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Help with Tech Cam filter setup

jagsiva

Active member
I currently have have a mix of different b+w and heliopan filters of various sorts and looking to have a proper filter setup for my RM3di/IQ setup.

Main filter needs are ND and C.Polarizer, total would be 5 filters. Main lenses are 23/32/90HR, 60XL, 120N.

I thought the Lee setup was great and well proven, but life is never simple in tech cam world....Lee does not make any 86mm WA adapters for their holder, thy stop at 82mm. From various posts I have read here, the 86mm normal adapter vignettes on shifts. Both the 32HR and the 23HR (with CF) use 86mm filters.

I then figured a screw-in setup would likely be simpler for me anyway. I would give us the possibility of using GND's but this is not really my thing anyway.

So a few questions regarding screw in filters (all would be multi-coated slim filters):

1. Am I better off getting a larger filter, say105mm and using a step-up ring? Would this reduce chances of vignetting, particularly with shifts. I am thinking this way given that even the CF for the 32HR is a 105mm outside thread. The alternative would be get the actual filter size, 86mm in this case.

2. The longer lenses all have smaller filter sizes, so step up rings should not be an issue, and vignetting is less of a concern. However, for lenses like the 120N with the 46mm thread, there is no step up ring from 46mm to 105mm. Would there be an issue using two rings (46->72->105)? Again trying t keep things simple, alternative would be another set of filters.

3. I also looked at the 4x4/6 solutions that fit into the tech cam hoods. Problem with these is that there is light leakage, and with lenses like the 32HR, the lens protrudes beyond the filter slot.

Appreciate any and all help as always.

Cheers..
 

Marlyn

Member
For the 90HR and 60XL you can use normal Lee adapters, obviously.

For the 120N, with its annoying filter size, I used a small step up ring to get it to 58mm, to use a normal Lee adapter.

For the 32HR, and the 23 HR, you need a different holder. (forget the 86mm ring, its useless).

There is a LEE PUSH ON/Slip Over Holder, FK100 which has a 100mm diameter, and a 90mm Donut adapter ring that goes with it. The 32HR has a 90mm outside diameter, and I bet the 23HR does as well. This increases to 100mm if you use the Center Filter.

FK100 Holder: LEE Filters 100mm Slipover Foundation Kit FK100 B&H Photo Video

Adapter Ring: LEE Filters 100-90mm Converter Ring for FK100 Filter FKD10090

It provides total sealing, and can use (on the 32HR) 2 filters without vingetting. I have used it with the BigStopper, which is very susceptible to light leakage, and it works just fine.

Note: I use the SQUARE glass polarizer in the Lee system. The circular one is useless as it vingettes horribly with the 32 or 60. (and therefore, the 23)

I use this exact setup, if I get a chance, will take a photo of it.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Mark.
 

jagsiva

Active member
For the 90HR and 60XL you can use normal Lee adapters, obviously.

For the 120N, with its annoying filter size, I used a small step up ring to get it to 58mm, to use a normal Lee adapter.

......

Mark.
Thanks Mark, very useful info, and I did catch your earlier post on the 32HR thread.

My only concern is all the bits to carry around. My main trips are off in a Kayak for 10 days with nothing but nuts and a coast guard radio, and a bottle of scotch :)

Just trying to figure out if a screw in option may be less hassle. Also, I the screw in filters are coated vs. even the glass 4x4 ones don't appear to be coated.

How convenient do you find the Lee rig to use on a tech cam? Again, it gets a little complicated with LCCs, framing, focussing etc...

Cheers.
 
Last edited:
Just noticed this post after responding to your pm. I would highly suggest the lee system for tech cams. After purchasing mine, I would never use another system.
 

jagsiva

Active member
Just noticed this post after responding to your pm. I would highly suggest the lee system for tech cams. After purchasing mine, I would never use another system.
Thanks Eric, I'm still very much on the fence on this one. Again, the issue for me is practicality in the field, but I do agree that most guys are using Lee or similar with tech cams.
 

Marlyn

Member
I think it is very practical on Tech Cam. I wouldn't use anything else.

For LCC's, I like with the Lee that I can just clip the holder on/off, with filters still in place. Both for liveview and LCC's.

Screw in Filters are a pain in the neck in my oppinion.


NOTE: I leave the LEE adapter rings permanently screwed into my lenses. All I do in the field is clip the holder on, and slide in the relevant Filter. I use the LEE Plastic Lens Caps over the filter holders on all lenses (even when using on 35mm). One size fits all !.

Regards

Mark
 

jlm

Workshop Member
been checking up on this myself.

looking to use a Lee filter holder with bellows, 4x4 ND and GND glass filters and polarizer, and found, through personal visit to B&H and calls to Lee and to 2filter:

Lee products are hard to get and typically backordered for 2-3 weeks. B&H make you buy in advance before they order and you cannot return for a refund.
Lee does not sell direct and told me to get a WALH P105 bellows holder (holds 2 filters and has a rotating area for the polarizer and get the P105 polarizer in round mount
2filter had an indeterminate backorder on the round polarizer from Lee and suggested B+H and was told Lee was discontinuing the WALH P105 and only had a few left.

still have to get adapters from my lenses to the WALH

I am awaiting a call back from 2filter

some lens data:

SK 43mm with SK centerfilter fitted has 72mm threads (for the adapter)
Rodenstock 70mm has 58mm threads
SK 120 has 40.5mm threads

Lee adapters start at 48mm, so one needs to step up from 40.5 to at least 48 to get an adapter
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I also use the LEE system for all of my tech cam lenses. As John mentioned, the longer SK lenses require a step up to 58mm for best results.

