Is a Filter System more economical than screw on filters?

[sunshine1234]

Is a Filter System more economical than screw on filters?

I'm about to take the plunge and buy a Lee Foundation Filter kit holder, adapters and filters.

When I look the price of the adapter rings, needed for every lens, the price of the filters etc. I'm seriously reconsidering whether it makes sense to go down this path.

I'd like to hear the opinions only from people who have direct hands on experience with these filters.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

It might or might not be, depending on type of filter(s). Whether it is or isn't can also be irrelevant. The whole question doesn't make much sense without knowing what type of filter(s) and for what lens(es) you intend to use. If you need to get, say, from New York to San Francisco in a couple of hours, does it matter that driving might be more economical than flying? Typically, filter systems are built around graduated neutral density filters, and they make sense only in square or rectangular form.

[Paul2660]

It made sense to me, as I pretty much move to the Lee standard and wide angle hood for everything I shoot, Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Phase One.

The one issue, is a CLPL.  If you use the wide angle adapter rings these fit over the outside of the outer diameter of the lens, so if you have a CLPL on before you mount the Lee wide angle adapter ring, you will not most likely be able to get off as it will just spin due to the CLPL ring.  There is also no way to get a grip on the polarizer.  Just a heads up.  Lee should make a better note for this. 

Two options that I know of.

Use the Lee CLPL in one of your slots, works great if you don't have a hood on, works OK if you have a Lee hood as you may end up rotating the hood to where it vignettes to allow for the max polarization. 
If you use the hood like I do, then on the Wide angle hood you can attach a ring on the front that allows for a 105mm CLPL.  You can access the polarizer from the front of the hood.

Most of my lenses need either 72mm, 77mm or 86mm.  And those that don't you can always use a step ring.  No problems with the wide angle adapter rings with step up rings as everything unscrews the same way.

Paul Caldwell

[Colorado David]

I use both and utility was more important than cost to me.  I use the Lee system when I use gradient filters.

[sunshine1234]

Hi Paul

Thank you for sharing your experience with the filter system.

For me, it's hearing how they to do the job right, and the fact that they can be used across several camera systems that they become a worthwhile purchase.

[Paul2660]

A few more thoughts as I am now off the iPad.

1.  I moved back to the use of a grad ND after not using them for years.  Mainly since with the Nikon D800 about 90% of the time I can get the shot in one frame and no longer have to bracket my shots. 

2.  If you use the grad ND then the Lee CL-PL that fits in the filter slot is not a good solution as most times when you rotate the CL-PL you will mis align the grad ND.  This forces the use of the Wide angle hood and the 105mm screw in CL-PL.  After I started working with this, I never looked back.  Most times I need a hood and the 105mm CL-PL works across my entire camera lineup.  The up front cost seems high but nowhere as much as spending the money on a either a lot of separate screw in filters or using a couple of different diameters and step up rings.

3.  The Lee CL-PL is pretty delicate and will scratch easier than you think.  Also I has to be placed in the filter holder with the lettering from LEE to the outside, other wise the Cl-PL acts more like a warming filter. 

4.  The only lens I have that won't work with the standard Lee's is the Nikon 14-24 and for that I have the SW-150 kit.   When I carry the Nikon the 14-24 is pretty much the 1st lens I use so I just leave the SW-150 mount on all the time. 

Lee and Hitech both have good solutions.  I have found that the Lee glass ND filters are also excellent and Lee claims they have some IR reduction in them.  Hitech's pro series are all IR ND by design.  You can mix and match the filters between the two systems which I tend to do a lot.  I prefer the Hitech resin ND over the Lee as the Hitech seems to resist scratches a bit better. 

Paul Caldwell

[jmlphotography]

+ 1 for the HiTech system.  I switched from the B+W ND circular filters because screwing them off and on is tricky and sometimes affected focus.  On the other hand, they are much smaller and easier to carry if you are moving around.  Of course, for GNDs and RNGs slotted filters are the only way to go.

[NancyP]

It depends on the type of filters you want to use. Until recently I hadn't thought about using anything other than a circular polarizer, and had CPLs in two sizes (52 and 72mm) plus step rings plus extra lens cap plus stack cap. You can carry the filters in any pocket. Now after discovering the limitations of HDR and other processing (at least in my hands), I want to try graduated neutral density filters, so a square/rectangular filter system is needed in a size that will accommodate my largest-diameter lens. I decided that a 10 stop ND filter likely would be easier to work with if it slotted in to a holder rather than screwed on, but who knows, maybe I am wrong. The down side of a filter holder system is the bulk of the thing, requiring you to have a small backpack or other case, and not just a pocket.

[Mike Guilbault]

Paul... do you use the Wide angle hood on mid to telephoto zooms too or do you have the 'longer' hood as well.