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04-23-2018, 12:28 PM   #1
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Lee filter system for 15-30, or new 24-70

Hello Folks,
I thought I would ask for thoughts here on a purchase I'm about to make. First, I just bought the D FA 15-30 lens, and love it. I solved the weight issue by getting an appropriate tripod and ball head. So, I'm looking at filter systems for it. I have no experience with them, but suspect that they are important in Landscape photography and UWA lenses. I'm not sure just how much I can correct in post. If I don't need the filter system right away, then I plan on getting the D FA 24-70. Along with my 3 FA limited lenses, my lens kit will be complete. That's been my plan since day one. It's not a matter of needing either, photography is just hobby for me, and I enjoy using nice gear. Thanks for your ideas.
Terry

04-23-2018, 12:41 PM   #2
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Have you seen Nisi S5 system? I'm saving up for that one, seems like the easiest system to use out of all of them, and comes with a nice CPL.

04-23-2018, 12:47 PM   #3
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The Lee Filter system is a great system. Not cheap but then again, you get what you paid for. I have the D-FA 24-70 lens, and use the Lee Filters 100mm system. It's a great fit. Using filters on you D-FA 15-30 lens is going to be a bit trickier. I personally don't have experience with that lens, but I know others on the forum have posted about using filters with it, including using the Lee Filters 150 system. Not knowing the D-FA 15-30 lens, others will have to comment about how to mount a filter on that lens wihout vignetting.
04-23-2018, 01:00 PM   #4
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I have both lenses but use filters only on the 24-70. It depends upon what filters you want to use. A polarizing filter is useful for landscape photography but if you shoot wider than about 24 FF you get color banding due to the wide FOV and the nature of polarized light. I am not a fan of that effect. However split neutral density filters are useful and work well with the Lee system on the 15-30. If you don’t routinely use split density filters it might make more sense to build your filter system around the 24-70. As you know the 15-30 is already a beast and the Lee system makes it bigger.

04-23-2018, 01:13 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by awscreo Quote
Have you seen Nisi S5 system? I'm saving up for that one, seems like the easiest system to use out of all of them, and comes with a nice CPL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ITT-9tIBA
No, I haven't seen that one. Thank you for the link.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:19 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by david94903 Quote
The Lee Filter system is a great system. Not cheap but then again, you get what you paid for. I have the D-FA 24-70 lens, and use the Lee Filters 100mm system. It's a great fit. Using filters on you D-FA 15-30 lens is going to be a bit trickier. I personally don't have experience with that lens, but I know others on the forum have posted about using filters with it, including using the Lee Filters 150 system. Not knowing the D-FA 15-30 lens, others will have to comment about how to mount a filter on that lens wihout vignetting.
Thank you for the recommendation. Good to know you like them on your 24-70.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:28 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Pentax Syntax Quote
I have both lenses but use filters only on the 24-70. It depends upon what filters you want to use. A polarizing filter is useful for landscape photography but if you shoot wider than about 24 FF you get color banding due to the wide FOV and the nature of polarized light. I am not a fan of that effect. However split neutral density filters are useful and work well with the Lee system on the 15-30. If you don’t routinely use split density filters it might make more sense to build your filter system around the 24-70. As you know the 15-30 is already a beast and the Lee system makes it bigger.
That's an idea that I haven't considered. How do you like the 15-30? I just love the 15mm FL, and have a lot to learn on how to use it. I like this lens more than the Irix 15 I had.
Terry
04-23-2018, 01:30 PM - 1 Like   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by TerryL Quote
No, I haven't seen that one. Thank you for the link.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:19 PM ----------


Thank you for the recommendation. Good to know you like them on your 24-70.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:28 PM ----------


That's an idea that I haven't considered. How do you like the 15-30? I just love the 15mm FL, and have a lot to learn on how to use it. I like this lens more than the Irix 15 I had.
Terry
Also check out the Fotodiox WonderPana System it will take Round and Rectangular filters without vignetting on the 15-30

WonderPana ? Fotodiox, Inc. USA
04-23-2018, 01:49 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by TerryL Quote
No, I haven't seen that one. Thank you for the link.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:19 PM ----------


Thank you for the recommendation. Good to know you like them on your 24-70.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 01:28 PM ----------


That's an idea that I haven't considered. How do you like the 15-30? I just love the 15mm FL, and have a lot to learn on how to use it. I like this lens more than the Irix 15 I had.
Terry
Love the 15-30. Use it for shots where foreground is interesting since it can produce more sense of depth. Zoom is really great for framing such shots since you can get really close to the foreground and adjust for background framing. Don’t use filters on it but don’t really miss them. YMMV 😊

04-23-2018, 01:52 PM - 4 Likes   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by david94903 Quote
Not knowing the D-FA 15-30 lens, others will have to comment about how to mount a filter on that lens wihout vignetting.
The Lee 150 system utilises the same mounting system for the Pentax 15-30 as the Tamron 15-30 (no surprise there). There is no vignetting, the filters are BIG

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 09:57 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Pentax Syntax Quote
it might make more sense to build your filter system around the 24-70
I would respectfully suggest the opposite, and I say that from experience.

The point is that the 150 system can be used not only on the 15-30 but also on any lens that has a smaller diameter front element, ie the 24-70 and every other lens I own. Far cheaper for Terry to base his filters round the 150 system and use that on all his lenses.

If you start with the 100 system for the 24-70 and then decide you want to use Lee filters for the 15-30 you will have to buy a new lens mount; filter holder; and filters. More than doubling the cost. Using the 150 system on other lenses requires only the expense of the mount adapter.

Did I say I found this out by experience ?

