How To Attach Filters To Nikon 14-24mm

Using Filters on the Nikon 14–24mm f/2.8

You want to shoot the stellar Nikon 14-24 mm f/2.8 for serious landscape work with filters? Yous want to use graduated neutral density filters, neutral density filters up to ten stops and polarizing filters at the same time? And yous want to shoot all these iii filters without whatever lens flare issues? This is the complete guide how it works!

I've been shooting the Nikon 16-35mm f/4 for quite a long time as it has a front thread that allows easy use of whatsoever filters such as the Lee Foundation Kit 100mm arrangement. But I was never happy about information technology's sharpness in the far corners and information technology's limited aperture of f/4. For Galaxy or Aurory images I needed to deport my faster xiv-24mm f/2.eight equally a second wide angle lens in my bag. I was always agape to invest in a filter system for that lens due to many limitations caused by the stock-still lens hood and the massive front element though it'due south the best lens you can purchase for serious and high image quality mural work. After doing a lot of research on the web I was sure that at that place must be a way to fully replace my 16-35mm f/4 with the 14-24mm f/2.8 without any compromise on filter usage. Information technology took me a lot of attempt and fourth dimension for testing but finally I can show you the best possible solution.

Offset a short overview what's available on the market:

Fotodiox Wonder Pana FreeArc System
On first sight a very solid simply heavy and quite expensive system. There is a 145mm round polarizer available likewise every bit 145mm round ND filters in unlike forcefulness. Graduated neutral density filters are bachelor in the size of vi,6″ ten 8,v″. Biggest drawback of this system is the limitation of not assuasive polarizer, ND filter and graduated ND filter at the same time. Additionaly the 6,6″ size of the holder does non allow to use Lee filters which are known to be the most neutral and all-time quality ND graduated filters available. This organization was not an option for me.

LucrOit Filter Holder
The spanish company designed a plastic holder that allows the use of ii 165mm filters. Again at that place are many limitations with that holder. You can just use 2 filters at a time and 165mm filters are available just from Formatt Hitech. There is no polarizer available at all. I have very bad feel with Formatt Hitech filters every bit they produce false colors then the LucrOit system was neither an option for me.

Lee Filters SW-150 Holder
Lee Filters introduced this holder years agone but you won't find it very often in the field as it is quite expensive and information technology's availability was more than limited in the past. The holder is made from solid metal and takes 150mm filters. It ships with two guides that permit to work with two filters at the same fourth dimension. The guides have the same size as the Foundation Kit Holder what makes it possible to expanded to 3 filter slots. As Lee even offers special 4mm guides (the standard ones are 2mm) and there is a square 150x150mm and 4mm thick Polarizer bachelor from Cavision it was clear to me that the Lee SW-150 is the best and most versatile holder for the xiv-24mm f/ii.8. With the Lee holder I was able to use the high quality Lee neutral density graduated filters, neutral density filters in 150x150mm from Haida and the Cavision Polarizer at the aforementioned time.

How to deal with flares?

Lens flares Nikon 14-24 A full general problem when shooting the 14-24 f/2.8 with any kind of filters is lens flares. Quite like shooting fish in a barrel to deal with when you only use graduated neutral density filters merely as before long equally you want to shoot long exposures with neutral density filters up to 10 stops (ND 3.0) y'all will definitely run into problems. Especially when y'all shoot at the widest focal length of 14mm. Lee ships the SW-150 holder with two thin plastic baffles that should reduce flares by blocking light falling from the rear side on the filters. I have never used these original baffles as they don't work properly. The chief problem of the Lee Holder is the big gap betwixt the holder and the filter in the first position. As long every bit yous shoot in landscape orientation, the fixed lens hood covers the lite entering the gap from top and bottom. The Filter guides encompass quite well from the side. However equally soon equally yous change the camera into portrait orientation the front element will be fully exposed to light from the top and the bottom. Lee SW-150 flare cloth

The first and most important thing y'all need to do: cover the entire holder which minimizes any lite inbound from the sides and the gaps between the filters. I bought a black cotton fiber tube scarf containing elastane (spandex) material and folded it 3 times to get in calorie-free-tight. On one terminate I sew a rubber strap that seals it around the adaptor neckband of the holder. With some simple sewing you can make it look very nice and not flattering effectually. It's a good idea to stick a layer of cocky adhesive velcro tape around the adaptor collar. This volition gear up the fiber cloth to the adaptor collar and minimizes the risk that the textile moves the focus ring of the lens by mistake. The cloth likewise minimizes the hazard that heavy glass filters fall out of the holder and in rainy conditions you won't have whatever drops of h2o between the filters. On start sight it might expect a scrap strange standing on location with such a setup simply you have to make up one's mind if you desire the best possible image quality or continue to shoot with lens flares…

Probem solved? Non yet… With just the material yous can shoot two graduated neutral density filters and a polarizer without any flare issues. As soon as you lot slide in a neutral density filter and shoot long exposures, lens flare might show upward once more, especially in portrait orientation. Reason for this is the tiny lens hood on top in portrait orientation. You demand to install an boosted "FlareBlocker" to your holder that closes the gap between the holder itself and the first filter. I have measured the exact size of the holder and fabricated a 3D drawing of such a "FlareBlocker". And then I've sent the file to a visitor that printed it in 3D on a Plastic Sintering (SLS) printer. I received a black super low-cal merely very stable Polyamide ring that slides into the holder and tin can stay there all the fourth dimension. At that place is no need to employ whatsoever mucilage or duct tape to fix the FlareBlocker in the Lee SW-150 holder. It holds tight and won't fall out but y'all tin can easily remove it when the holder is not on the lens.

