(starter) Filter sets

[cannedheat]

Looking at getting some decent filters and from what I can gather 'Lee' or 'Cokin' seem to be the way forward. I see Warehouse express do a 'Lee' starter kit for £126 inc a nd grad and coral grad. Is this a sensible starting point?

[GetCarter]

I think the Lee started kit works out much cheaper than buying the bits separately... but I have to say I've used the coral maybe once in a year (nd Grad I use all the time). I also find the .6 nd grad a tad too light and would go one step darker... but that's probably just me (or my camera).

Lee are much better quality than cokin, but three times the price.

[Timmy2TARs]

Was speaking to one of the Lee guys at the Focus show about the starter kits - the original starter kit sometimes had a problem (more pronounced with Nikon digital cameras) due to the coating on the filter not stopping enough IR / UV or something and they therefore introduced a digital SLR filter kit that doesn't contain the coral filter, just a hard grad and a standard ND filter.

I actually prefer the Hoya screw in NDs so instead of getting either starter kit I ended up with a foundation kit, a soft ND grad set and a wide angle adapter. Not cheap by any standard but certainly better than Cokin.

[jonathanp]

Another vote for the new Lee DSLR starter kit - the new glass ND filter that comes with it is much more useful than the coral filter IMHO. I bought mine from www.speedgraphic.co.uk (no connection, just a happy customer).

If you go that route, I'd also recommend buying the "Lee filter wrap" as it protects the filters in the wallet and is much easier to use than wrapping them in the supplied cleaning cloth.

Oh, and of course you need to factor in the cost of the adapter rings for your lenses (they do a wide angle adapter if you have something like a 10-20 or 12-24, but you can't fit the lens cap with it attached).

I've also got the Cokin P series, and whilst they are better than no grad's, the quality of the Lee system is much better!

Jonathan

[stuart b]

In what way is Lee quality better than Cokin? Are you talking about quality of the fitting, robustness/durability of the filter or image quality or all of these?

If image quality, what sort of things are we talking about?

I'm genuinely interested as I have Cokin and wonder whether in a few years I'll look back a load of pics and wished I'd found the cash for a Lee set.

I can see the difference in build quality of the holders and so on even from photos, but I can live with that compromise. If my images are being compromised that's a diff. matter.

Thanks
Stuart

[jonathanp]

Hi Stuart,

Well for me its:

- neutral colour on the ND filters (to be honest, in the small time I used the Cokin I can't be sure that I saw any colour cast, but I have read a number of reports about it, especially with older filters. They may well be better now). And if you shoot raw you should be able to remove that anyway. I guess I have a slight worry about buying expensive lenses and putting cheap filters in front of them - whether that is justified or not I don't know?

- build quality, but thats a subjective thing I guess, as I haven't had either system for enough years to really comment on their longevity! But I do find the Lee filters are nicer to use.

- filter size. I like the longer Lee grads, since you can either completely remove the effect whilst the filter is still in the holder and its long enough to get an even ND across the frame with it fully in.

To be honest I don't think you've anything to worry about image wise.

Jonathan

[Timmy2TARs]

Actually I did have a little problem with a couple of my Cokins - I noticed an ever so slight banding on some images. I suspect it was light being reflected off of the lens onto the back of the filter as it only happened under specific conditions which included side lighting. I twigged it when I'd stupidly tried a drop-in IR filter which meant it wasn't light tight and the leak was noticeable. I'm sure Lees would have a similar issue and it's not an issue with the Cokin filters, but due to their sheer size I'm pretty sure it will be less pronounced with the ones from Lee.

I also find that with large diameter lenses, the Lee system is so much easier to use - my P series adapter ring for 77mm lenses is too thin and fidly for me to use easily and yes, I *am* ham-fisted!

[stuart b]

Thanks for the replies - very helpful.

Stuart

[cannedheat]

Cheers for the replies guys. Will defo have a look at that new dslr kit, I did wonder about the coral one in the normal kit, I heard they weren't 'that' usefull...