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 10:00 PM ----------

The Bridge at Painshill

K1 + Pentax 15-30. Lee 150 filters : Big Stopper (10 stops) + ND Grad.

ISO 200 f13 20 sec


Last edited by pschlute; 04-23-2018 at 02:02 PM.
04-23-2018, 02:04 PM   #9
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quick extra note: make sure you get the wide angle adaptor ring for the 24-70 if you go with that and Lee - the regular adaptor ring won't even screw onto the lens, let alone being more prone to vignetting
04-23-2018, 02:20 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentax Syntax Quote
I have both lenses but use filters only on the 24-70. It depends upon what filters you want to use. A polarizing filter is useful for landscape photography but if you shoot wider than about 24 FF you get color banding due to the wide FOV and the nature of polarized light. I am not a fan of that effect. However split neutral density filters are useful and work well with the Lee system on the 15-30. If you don’t routinely use split density filters it might make more sense to build your filter system around the 24-70. As you know the 15-30 is already a beast and the Lee system makes it bigger.
Yep, some of that shows even with 28mm on ff. But, while there are ways to smooth out water, or darken the sky in post processing, I don't think there's anything that can replicate polarization effect on water and reflective surfaces (such as foliage). Just for that alone I'm definitely picking up the Nisi S5 sometime soon, the included CPL seems of high quality, and the rotating mechanism looks pretty usable as well. And it has 2 slots for normal 150mm square filters. I've seen a cool filter that makes astro photography focusing easier, that'd be a nice pickup for some summer nights.
04-23-2018, 02:30 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by wstruth Quote
Also check out the Fotodiox WonderPana System it will take Round and Rectangular filters without vignetting on the 15-30

WonderPana ? Fotodiox, Inc. USA
That looks great. I just saved it to my desktop.
Terry
04-23-2018, 02:34 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by TerryL Quote
That looks great. I just saved it to my desktop.
Terry
Pretty in-depth review here -
04-23-2018, 02:37 PM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by pschlute Quote
The Lee 150 system utilises the same mounting system for the Pentax 15-30 as the Tamron 15-30 (no surprise there). There is no vignetting, the filters are BIG

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 09:57 PM ----------



I would respectfully suggest the opposite, and I say that from experience.

The point is that the 150 system can be used not only on the 15-30 but also on any lens that has a smaller diameter front element, ie the 24-70 and every other lens I own. Far cheaper for Terry to base his filters round the 150 system and use that on all his lenses.

If you start with the 100 system for the 24-70 and then decide you want to use Lee filters for the 15-30 you will have to buy a new lens mount; filter holder; and filters. More than doubling the cost. Using the 150 system on other lenses requires only the expense of the mount adapter.

Did I say I found this out by experience ?

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 10:00 PM ----------

The Bridge at Painshill

K1 + Pentax 15-30. Lee 150 filters : Big Stopper (10 stops) + ND Grad.

ISO 200 f13 20 sec
Hi Peter,
That shot is stunning. It even tells me what filters you used. What a nice example of exactly what I wanted to see.
Terry

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 03:04 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by pschlute Quote
The Lee 150 system utilises the same mounting system for the Pentax 15-30 as the Tamron 15-30 (no surprise there). There is no vignetting, the filters are BIG

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 09:57 PM ----------



I would respectfully suggest the opposite, and I say that from experience.

The point is that the 150 system can be used not only on the 15-30 but also on any lens that has a smaller diameter front element, ie the 24-70 and every other lens I own. Far cheaper for Terry to base his filters round the 150 system and use that on all his lenses.

If you start with the 100 system for the 24-70 and then decide you want to use Lee filters for the 15-30 you will have to buy a new lens mount; filter holder; and filters. More than doubling the cost. Using the 150 system on other lenses requires only the expense of the mount adapter.

Did I say I found this out by experience ?

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 10:00 PM ----------

The Bridge at Painshill

K1 + Pentax 15-30. Lee 150 filters : Big Stopper (10 stops) + ND Grad.

ISO 200 f13 20 sec
Peter,
Do you set the aperture and ISO, then let the camera determine the shutter speed?
Thanks

---------- Post added 04-23-18 at 03:05 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by ffking Quote
quick extra note: make sure you get the wide angle adaptor ring for the 24-70 if you go with that and Lee - the regular adaptor ring won't even screw onto the lens, let alone being more prone to vignetting
Oh, ok. Thank you.
04-23-2018, 03:37 PM - 1 Like   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by TerryL Quote
Peter,
Do you set the aperture and ISO, then let the camera determine the shutter speed?
Thanks
You set the ISO and aperture but you don't let the camera set the exposure.

If using a ND Grad filter you need to meter for the area of your shot that will be filtered (spot metering a few areas is best) then meter for the unfiltered area. Do this before you put a filter in place. You use the unfiltered exposure reading to set your camera shutter speed, and use the difference in exposure readings to decide on what strength grad you need. Use Manual exposure mode to set this up. Focus the scene then turn off AF. Only then put the filter in position.

If using a ND filter like the Big stopper, you first take a reading without the filter. Then focus and turn off AF. Put the filter in place and use the "cheat-sheet" or the Lee phone app, or simply use your fingers to count 10 stops from the camera reading and take your shot.

The important thing is to not let the camera meter or AF to do anything once you have a filter in place.

Last edited by pschlute; 04-23-2018 at 04:13 PM.
04-23-2018, 05:59 PM   #15
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Well if it comes down to the filter setup for the 15-30 OR a 24-70 I think 24-70 would be a higher priority. While wide zooms like the 15-30 are great for landscapes, the 24-70 will also excel as you learn landscape photography. The wider you go the harder is to get framing and foreground background just right.
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