Lee SW-150 FlareBlocker

The FlareBlocker will non scratch your filters as there is a gap of 1,5mm between the FlareBlocker and the showtime filter. The gap is not critical in terms of light leakage as the whole holder is covered with the black cloth anyway. The FlareBlocker merely eliminates successfully internal reflections. It'south not enough to use but the FlareBlocker or just the black textile. If you lot want to exist certain not to have any flares from reflections or sidelight in your shot y'all accept to use both at the aforementioned time. I strongly recommend that!

I've tested the arrangement with long exposures up to vi minutes with the following 3 filters on the holder and could non find any flare when shooting into the calorie-free as well equally with sidelight:
– Haida 150x150mm ND 3.0 glass filter
– Lee Graduated neutral density filter 150x170mm
– Cavision 6″x6″ Circ. Polarizer

What are the limitations of the system?

In that location are only very little limitations compared to the classic Lee Foundation Kit 100mm Filter system on a standard lens. Many people will complain that it'southward not possible to rotate the polarizer when using graduated neutral density filters at the same time. Yes that'south true. But in fact it'south non a problem equally the polarizer is ever most constructive either straight in the holder or turned by 90° – which is again straight in the holder every bit it is a square polarizer. You only rotate the polarizer before you slide it in the holder and you'll always take the total result. Of grade you lose some polarization if you need to rotate the holder when the horizon is not direct.

Can I shoot total 14mm focal length without vignetting?
Yeah! Even with iii filters on the holder there is no vignetting at 14mm as long every bit the holder is straight and not rotated. If you need to rotate the holder you will see the filter guides popping upward in the frame. But around 10° rotation is still possible.

Tin can I shoot with ND-Grad, ND-Filter and Polarizer without Vignetting at 14mm focal length?
Yes! But you will see light falloff when using very dumbo ND filters such every bit an ND 3.0. This is a typical thing of very dense ND Filters and not related to the holder itself. The light falloff is stronger at 14mm than at 24mm focal length. Y'all simply have to correct the vignetting in your RAW converter manually.

Are there any other drawbacks of the system?
Well – if you're on a budget this system might be not the right choice for you. The full set of the holder and various filters will cost as much every bit the lens itself. But if yous aim for the all-time possible image quality at very broad focal length along with the flexibility of using three filters at the aforementioned time, this is the organisation for you. Shooting the xiv-24mm f/two.8 with the huge filters will ho-hum down your photography a chip and you won't be as fast every bit with the smaller 100mm filters. I don't come across a problem. A friend of mine has reported that the white Lee Filters name tag inside of the holder can sometimes reverberate light and makes it visible in your image. But embrace information technology with some tape or paint information technology black.

Where can I buy the FlareBlocker?
I am simply an amateur photographer and not running any photography accessories business. I am not selling the FlareBlocker. Only hey – y'all tin impress this thing at your local 3D printer for a few bucks. Merely draw the FlareBlocker in SketchUp by yourself and send it to an online 3D printer. If yous don't know how to depict the 3D model you tin download the printable file here.

I have never considered using filters on my Nikon xiv-24mm f/2.viii but want to try information technology. What do I need to buy?
Get your credit carte du jour ready. Hither'southward what Irecommend y'all to purchase:

– Lee SW-150 Starter-Kit, (Holder, adaptor collar, neoprene lens cap, 0.six ND Grad hard and cleaning cloth)
– Lee graduated neutral density filters in 150x170mm size every bit much as you demand. I recommend to buy additional 0.6 and 0.9 soft.
– Haida 150x150mm ND Filters. These filters are fabricated of drinking glass and have outstanding optical quality. Extremely color neutral! They are available in ND 0.9 (8x), ND 1.8 (64x) and ND 3.0 (1000x)
– Cavision six″x6″ Circ. Polarizer. Y'all can also buy the linear polarizer simply then you can but focus in live view as your phase autofocus system won't work anymore.
– Lee Filter System 4mm guides The polarizer is 4mm thick and you need special filter guides from Lee!
– 4 Screws in M2 thread and 2cm length. These are only needed if you desire to mount the 4mm guides on top of two 2mm guides
– Black tube scarf. I bought the Myrtle Beach – X-Tube scarf / hair band
– And of course the FlareBlocker.
– At that place are non many options for filter pouches. Bank check out the Arri Media vi×6″ Filter Pouch or the Terrascape ONESIXFIVE

Update 20.12.2014

There is a new 150mm foursquare polarizer available from Nisi. Check out more details hither.