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Hey guys
I was just wondering if it is worth spending more money to buy Singh Ray filters rather then Lee filters? As Singh ray filters are more expensive, e.g. LEE Resin ND Grad Filter - ND 0.6 (HARD Edge) = £56 while Signh Ray ND Grad filter(4x6)= £105 What are your opinions on this? Are they similar or are Singh Ray filters worth the extra dollars (around twice the price)?

Cheers
Chris

as an owner of only two filters (CPL & ND8) i am not really qualified to comment, however I am also lookign at the Lee holder and filter options, as I see it you do get what you pay for in most cases, however there is always a sweet spot for value for money and I think Lee fits that bill neatly. The Lee filters are twice as good as the cokin ones and also twice the price, the hitech ones sit somewhere in the middle of the cokin and Lee, the singh-ray ones are twice the price of the Lee ones, but I do not know if they are twice as good, you see where I am going here right?!

I know a number of people who are very happy with the Lee filters, the lee filters are not exactly cheap either, especially when you think about their limited use, so one must weigh up whether its worthwhile (in their case) spending big on something that may not be used that often.

Note also, the adapter rings are in short supply in the US stores like B&H and Adorama, however the UK stores have stock and have reasonable postage (10 pound and 5-10days), however there is also a few aussie options which are not too bad and do have stock. Vanbar does have them but are horribly expensive.

A couple of sites for reference

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/
http://www.2filter.com/
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
http://www.studiokitdirect.co.uk/
http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/

http://www.pro-design.com.au/
http://www.vanbar.com.au/

This recent article on the Strobist site discusses the pro's and con's of choosing between these filters - another opinion can't hurt!

biggerry wrote:as an owner of only two filters (CPL & ND8) i am not really qualified to comment, however I am also lookign at the Lee holder and filter options, as I see it you do get what you pay for in most cases, however there is always a sweet spot for value for money and I think Lee fits that bill neatly. The Lee filters are twice as good as the cokin ones and also twice the price, the hitech ones sit somewhere in the middle of the cokin and Lee, the singh-ray ones are twice the price of the Lee ones, but I do not know if they are twice as good, you see where I am going here right?!

I know a number of people who are very happy with the Lee filters, the lee filters are not exactly cheap either, especially when you think about their limited use, so one must weigh up whether its worthwhile (in their case) spending big on something that may not be used that often.

Note also, the adapter rings are in short supply in the US stores like B&H and Adorama, however the UK stores have stock and have reasonable postage (10 pound and 5-10days), however there is also a few aussie options which are not too bad and do have stock. Vanbar does have them but are horribly expensive.

A couple of sites for reference

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/
http://www.2filter.com/
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
http://www.studiokitdirect.co.uk/
http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/

http://www.pro-design.com.au/
http://www.vanbar.com.au/

Yes! exactly what I was thinking. For me Lee seems to be the best value for money, while still being a great filter. It's hard to decided. I emailed Singh Ray thew days ago asking what advantages there filters have over Lee's filters and this is what they had to say:

"Thanks for writing. We don't really make competitive claims regarding other filter manufacturers. We craft our ND Grads to be professional grade using top-quality optical resin and dyes, with strict attention paid to consistent density, neutrality, and graduation, and are priced accordingly. If you feel the Lee filters are better suited to your requirements, they make fine products as well.

Regards,
Gary
Singh-Ray.com"

I found those exact sites too. Seems the best way is to buy Lee from the UK directly.
These are expensive purchases so I'm trying to do the most research I can. At the moment Lee looks the most appealing especially the Digital SLR Starter kit. (http://www.studiokitdirect.co.uk/Catalogue/Lee_Filters/Holder_System_Kit/Pro_Str_Kit.htm)
I just so curious why Singh Rays cost double Lees filters. As this is a system that I will keep forever so I want to buy the right one from the start. Although I can get the Lee Digital SLR Starter kit and then buy Singh Ray filters after, like the reverse grad.

This recent article on the Strobist site discusses the pro's and con's of choosing between these filters - another opinion can't hurt!

I read that whole article but they were more talking about the Vari-ND filter by Singh Ray which cost like $340. I don't think that is an option as I wouldn't need it as I shoot landscape mainly so I just need a 3 stop ND for now and that is used more for portrait shots. Some people on there said they are very pleased with Lee filters.

Thanks for the link

I found those exact sites too. Seems the best way is to buy Lee from the UK directly.

standby on that one - alot of places are out of stock - I am looking at a sydney option and will report back how I went shortly...

Could try this ebay seller in Hong Kong

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Red-Lant ... ec0Q2em322

Not sure how the price compares but you might be able to get some tea while you are at it...

I have hi-tech filters and they can have color casts especially when you combine them. Sharpness is good. flare is acceptable.

The cokins are the same. Maybe slightly worse for color casting? I am not sure. The ebay cokin clones are terrible for color casting (But I still use them!) I have heard that even Singh rays can cause this. I am not sure whether they are SIGNIFICANTLY better.

Sharpness is the other consideration. Cameron, you use Cokins? How are they for sharpness??

