Gradient ND filter advice?

[stuarttunstall]

I am looking at spending the money received for Christmas on my new hobby... So I am looking at getting some gradient ND filters to compliment the LCW Fader ND filter I already have.

Can anyone recommend a good set that will not cost a fortune? When I say "will not cost a fortune" I do always believe in getting the best you can afford.... So please offer any suggestions you may have ;)

Stuart

[JaKS_Foto]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Hi Stuart, I keep an eye on this thread because I too would like to get some ND grads, but which ones! Dilemma! Hopefully some knowledgeable member will advise. I've looked at the Cokin range, but again, which ones are most suitable. Let's wait and see...

[2Beers]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Anyone ever tried the variable ND Grad filters avilable from www.7dayshop.com

[DrJon]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

I was planning on getting one of the Cokin sets sometime soon. I don't usually use Cokin (well, not at all), but the possibility of sliding them vertically (which I'm told is possible, e&oe) just looked too attractive...

The price depends on the size and that partly comes down to how wide you want to go (or how much you care about dark corners). I'm debating on whether to get the bigger ones.

(Very late so no time to hunt down links, another day...)

[Muscat]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Anyone ever tried the variable ND Grad filters avilable from www.7dayshop.com

I have some Cokin ND grads which are OK they are not the best, if you have the funds then go for Lee filters. I did buy an ND8 from 7dayshop as an experiment. The service from 7dayshop was as always great but I feel from my experience you get with the filters what you pay, the images that I have taken with the ND8 (not many to be fair) have a distinct colour cast. Yes I can correct it with PP but it is a pain.

I also bought as an experiment a Kood ND8 which is much better and not much more expensive

[colin C]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Anyone ever tried the variable ND Grad filters avilable from www.7dayshop.com

These are Variable ND Filters .................... not Variable ND Grad Filters.


Colin

[DrJon]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Ah, I was talking about graduated filters. For a variable ND there is another thread around here somewhere...

http://www.eos-magazine-forum.com/showthread.php?8828-I-m-looking-to-buy-a-ND-filter-kit

John

[JaKS_Foto]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

I have some Cokin ND grads which are OK they are not the best, if you have the funds then go for Lee filters.

About 20 weeks ago I told myself I would not wait that long for a filter set, how wrong was I Muscat! I think they are the ones to go for. Don't get me wrong, I'm no professional but if you can, get the best!

[colin C]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

I bought Cokin ................... they do the job, but there are colour casts - magenta if I remember correctly.

I chopped them in for Lee after a few months. Stupidly expensive, but when you see and use the kit, including the holders, you feel you have value for money.

Colin

[DrJon]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

20-week delays for Lee filters - ouch.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-lee-neutral-density-0-3-soft-graduated-resin-filter/p1010466?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Lens-Filters-_-Square-Rectangular-Filters-_-Lee-Neutral-Density-0-3-Soft-Graduated-Resin-Filter_1010466

Also they say resin, do they mean the coating?
So it's £150 for a ND grad kit, £77 for a couple of adapters and £55 for the filter holder (£282 the lot, well unless you want the hard grad kit too...). Yep, I'll agree with you on their not being cheap. So my question is, why do the Cokins have a colour cast?

[DrJon]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

BTW Colin, did you end up with the Soft or Hard ND grads (or both, and if so how do you get on with them)?
Oh, and it seemed Speedgraphic are a lot cheaper then Warehouse Express on the Adapters until I realised there are normal and wide-angle ones, the normal being a lot cheaper, but looking like they only went to 35mm or so, which isn't wide-enough for a lot of grad uses...

[colin C]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

I went for the soft grads, because I don't take many shots with a straight and definite horizon. I always seem to have some foreground interest carrying through the shot into the sky.

Colin

[mwphoto]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Like Colin I also use the Lee Soft ND grads as the horizon is never straight! Yes expensive but you gets what you pays for I think - and if you're sticking them in front of a lens that cost a thousand quid the cost does become a bit more justifiable and the quality is all too apparent - plus of course you can stack them as well in the holder so can boost the stops difference (for much longer exposure check out their Big Stopper - this really does work but again at a cost)

[DrJon]

Re: Gradient ND filter advice?

Okay, so you... um... guys... just cost me a bunch of money... hope it ends well...
Lee soft grad kit £111 (+ a lot of infamy)
Lee 72 and 77mm wide-angle adapters £70 (except Speedgraphic charged my VISA card twice and I paid cash, so £210 until it all shakes out)
Lee Starter Kit £157
All for a handful of filters... hope they are as good as you say... still a little nervous on the optical properties of resin vs. glass...
On the up side I started collecting the bits on Tue and have them all now, which for Lee is a bit of an achievement. FYI the only dealer to have a lot of Lee stuff in stock is Dale.
John
P.S. serves me right for going to Focus on my birthday :-)
P.P.S. the original plan was Cokin, but Colin talked me out of that plus cool to buy British...