Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System  (Read 10056 times)

S. Schmidt

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« on: July 21, 2014, 09:23:35 pm »

As a new user of a Lee Filter system, I was taken aback by the high cost of adding a 105mm CPL filter to a 100mm Lee Filter system. One option I worked out is to purchase a 95mm CPL filter along with a standard Lee Filter 105mm accessory ring and a 105mm to 95mm step-down ring made by Cavision. In order to attach a 105mm CPL filter to the holder, a threaded 105mm accessory ring is required. The step-down ring permits the use of a 95mm CPL filter with the Lee Filter 100mm filter system. Please note that the 105mm accessory ring and step-down ring occupy the same plane on the front of the holder.

I chose the Marumi brand for a 95mm CPL filter alternative based on my experience with a 77mm Super DHG CPL filter. The Filter Connection has an excellent price on Marumi CPL filters (see DHG or Super DHG). The step-down ring made by Cavision may be obtained through B & H Photo for under $20.

As stated in Lee Filters material, vignetting is of concern when using their 100mm filter system with ultra wide angle lenses. In my set-up with a 100mm holder system that has three 2mm slots and a Marumi Super DHG CPL filter, a Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens has no vignetting at 14mm or 22mm on an equivalent 35mm Full Frame DSLR camera. One reason for this is the frame on the Marumi Super DHG CPL filter is 5mm. I understand the frame on Lee Filters' 105mm CPL filter is nearly 9mm. Based on my recent pricing of 105mm CPL filters that range from $300 to $500 or more, the Marumi option represents a significant savings!

The Filter Dude is another option to save money on the required wide-angle adapter rings necessary to attach a 100mm Lee Filter system to your camera lenses.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 05:23:59 pm by S. Schmidt »
Logged

EduPerez

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 700
    • Edu Pérez
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2014, 06:17:18 am »

Another option is to place the CPL between the lens and the filter holder: you will need a large CPL, one holder ring of the same size as the CPL, and as many step-up adapters as required for your lenses. It a bit clumsier to handle (you need to rotate and reposition the filter holder to adjust the polarizer), and heavy holders can break the CPL; but it is usually cheaper, and also less prone to vignetting.
Logged

S. Schmidt

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2014, 11:50:57 am »

I considered placing a CPL filter directly on the lens and attaching the Lee filter holder to the CPL with the required wide angle adapter ring, but I was concerned about damaging the CPL filter in the long run as well as the photographical practicality of that work around. I think my solution is more practical in the long term, and is easily transferable to lenses of varied diameters. In addition, the CPL filter review and testing done in 2009 and found at www.lenstip.com ranks Marumi Super DHG CPL filters at the top ahead of some other well-known and more expensive brands.
Logged

NancyP

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2513
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2014, 03:46:00 pm »

Caution about attaching the Lee Wide Angle adapters to the polarizer - apparently the two can be very difficult to separate afterwards, what with the recess of the adapter and the movement and thin ring of the polarizer. The Lee regular adapters can be managed better, because the adapter isn't recessed. I have decided to buy a 105 mm polarizer and 105 mm adapter for my Lee set.

Marumi makes a good Achromat +5 diopter accessory lens that I have used on the Sigma DP3M. If the Marumi high-end CPLs have Kaesemann finishing and brass mounts, that would be an excellent durable smooth-turning filter.
Logged

Paul2660

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4066
    • Photos of Arkansas
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2014, 07:23:03 pm »

+1 to Nancy P's point on the wide angle adapter ring in front of a CL-PL.  If you get it on tight, you will never get it off, since the front of the CL-PL is going to turn as you try to twist off the ring.  I made that mistake!!. 

I use the Lee wide angle hood, with 1 filter slot and the 105mm front ring with a CL-PL.  Works great on most of my lens setups.

Paul
Logged
Paul Caldwell
Little Rock, Arkansas U.S.
www.photosofarkansas.com

davidgp

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 758
    • davidgp fotografia
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 03:45:51 am »

Hi all,

I confirm what Paul is saying, I have a filter stuck to a Wide Angle Lens adaptor of 77 mm, I have never been able to get them separate, after several months I'm reaching the point of sacrificing the filter to be able to recover the adapter ( more or less same price...).

I'm using the 105mm adapter with an Heliopan 105 slim polarizer in the front. With two filter holders plus the polarizer holder in front of it, around 17~18 mm I start to see the polarizer holder in the scene, also, with the Canon 24 TS-E II, around 9-10 mm shift I start seeing the polarizer filter holder.

Best regards,

David

S. Schmidt

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2014, 04:22:28 pm »

The Filter Dude website has wide angle adapter rings for $25 versus the $60 for the Lee brand I have seen elsewhere.
Logged

S. Schmidt

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2014, 08:21:12 pm »

Have you tried using a silicon sheet to get a grip on the CPL filter? A silicon sheet was included with a Kenko 77mm Zeta EX CPL filter I recently ordered, and it was sufficient to help me remove a screw-type filter from a 77mm wide angle adapter ring for Lee Filter's 100mm system. Otherwise I would agree with other comments that attaching a wide angle adapter ring to the front of a CPL filter or other screw-in filter attached to a camera lens is not the preferred set-up when using the 100mm Lee Filter system.
Logged

davidgp

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 758
    • davidgp fotografia
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2014, 04:26:26 am »

Hi, I have not tried with a silicon sheet... I will look for one and give it a try, thanks for the suggestion!

Gravastar

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7
Re: CPL Filter Suggestion for 100mm Lee Filter Holder System
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2014, 08:11:19 am »

Another option is to place the CPL between the lens and the filter holder: you will need a large CPL, one holder ring of the same size as the CPL, and as many step-up adapters as required for your lenses. It a bit clumsier to handle (you need to rotate and reposition the filter holder to adjust the polarizer), and heavy holders can break the CPL; but it is usually cheaper, and also less prone to vignetting.
Just a quick comment. This will only give satisfactory results if the filters in the holder don't exhibit birefringence. I've found that Lee RF75 filters are OK, surprisingly good in this regard whereas Fotodiox Pro 6.6"x8.5" ND grads are not. The Fotodiox have severe birefringence where the density transition occurs, however they're absolutely fine in practice if the polarizer is in front of the filter stack.

A quick way to check a filter for birefringence is to place the filter under test between an illuminated LCD computer/TV screen and a linear or circular polariser (front of the CPL faces the screen). If you rotate the polariser and the filter being tested the filter should darken uniformly without striations or areas of uneven color.

Bob.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up