Third is durability. I am sure the more expensive ones are more durable. I can't confirm this. Hitech is resin and will scratch easily compared to glass.

For a vari-ND, Please check out the Lightcraft variable ND 4-400 or 500-5000. They are cheaper alternatives to the Singh ray and have great build quality. They all suffer from banding at high ND values on wide angle filters. (because of the cross polarising effect)

The ideal for me would be a reverse ND grad/ normal ND grad which I can mount on a variable ND filter. I haven't found a good solution for this yet.

I would also suggest that you try out a cheaper reverse grad first. I find that it's not THAT useful. Certainly not $350 dollars worth. I got mine from Hitech for $45.

Jenno wrote:Could try this ebay seller in Hong Kong

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Red-Lant ... ec0Q2em322

Not sure how the price compares but you might be able to get some tea while you are at it...

Yeah getting it from the UK sites is cheaper haha but great place to get some tea.

I would also suggest that you try out a cheaper reverse grad first. I find that it's not THAT useful. Certainly not $350 dollars worth. I got mine from Hitech for $45.

Is the reverse ND Grad better to have then the normal ND Grad for landscapes? or is it worth getting both?

For a vari-ND, Please check out the Lightcraft variable ND 4-400 or 500-5000. They are cheaper alternatives to the Singh ray and have great build quality. They all suffer from banding at high ND values on wide angle filters. (because of the cross polarising effect)

Whats the Lightcraft variable ND filter like? Is there a big quality difference between the singh ray Vari-ND filter? Don't think I would use it that much. I think a 0.6 ND filter would do the job for me.

Jenno wrote:http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/Red-Lant ... ec0Q2em322

Not sure how the price compares but you might be able to get some tea while you are at it...

prices are pretty rough, you can buy cheaper than that here in sydney!

Yeah getting it from the UK sites is cheaper haha but great place to get some tea.

yeah the UK sites are cheaper, even when you factor in some postage, that said MediaVision in Sydney are the distributors for Lee and their prices are competitive, a bit more more expensive then ordering online but within my threshold AND they are local (for me anyways)...If you are in sydney check them out the dude is very helpful.

Lee and Singh Ray.....stuff I want, but cause me a headache at the same time....I think i will pass on them for the moment.

Surenj has made a good point about testing the waters with a cheaper alternative...I have done so wtih Cokin ND Grads and will eventually replace them with something better quality (and glass).

yeah the UK sites are cheaper, even when you factor in some postage, that said MediaVision in Sydney are the distributors for Lee and their prices are competitive, a bit more more expensive then ordering online but within my threshold AND they are local (for me anyways)...If you are in sydney check them out the dude is very helpful.

Where abouts in Sydney is MediaVision?

Mediavision Australia
4 Monash Rd, Gladesville, NSW 2111
p: 02 9816 4055 f: 02 9816 1661

biggerry wrote:Mediavision Australia
4 Monash Rd, Gladesville, NSW 2111
p: 02 9816 4055 f: 02 9816 1661

Thanks. I will go check it out sometime soon

I had Cokin GND and gave them away, they had too much of a red color cast. I bought SIngh Ray flters and am happy with them, I do not know of another brand making "reverse grad" filters. If you shoot at sunrise it is the filter you use most with the polariser. The singh Ray filters are longer than the Cokin which gives you more room for adjustment.
I just got a Lee filter holder and Schneider glass GND filters. Looks good but heavy . Now that I got an Fx camera I have to review the use of the filter hoders as they can show on the sides... Hitech filters also have a good reputation. Vanbar also sells Lee filters on line :http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/index.php?item1=FILTER&item2=RESIN&item3=PRO-LEE&brand=

I have a Lee ND and ND grad filter that I find great to use. I am currently looking at the reverse grad SingRay sell but I might try the HiTech version first as it is so much less expensive.

CraigVTR wrote:I have a Lee ND and ND grad filter that I find great to use. I am currently looking at the reverse grad SingRay sell but I might try the HiTech version first as it is so much less expensive.

Craig,
I did not know Hitech were making a reverse grad. It looks as if it is actually Formatt making these filters and only for the past few months. These reverse grad are nowhere to be found at B&H, on the Formatt site I cannot find the thickness of the filter...

glamy wrote:

CraigVTR wrote:I have a Lee ND and ND grad filter that I find great to use. I am currently looking at the reverse grad SingRay sell but I might try the HiTech version first as it is so much less expensive.

Craig,
I did not know Hitech were making a reverse grad. It looks as if it is actually Formatt making these filters and only for the past few months. These reverse grad are nowhere to be found at B&H, on the Formatt site I cannot find the thickness of the filter...

I'm pretty sure Hitech make Reverse grads. You can get them from this site:
http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=14708&zenid=6eecd1fbc58310c412082c9e5b3dda61
Although I don't know how they compare to the Singh ray ones as they are a lot more expensive.

CraigVTR wrote:I have a Lee ND and ND grad filter that I find great to use. I am currently looking at the reverse grad SingRay sell but I might try the HiTech version first as it is so much less expensive.

