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Why do Lee filters cost so much?

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  • 23-05-2010 11:20pm
    #1
    swingking
    Registered Users Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭


    I'm looking at upgrading my filters. Well my ND grad for starters.

    I'm using a Cokin ND grad (3 to be exact) and while it is good, I'm getting some awful colour casts and it is affecting the image quality. My main lens I use for landscapes is a Canon 17-40L, so this is a sharp piece of glass. I think the filter might be causing problems with the image quality.

    So I was looking at the LEE filter. Something like 90 quid for a piece of resin. I think it's a bit over priced; but I know in photography, you have to spend big to get good results.

    So I'm looking for people who have made the upgrade to Lee filters and let me know if it is a worthwhile investment.

    And also if there is any other filters that are better than Cokin but are cheaper than lee filters.

    Thanks
    Tagged:


Comments

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    #2
    Fenster
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,763 ✭✭✭Fenster


    Because people will pay that amount.


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    #3
    stcstc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,262 ✭✭✭stcstc


    i had cookin ones

    i ditched them and bought the lee ones, they are a world apart

    and if you actually compare like with like there isnt a huge difference in the price

    if you look at the cookin x series, which are about the same size etc as the lee then the price isnt a huge a difference

    the lee polariser which is a lot of money (180 euros) is amazing, its the best i have used


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    #4
    oshead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭oshead


    swingking wrote: »
    And also if there is any other filters that are better than Cokin but are cheaper than lee filters.

    Hitech filters. I got mine from B&H some years back. Donno if there sold here.


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    #5
    ValueInIreland
    Registered Users Posts: 335 ✭✭ValueInIreland


    Believe it or not the Lee filters are hand made in the UK and they cannot keep up with demand. There are often long delays in getting filters - even at those prices...


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    #6
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    Fenster wrote: »
    Because people will pay that amount.

    they are really an amazing improvement when you get down to detail


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    #7
    daycent
    Registered Users Posts: 842 ✭✭✭daycent


    Why do Lee filters cost so much?

    Also, because they are so difficult to get your hands on. I'm having trouble finding anyone with them in stock.


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    #8
    pullandbang
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 4,948 ✭✭✭pullandbang


    swingking wrote: »
    I'm using a Cokin ND grad (3 to be exact) and while it is good, I'm getting some awful colour casts and it is affecting the image quality.

    I watched a slide show last week in our camera club (slides, not digital) and the landscapes taken with Lee filters had an awful pinkish/purple colour cast.

    It's the only time I've knowingly seen pics that had used Lee and I wasn't impressed.


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    #9
    swingking
    Registered Users Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭swingking


    pullandbang wrote: »
    I watched a slide show last week in our camera club (slides, not digital) and the landscapes taken with Lee filters had an awful pinkish/purple colour cast.

    It's the only time I've knowingly seen pics that had used Lee and I wasn't impressed.

    Are you sure they were not Cokin filters.

    I'm having a purple colour cast on mine. But maybe it's guaranteed to be like that for all filters


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    #10
    pullandbang
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 4,948 ✭✭✭pullandbang


    swingking wrote: »
    Are you sure they were not Cokin filters.

    100% sure - the chap who was showing the slides made the point on more than one occasion that these were very expensive Lee filters - not a happy camper I can tell you!


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    #11
    DaireQuinlan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,689 ✭✭✭DaireQuinlan


    pullandbang wrote: »
    I watched a slide show last week in our camera club (slides, not digital) and the landscapes taken with Lee filters had an awful pinkish/purple colour cast.

    It's the only time I've knowingly seen pics that had used Lee and I wasn't impressed.

    If he was using NDs and lengthening his exposure could be that he just didn't know his slides well enough. Some slide films experience colour shifts on long exposures. Could also have been something to do with the ambient light or something. Hard to tell without knowing the exact circumstances.


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    #12
    swingking
    Registered Users Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭swingking


    DaireQuinlan wrote: »
    If he was using NDs and lengthening his exposure could be that he just didn't know his slides well enough. Some slide films experience colour shifts on long exposures. Could also have been something to do with the ambient light or something. Hard to tell without knowing the exact circumstances.

    The same happens with long exposures with ND filters on digital cameras. Well, for me anyway


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    #13
    derekoshea
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭derekoshea


    Hi everyone, I'm lookin to invest in nd & nd grads to improve my landscape photos, are the Lee filters that much better than the Cokin to justify the difference in price. Also, what do the different series in the cokin filter mean. Sorry for being a dumb ass.

    Thanks, Derek


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    #14
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    depends on your standard of photography. cokin are excellent, lee are better, if your shooting with 1200e of equip, cokin will compliment nicely, 3000e, cokin will be the weakness. the different series, are different levels of quality i thinks...


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    #15
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    they are really an amazing improvement when you get down to detail

    spoken like a true gearhound.....


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    #16
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    Barname wrote: »
    spoken like a true gearhound.....

    i dont have them personally, but i have seen the results from them


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    #17
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    i dont have them personally, but i have seen the results from them

    it was my stab at humour, I previously noted you using the term and found it funny....

    (I like Lee stuff, perhaps I was projecting...)


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    #18
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    ...<goes overhead>

    ???huh???


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    #19
    darraghsherwin
    Registered Users Posts: 161 ✭✭darraghsherwin


    pullandbang wrote: »
    I watched a slide show last week in our camera club (slides, not digital) and the landscapes taken with Lee filters had an awful pinkish/purple colour cast.

    It's the only time I've knowingly seen pics that had used Lee and I wasn't impressed.

    Most slow speed slide like Velvia will extencuate magenta in the scene if it is very long exposure. Cokin P series filters will add a magenta cast to the image which will be very exaggerated if it is a long exposure on Velvia.
    I use Singh-Ray ND Grads and have never experienced any colour cast issues but they are not cheap, at $100 for the grads and $370 for the polariser.
    I've never seen any colour casts will Lee filters.

    Darragh


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    #20
    the_monkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,556 ✭✭✭the_monkey


    B+W filters are decent too yeah ?


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    #21
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    ...<goes overhead>

    ???huh???

    may I refer you here...

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=66072583&highlight=gear+hound#post66072583


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    #22
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    ...STALKER :p


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    #23
    Barname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,084 ✭✭✭Barname


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    ...STALKER :p

    you wish :rolleyes:

    OP

    Lee Filters are my favourite.


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