Lee Holder vs Cokin Z-Pro Holder

Note: To see all future reviews please note this blog is no longer active, please visit me over at oopoomoo.com

If you have a full frame camera and plan to use and combine filters for your photography then you’ll likely want a filter holder. The two primary options are:

The Lee Holder – available in the USA at B+H photo and in Canada from The Camera Store

The Cokin Z-Pro Holder – available in the USA at B+H photo and in Canada from The Camera Store

To learn which holder I think is more practical watch this video:

Now the only problem is that the future of Cokin filters is up in the air – there may or may not be new product made, so buy your Cokin holders while you can just in case… and even if you don’t use them someone out there will want to buy your filter holders.

For more on filters see these links:

Essential Filters for Digital Nature Photography

Advanced Filters for Digital Nature Photography

©Darwin Wiggett - no filters

©Darwin Wiggett - Singh-Ray LB Warming Poalrizer and Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-edge grad filter

Advertisement

Upcoming Camera Store Seminars

Samantha and I are doing three seminars for The Camera Store in Calgary, Alberta. Below are the dates and the topics we are covering – click on the titles for more information:

The Complete Photo – Sat April 16, 1-3 PM

In this 2-hour seminar, Darwin and Samantha will show you how they approach a scene, distill the scene to the essence of the subject matter, and finally edit and process the resulting images. Darwin and Samantha will explain how to develop your personal style and creativity and will explain how to determine what images are worth keeping. Learn how personal vision affects how they choose their subject and how they portray and present that subject to their viewers.

Basic & Advanced Filters for Creative Digital Nature Photography – May 28, 2011, 1:30-3:30 PM

Think there’s no place for filters with digital nature photography? Think again! Discover which four filters are an essential component of every nature shooter’s photographic arsenal.

Capitalize on the benefits of filters and learn how to create evocative imagery while saving time in post-production. You will also find out which filters deliver effects that can’t be replicated in software no matter how talented you are behind the computer. Learn advanced techniques using multiple filters and add polish to your in-camera captures. And finally, learn how to build a filter system that will grow with you, no matter what gear you use.

There will be filters and filter systems on hand for you test out for yourself. Come and see why filters are critical tools even in the age of HDR and complex software processing.

The Tilt-Shift Lens Advantage for Outdoor and Nature Photographers – June 11, 1-4 PM

Discover why Tilt-Shift Lenses are the hottest lenses in nature and landscape photography. With Tilt-Shift lenses, dSLR photographers gain all the advantages of lens movements so important in large format landscape photography. Learn the benefits of tilting for precise control over depth-of-field and shifting for awesome perspective correction. See how Tilt-Shift lenses can open up the world of panoramic and stitched image photography without need for specialized accessories. Darwin and Samantha explore how Tilt-Shift lenses can be used creatively in the quest for the perfect nature photograph. Spend one hour in the classroom learning the theory and practical applications and two hours in the streets of Calgary exploring the use of Tilt-Shift lenses in real word scenarios. A limited number of Canon and Nikon Tilt-Shift lenses will be on hand to try out. Sign up early; space is limited.

 

©Darwin Wiggett

B+H has the Cokin Z-Holder in Stock

Many people have asked me where to get the Cokin Z-Pro holder to use on full-frame cameras to hold filters. In Canada I usually send people to The Camera Store but they are presently out of stock. I just found out that B+H photo in New York has gotten a fresh shipment of Z-Pro holders in ($60) so head over there if you want one for Christmas.  Don’t forget to buy the correct adapter ring for all your lenses. And if you want to know exactly what filters we use and recommend for digital nature photography be sure to check out our new eBook on Essential Filters for Digital Nature Photography.

Cokin Z-Pro holder on the left, Cokin P-series holder on the right

 

Lee SW150 Filter Holder

For anyone who owns a Nikon 14-24mm lens or a Canon 17mm TSE lens (both have the bulbous rounded front element),  Lee now has the SW150 (superwide 150mm) filter holder available for order.The SW150 Filter Holder has been designed to specifically fit the Nikon 14-24mm lens, but will also be adapted to fit on other super wide lenses after its initial launch. The SW150 is available as a Starter Kit containing a Filter Holder, Adaptor Collar for the lens, a 0.6ND  (2-stop) Hard Graduated filter that is 150mm wide x 170mm long, and a Neoprene Lens cap that fits over the collar when the holder is not attached.

The full range of LEE resin graduated and standard filters are also available to order for the SW150 but there will be no Polarizer or Big Stopper available for this system. A separately sold custom fitting called the “System Adaptor” allows you to fit the SW150 onto an existing LEE Adaptor Ring enabling it to be fitted to other lenses.

The SW150 Starter Kit is now available to order from any store that sells Lee Filters, like The Camera Store in Calgary

Lee SW150 Filter Holder on the Nikon 14-24mm lens

Weekly Photo – July 30

©Darwin Wiggett - Canon EOS-1ds Mark III, 24mm Tilt-Shift Lens

I used my standard ‘prairie’ filtering technique (a Singh-Ray Cokin Z-pro sprocket mount LB warming polarizer plus a 4×6 Singh-Ray Two-Stop hard-Edge Grad in a Cokin Z-Pro Holder) to even out the exposure between the sky and the foreground in this scene. I also used the shift feature on my Canon 24mm TSE lens to make a big square image (click on the photo to see a larger version). If you are interested in exactly how I made this photo, check out the video below. The only thing the video does not show is my post-processing procedure which is simply using Photo Merge in Photoshop CS-5 to merge the two component images. Finally I used a strong s-curve on the photo to punch up the contrast in the scene. As you will see the video is ‘on the fly’ (or mosquito in this case) and anything can happen.

The Daily Snap – July 8

©Darwin Wiggett

Sunrise from yesterday taken near Cochrane, Alberta. Canon G11 with a Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer and a Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-step grad over the sky. To see how I use grads in the field go here.

Grad Filter Video

©Darwin Wiggett - No filters used

©Darwin Wiggett - Singh-Ray 2-Stop Hard-Step filter over sky

Unscripted video – can you catch my dyslexia in at least two places? Doh!

Grads, Polarizers and ND filters

I just did a a podcast with Marko over at Photography.ca about grad filters, polarizers, and ND filters. If you want to learn more about what these filters are, how they work and why I think every landscape photographer should use filters then turn up your speaker and listen to me ramble on… and on about these creative tools.

No filters - Canon Rebel Xsi

Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-edge grad filter over sky - Canon Rebel Xsi