Thats exactly what I'm thinking about getting, except not sure if its better to save my money and get the Hitech reverse grad or spend my and get Sing ray's reverse grad haha

Does anyone know the advantage of buying a 100mm by 150mm filter (4x6) for the lee system, rather then the smaller and cheaper cokin size? As they are $70 cheaper when buying a a singh ray filter. What is the advantage? Is it just that it reduces vignetting on wide angle lenses?
Thanks

dervish16 wrote:Does anyone know the advantage of buying a 100mm by 150mm filter (4x6) for the lee system, rather then the smaller and cheaper cokin size? As they are $70 cheaper when buying a a singh ray filter. What is the advantage? Is it just that it reduces vignetting on wide angle lenses?
Thanks

this may answer your query - its also lots of other good info...

http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/cokin-p-versus-lee-grad-nd-filters.html

I can use a single cokin P size filter (with a wideangle holder) with my 10mm lens without vignetting.

You will need the Cokin Z pro size if you want to stack filters while at 10mm.

At 17mm, you can stack cokin P size all you want.

As for quality, I am sure you will get what you pay for. Once you pass the mid range, additional improvements will be smaller (probably not noticable for a non pro) although price is probably still increasing at a pseudo-exponential rate.

As for durability, I have no idea. I am sure you get what you pay for. Glass will probably be more durable though.

glamy wrote:

CraigVTR wrote:I have a Lee ND and ND grad filter that I find great to use. I am currently looking at the reverse grad SingRay sell but I might try the HiTech version first as it is so much less expensive.

Craig,
I did not know Hitech were making a reverse grad. It looks as if it is actually Formatt making these filters and only for the past few months. These reverse grad are nowhere to be found at B&H, on the Formatt site I cannot find the thickness of the filter...

This was the site I have been looking at http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php? ... 9e5b3dda61 for the the reverse grad. I looked at the Formatt site but their reverse grad was something like 370 Pounds as opposed to 50 Pounds, that is more expensive than the Singh Ray.

CraigVTR wrote:This was the site I have been looking at http://www.teamworkphoto.com/index.php? ... 9e5b3dda61 for the the reverse grad.

I got my reverse grad (+ couple more grads) from that mob. They are professional and relatively quick in their delivery.

what holder do you use for these filters?? Are they glass?

aim54x wrote:what holder do you use for these filters?? Are they glass?

Cokin P. No they are CR39 plastic.

surenj wrote:

aim54x wrote:what holder do you use for these filters?? Are they glass?

Cokin P. No they are CR39 plastic.

They are still PRICEY for plastic....oh well so tempted....

aim54x wrote:They are still PRICEY for plastic....oh well so tempted....

Well it's not made of the same stuff that they make milk cartons...
It's optical plastic apparently.... well that's what the manufacturer said.
They are comparable to the cokins (in price) though??



Anyhow you can play (On Saturday) before you buy if you like....

Why don't you buy a glass grad filter and then we can do a side by side comparison
my Hitech + [ebay cokin clones! ] + I also have a piece of welding glass.....
Gerry's Lee
Your cokin and glass

I don't such a side by side review has ever been done. Especially with glass.

yeah thats a great idea, as long as I am not buying teh glass filter...thats gonna hurt the pocket...

Well I thought Cameron was going to be the glass man...

surenj wrote:Why don't you buy a glass grad filter and then we can do a side by side comparison
my Hitech + [ebay cokin clones! ] + I also have a piece of welding glass.....
Gerry's Lee
Your cokin and glass

I don't such a side by side review has ever been done. Especially with glass.

This is a great idea. When you do the review can you post it. What filters are glass? Are lee or singh ray glass?

dervish16 wrote:
This is a great idea. When you do the review can you post it. What filters are glass? Are lee or singh ray glass?

can you buy me a beer for it? if so... sure why not...

biggerry wrote:can you buy me a beer for it? if so... sure why not...

Gerry, I think you just undersold yourself...

biggerry wrote:
can you buy me a beer for it? if so... sure why not...

Well your asking for a lot there mate...hmmm okay you have a deal haha I'll post it in the mail tomorrow
So what filter brands sell glass?

surenj wrote:Well I thought Cameron was going to be the glass man...

Glasses of Milkshakes??

I am looking forward to playing with the reverse grad ND!

Gerry, I think you just undersold yourself...

doh *forehead slap*

Well your asking for a lot there mate...hmmm okay you have a deal haha I'll post it in the mail tomorrow

woot

hangon where i have heard that before...'yeah yeah cheques in the mail'

biggerry wrote:doh *forehead slap*

If you were using beer currency, this would be at least one slab.


Anyways we will have a cokin vs hitech comparison from Saturday.

I dont think there will be that much of a difference. Resin vs Resin....

How much do the HiTech filters work out to be in the pacific peso? Surely they cant all be 45lbs...

aim54x wrote:I dont think there will be that much of a difference. Resin vs Resin....

How much do the HiTech filters work out to be in the pacific peso? Surely they cant all be 45lbs...

xe currency converter told me a bit over $100.