I keep the LEE rings on all of my lenses and use the opaque covers as lens hoods in the bag. This works very well and is consistent. I have the SK 150mm which is pretty large but with the 40.5mm lens so I typically will remove that ring and use a standard lens cap. (Also it tends not to need filtering / hoods anyways).

The one lens that is problemmatic for me, at least potentially, is the 23HR which is 72mm without a center filter but a very awkward 86mm I believe with it. Since I don't have the filter yet I haven't run in to problems. The 23HR and 35 XL can take the standard 2 slot filter holder without vignetting although I do use the LEE wide angle versions of the rings which mount the holder further back.

For hoods, I use the LEE wide angle hood without slots for the 23/35XL (on IQ full frame) - since the 2 slot filter holder doesn't vignette it looks like that version of the wide hood might also work but I haven't tried it yet. For longer lenses I can use the standard slotted hood with filters. That said, if I use filters I don't often use the hood at the same time.

What I have found is that it can take a while to build up a collection of LEE gear and you never, ever sell it. I've picked up many items on eBay or at my local store over the years and I've often bought gear because it was available and you never when you can get it new. Btw, that extends to things like the small screws and replacement clamps etc too - hard to get outside of the UK.

As regards polarisers - I agree about using the square version. You can get an additional special rotating filter holder slide in for it that can stack on the standard filter. I do have the large 105mm Kassemann LEE polarizer too that mounts on a filter holder but you have to be careful with rear reflections off the rear of that one, plus it's a bit of a beast to carry. For tech cams remember also that you don't need a circular polarizer.

Filters - I can recommend the Kinesis filter bags for holding 3 - 10 filters in a small case that you can hang on the tripod. I use the F169: F169

The Dante's inferno quote on this forum applies to LEE gear. Before you know what's happened you'll find that you are now carrying around a couple of $k of filter gear! :eek:
 

jagsiva

Active member
Guys, thanks for all the great info. Sounding like Lee is the way to go. Any difference between Lee and Hitech? Hitech appears to have a very high end set of glass IRND 4x4 filters, and maybe more readily available.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
2filter.com has a lot of info

a question re. a 4x4 graduated ND filter: how do you shift it up and down in one of the Lee holders?
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
Since reading this post and a few others, I am too working to come up with a Lee based solution. As posted previously, finding the wide angle hood can tough.

Graham, the CF for the 23mm Rod has front threads of 95mm. The old specs that Rodenstock used to list showed 86mm. They have redone the CF's and the same physical CF fits both the 23 and 28mm. It adds a bit of complexity to this enough that I don't think that the hood will work on the 28mm with the physical CF, unless you show how slide the hood over the lens and find a way to secure it.

It should work fine on the 35mm, 43mm Schneider and with at least on filter slot. I am waiting on some filters to test for sure.

The CL PL issue is even a bigger problem as you most definitely don't want to use the Lee wide angle adapter over a CL-PL on your lens. Reason is if the adapter gets stuck, then you won't be able to get it off since rotating ring on the CL-PL will just spin. Lee makes a 105mm ring you mount to the front of the wide angle hood and it then takes any 105mm CL-PL.

This is what I am working towards. As posted, getting the 105mm CL-PL from Lee is almost impossible and wait times can be months. But there are plenty of other good 105mm CL-PL's that should fit. The B+W Kaseman is one I am looking at. This solution should work on every lens I have except the 28mm. I can have one slot filter and the CL-PL. I know that the 28mm can only handily one filter with the physical CF attached. After that you get a hard vignette. So if I use the Lee hood on the 28, which I would love to do, I will have to figure out a way to hold/mount it to the actual lens.

I just which Arca Swiss would redesign their compendium to a more wide angle solution as the square box they have is just not wide enough for the 28mm.

Paul Caldwell
 

jagsiva

Active member
Yup, you're right. Martin at Arca did mention that the CF I ordered was the new one, so guess that is a 95mm outside thread. My head is hurting.
 

Marlyn

Member
Guys, thanks for all the great info. Sounding like Lee is the way to go. Any difference between Lee and Hitech? Hitech appears to have a very high end set of glass IRND 4x4 filters, and maybe more readily available.
I have several HiTech filters, and i'm afraid, hate them all. They have colour cast, imperfections, and seem to scratch just by looking at them. I've had bad experiences with HiTech. Their Bigstopper equivalent was the worst.

I use either LEE or SinghRay filters, both of which I can highly recomend, in the Lee filter holders.

Regards

Mark.
 

jagsiva

Active member
Mark,

I thought the Pro Glass IRND was supposed to be super-duper designed for digital, or they claim. Anyway, Hitech is off the list.
 
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