# Lee Filters and Filter Holder Protection



## scottkinfw (Apr 8, 2018)

Hi all, and thank you for reading.

I am exploring photography using filters. Does anyone have experience with bags that would be able to safely transport, organize, and protect the expensive filter systems, while allowing for easy and efficient access in the field? I usually take a roller bag or photo backpack and want to carry them safely.

Thank you so much.

Scott


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## fentiger (Apr 8, 2018)

Have a look on the Lee website, they do field pouches that hold up to 10 filters


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## scottkinfw (Apr 9, 2018)

fentiger said:


> Have a look on the Lee website, they do field pouches that hold up to 10 filters



I am considering this product, but am thinking of something larger. Do you have experience with it?

I was thinking of a ThinkTank Retrospective Bag:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1226531-REG/think_tank_photo_714_retrospective_7_shoulder_bag.html

Opinions?

Thanks.

sek


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## Khristo (Apr 9, 2018)

I have one of these and think it's a great bag. I use it for carrying a lighter load of DSLR + a few lenses. If you are wanting something to provide solid protection for glass filters it may not be appropriate as while it's well padded, it is a fairly soft bag - i.e. no frame or rigid sides.


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## LDS (Apr 9, 2018)

scottkinfw said:


> I am considering this product, but am thinking of something larger. Do you have experience with it?



If you need good protection, and quick and easy access in the field, you'll need a separate pouch designed to carry this kind of filters. I.e. Lee (http://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera-directory/camera-dir-list/category/field-pouch), Lowepro (https://store.lowepro.com/s-f-filter-pouch-100), probably there are others. Photo bags pockets usually needs the filters to be kept in their boxes or at least their protective wraps, making access less easy. Be aware that resin filters are easy to scratch.

I find far more comfortable to have the pouch clipped at my belt, or strapped at the tripod, so I don't have to reach the photo bag each time I need to get or put a filter.


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## StoicalEtcher (Apr 9, 2018)

Hi,

For what it is worth, speaking as the breaker of both a Lee big stopper and a Lee polariser down the years (both glass), at separate times when crouching low with the filters in bags/pockets, I am now buying the Lee tin boxes for more expensive filters (more recent purchases of the Stoppers, at least, now come with a tin). They are fairly inexpensive (in the UK at least), and while they take more room in the bag / filter holder, they help reduce breakages.

I can add my recommendation to those of others for the Lee field pouches as being good for keeping a number of filters / holders close to hand when in the field.


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## Halfrack (Apr 9, 2018)

How many filters are you looking to hold and of what size? Take a look at the NiSi kits that include a hard case, or something similar. Also, check out 2Filter - their selection and knowledge is huge.

http://www.2filter.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/NiSi_100mm_V5_PRO_Filter_Holder_System.html

Also, on a side note, don't go the route of the 1/2/3 stop kits - you'll most likely want a 4 stop hard, 4 stop soft, a solid ND of 6 or 10 stops, and maybe a reverse ND (for sunsets).


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## amorse (Apr 10, 2018)

LDS said:


> scottkinfw said:
> 
> 
> > I am considering this product, but am thinking of something larger. Do you have experience with it?
> ...



This is what I use - I store two rings, 3 ND grads, the polarizer and the holder in this pouch, plus a big stopper and a little stopper each in tin cases. I keep the pouch at the top of my pack and try not to smack it around too much. So far so good - no breakage yet.

I prefer this setup because then I can choose an appropriate bag for what I'm up to and still have the same protection for the filters. Sometimes a shoulder bag just isn't going to cut it and a full backpack is a better solution depending on what you're up to.


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## slclick (Apr 10, 2018)

For filter holders and pouches I use off brands, such as Fotodiox, as they work well, cost far less and don't effect image quality 

I do spend the dough on filters, mind you I prefer Formatt Hitech Firecrest.


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## Durf (Apr 21, 2018)

StoicalEtcher said:


> Hi,
> 
> For what it is worth, speaking as the breaker of both a Lee big stopper and a Lee polariser down the years (both glass), at separate times when crouching low with the filters in bags/pockets, I am now buying the Lee tin boxes for more expensive filters (more recent purchases of the Stoppers, at least, now come with a tin). They are fairly inexpensive (in the UK at least), and while they take more room in the bag / filter holder, they help reduce breakages.
> 
> I can add my recommendation to those of others for the Lee field pouches as being good for keeping a number of filters / holders close to hand when in the field.



I have a little experience breaking filters too 

I got tired of the space my extensive filter kit took up in my backpack and downsized....I took the foam out of one tin and made a thin sleeve to hold both the little and big stopper so they both fit in one tin. I have the Lee holder with the polarizer ring and filter mounted to it in its own Lee pouch and downsized to 2 ND grads only, a soft 3 stop and a medium 2 stop (the 2 I use the most) also in a homemade thin sleeve safely tucked between the ND tin and ring pouch. I'm in the mountains so hard grads are mostly useless here. 

One tends to brainstorm every necessary inch of space and ounce of weight when luggin around a heavy bag of hard plastic, metal, and glass....


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## StoicalEtcher (May 7, 2018)

> One tends to brainstorm every necessary inch of space and ounce of weight when luggin around a heavy bag of hard plastic, metal, and glass....


Yes - good point: been there, and nothing like spending a week in the mountains to make you re-assess what's really necessary


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## slclick (May 7, 2018)

Well, actually I just saw that I use a Lowepro for my main pouch. https://store.lowepro.com/s-f-filter-pouch-100

It holds the holder and filters quite well. The Fotodiox was my previous smaller setup.


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## Durf (May 7, 2018)

slclick said:


> Well, actually I just saw that I use a Lowepro for my main pouch. https://store.lowepro.com/s-f-filter-pouch-100
> 
> It holds the holder and filters quite well. The Fotodiox was my previous smaller setup.



I had this pouch and used it for a while as it easily mounted to the outside of my lowepro protactic backpack and I didn't have to worry about making room for it inside the bag itself. All was fine for a while until one day trudgin through some brush and a twig or branch caught on it and all my filters dumped on to the ground! Damn thing does not shut securely and really needs to be closed with a zipper and not just a snap!

I tossed it in the garbage when I got home and replaced it with a Haida Pouch that zips shut. 

I still sometimes use the Haida pouch when I go "filter shooting" but mostly I don't use many filters anymore except ND's occasionally and they are in my bag just in a tin all the time.


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