LEE 100 filter holder
What benefits does the new LEE 100 holder bring to those who regularly use filters? Michael Topham gave it a try
Michael Topham tries out LEE’s newest filter holder
Over the past few years we’ve seen a large amount of research and development go into the way photographers work with filters. Several filter manufacturers have come up with some clever ideas, with the main emphasis behind most of them being to make the use of filters easier and more convenient. Manufacturers such as Benro and H&Y have taken the direction of producing frames for filters, which surround the edge of the filter and slot or attach by magnetic force to
their respective holders. This design offers good protection should a filter be accidentally dropped and, in the case of the two companies mentioned, it’s also possible to fit a polariser between the lens and holder, with geared mechanisms offering precise adjustment and control.
One of the interesting new products to be showcased at this year’s Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham was the LEE 100 holder for the company’s popular 100mm system. Many photographers queued up to get hands on and watch live demonstrations of how it works. The new filter holder replaces the classic LEE filters holder that’s been in production for 25 years and promises to be a gamechanger in its field. It advances in various different ways, but is it as refined and easy to use in the field as some of the alternative filter systems now on the market?
The differences
The filter holder of old wasn’t exactly heavy, but this new holder is 16% lighter and
ThE nEw LEE 100 filter holder is fully compatible with all the LEE Filters 100mm filters, including the new LEE 100 Polariser filter. For those who already own an existing LEE 105mm polariser, there’s a new 105mm polarising ring (£35), which when attached allows it to be clipped on to the new holder. An adapter ring is required to connect the holder to the lens you wish to use and the LEE 100 holder is compatible with all LEE Filters 100mm standard and wideangle rings – good news for those who may have spent money on a few and have built up a collection for their various lenses. The only other thing to note is that the LEE Filters 100mm universal hood and wideangle hood are not compatible with the new LEE 100 filter holder. weighs 52g on the scales. As for the finish, it could easily be mistaken for being made of carbon fibre with an attractive weave pattern, but it’s actually precision engineered from injection-moulded composite materials and feels strong, rigid and sturdy enough for the most demanding of outdoor photographers. At the side of the holder the spring release that’s used to secure and remove the holder via an adapter ring fitted to the lens (the new holder being fully compatible with all existing LEE 100mm adapter rings) has been completely redesigned. For starters it’s larger, making it that bit easier to find when your eye is pressed up against the viewfinder.
I discovered it can also be removed and attached to the adapter ring single-handedly, but if you’re working on a tripod I’d recommend keeping one hand braced on a tripod leg to avoid it moving, or worse, toppling over. The interesting and clever part about the spring release is the bright blue locking ring, which features three settings: neutral, half lock and full lock. when it’s set to its neutral position, the holder can be rotated freely and removed from the adapter ring. Change the locking ring to its half-lock setting and you’ll find the holder can still be rotated, albeit with slightly more friction, but can’t be removed from the adapter ring. As its name suggests, the full-lock setting prevents the filter holder from rotating and stops it being removed from the adapter ring. All this is more control than was previously offered with the original LEE filter holder, which secured in
a similar fashion but couldn’t be locked or half locked.
One of the fiddly jobs on the old filter holder was changing the filter guides. This required users to first locate a suitably sized flathead screwdriver, unscrew four small brass metal screws, add or remove the relevant filter guides and then secure with the screws again. Attempt this in a gale, rain or freezing cold conditions with gloves on and you’d quickly lose the will to live. Thankfully, LEE Filters has addressed this issue by equipping the new holder with new modular filter- guide blocks, which come in one-, two- and three-slot configurations. There’s a bit of a knack to removing them, but you get a tool to help you, and the light grey plastic covers that are at the side of the guide blocks ensure a light-tight seal when using long- exposure ND filters. Compared to the old holder, it makes it faster and more manageable to change filter- guide blocks out in the field. To avoid losing vital parts the filter- guide blocks are conveniently supplied in a small drawstring bag.
Another good thing about the new guide blocks is that they’re designed in such a way that they accept the attachment of a new LEE 100 Polariser. The polariser clips into place in front of any other filters that users may wish to use – a different approach to some other manufacturers who position their polariser between the lens and any attached filters. The polariser clips into the guide block with a reassuring click, and remained securely attached throughout my testing.
In use
Existing LEE Filters users will find it takes a matter of minutes to get familiar with this new holder and its revised design. The new locking ring works very well despite being made of plastic and it doesn’t take long to learn the three positions that the locking ring can be set to. Filters slide into the guide blocks smoothly and are held in place securely without any fear of them slipping out. Swapping the slot configurations over takes less than 30 seconds, and it’s easiest and safest to remove the polariser (by squeezing the plastic catches together) when the filter holder is removed from the lens than when it’s attached. I experienced no signs of dark corners with lenses as wide as 15mm on full-frame with three 100mm filters loaded. Adding the LEE 100 Polariser to this combination did introduce dark edges and I was forced to zoom in (to around 18mm) to remove them. With the single-slot guide blocks fitted and the new LEE 100 polariser attached, I experienced no problems shooting as wide as 15mm.