using this rear gel slot? Any impact on IQ?

Thanks for the examples Surapon and kkelis.

I've never used the gel holder myself, but I think it's probably easy enough to measure the square (The filter needs to sit inside, and from what I see I think the corners need to be squared off a little). Or else Google it?

 

[Marsu42]

I believe you have to screw both the filter and ring to the end to avoid vignetting.Or maybe your step ring is not slim enough?

Are there different depths of these rings? I've got the cheap eBay/China version, that's why I'm very hesitant to cram the filter inside it ... there are much more solid brass models around, but they also cost a *lot* more.

 

[wsheldon]

I use a B&H 10x ND Filter on the 17-40, there is definitely heavy vignetting @ the 17MM end but it's easily correctable in Lightroom - although you'll have to go a step further than just using the built in profile corrections for the 17-40mm, I had to go into Manual Vignetting on top of that and adjust to +40. Here are a few samples, first one is raw straight out of camera, second is processed and vignetting taken out:

I bought the Hoya Neutral Density x400 HMC (9-stop) for my 17-40L in the native 77mm size, and I don't see much if any extra vignetting at 17mm on a FF body (6D). I just applied the standard Lightroom lens profile and the corners looked fine at f10-f16. Vignetting may be aggravated at larger apertures, but I only use this "black glass" filter for deep landscapes anyway, so it's irrelevant for my use.

The aluminum Hoya mount does seem ever-so-slightly narrower than the typical B+W brass ring, so that may be the difference (but I haven't measured it). I don't have any experience with the Heliopan filters mentioned.

Definitely recommend trying this sort of filter. Really opens up interesting photographic opportunities. Here's a recent example:

Canon 6D, 17-40L at 17mm, ISO100, f16, 30sec:

 

[Marsu42]

I may yet get around to testing some Rosco ND gels, if I do I'll post results here.

Please do! I've got a 10x glass nd filter, but for bright sunlight it's still not enough - I though about adding another cheap nd in the back for these cases.