[Kath]

Looking for advice from owners of this lens who are familiar with the Lee filter system. I am about to purchase the lens but want to confirm beforehand: Can the Lee system bracket be used on the HD DA 15? It appears that the integral lens hood will interfere with installing the Lee filter holder. Am I right on this or is there a reasonable workaround?

I like the Lee for its versatility on multiple lenses and particularly for the ability to manipulate the position of ND filters in your frame. The stacking of filters is also a great feature.

If it turns out that the 15 can't accommodate the Lee, what good quality ND's would users recommend for this lens? Can it accommodate stacking without vignetting?

Thanks for your help!

[UncleVanya]

I haven't a clue if you will encounter a problem with vignetting or not, but it might. The amount the lens hood sticks up past the filter threads when closed is about the same as the amount the smallest part of the hood extends when pulled out. If that isn't clear think about it this way. If the hood was shaped like a W with the middle part of the letter being the longest extension of the hood and the valleys on either side being the shortest parts - then the height of the hood when closed from the top of the middle part to the front of the lens filter ring would be the same as the height of the valley when the hood is open. This to me means that anything sticking PAST that will likely vignette which it would be forced to do since any filter that isn't 49mm is going to require a filler ring that extends past the closed hood, and then additional thickness will be taken up by whatever you screw into that ring.

If that isn't enough let me know and I can try to take some photos and install a 49mm circular polarizer and then a 49-52mm ring and another filter to show what I mean - assuming my filter is thick enough to clear the closed hood which it may not be.

EDIT: I just mounted my slim 49mm circular polarizer and found that it sticks about 1/16 of a inch above the longest part of the hood (retracted) and about 1/16th of a inch shy of the shortest part of the hood when extended. So there may be 1/8th of an inch available to fit an adapter plate/ring on with. My guess is it will be very difficult to fit the filter to the lens without some additional vignetting.

[Marktax]

It appears that the integral lens hood will interfere with installing the Lee filter holder. Am I right on this or is there a reasonable workaround?

Yes, the hood will interfere. The workaround (mine, anyway) is simply a UV filter added to the lens to get some standoff. Thread the adapter plate into that. Even slim filters provide enough standoff. The thinnest I know of are the old Pentax SMC-coated, one of which I happen to own in 49mm and use on my 15mm Ltd. for the purpose you are after. My filter holder is 67mm, so my adapter plate is 49 to 67, no step-ups.

[Wingincamera]

I have heard of some who take the glass out of an old UV filter and use it for what Marktax describes,. If you usually use a UV filter anyway, then the glass wouldn't matter.

[Kath]

Thanks for the terrific responses. Uncle Vanya, I completely get what you're describing here, having stared at many photos of the lens, and it's a great way to conceptualize what might vignette and what will not. Marktax, thanks for the specifics. I'm glad to hear there's a workaround that doesn't involve duct tape :-)
Wing... cool idea. I'll take a look at that.


Now I just have to gulp (!) and pull the trigger on this expense. I need to find the real cure for LBA...