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What are the must-have L-mount lens filters for landscape photography?

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Finally jumped into the L-mount system with an S5II for my Dolomites trip next month! Im super excited but my old glass is a mess of adapters now. Need to keep the kit light for hiking. What are the absolute must-have lens filters for landscapes that wont vignette on the wider zooms?


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12

In my experience, buying unique filters for every lens is basically a scam for your wallet. I've tried many setups and the methodical way to save cash is getting one 82mm filter and using step-up rings.


12

I actually regret carrying a huge square filter kit through the Swiss Alps last summer. It was a total nightmare tbh. Honestly, the bulk nearly ruined the hike. Light changed fast. I missed half the shots while fumbling with glass in the wind. I learned the hard way that if you're doing the Dolomites, you need slim circulars that actually stay on the lens. Unfortunately, most budget filters have this disgusting yellow-green color cast that's a total pain to fix in post. I had huge issues with flare and ghosting using cheap stuff. If you're shooting wide zooms on your S5II, you absolutely gotta get the thin mounts or youll be cropping out black corners all day.

  • Get a high-end circular polarizer first. I wasted so much money on others before finally getting the Hoya 82mm HD3 Circular Polarizer. It is way tougher than the standard ones and doesnt kill your light transmission as much tho.
  • For long exposures, skip the variable NDs. They create that weird dark X pattern on wide zooms that just looks amateur. I use the Breakthrough Photography 77mm X4 6-Stop Fixed ND Filter instead. It is incredibly neutral compared to the muddy mess I used to get.
  • Dont even bother with physical graduated NDs in the field anymore. Bracketing your shots on the S5II is way faster and saves your back from carrying a heavy holder up a mountain. Spending a bit more now saves you from re-buying everything later when you realize the cheap glass is softening your beautiful landscapes.


4

saw this earlier but just getting back to you... hiking those peaks can be brutal on gear so i suggest a Hoya 77mm HD3 UV Filter for peace of mind. its way better to scratch a filter than your expensive glass. for the waterfalls, i stick with fixed glass like the Tiffen 77mm 0.9 Water White ND Filter to avoid the cross-polarization mess you get with variables on wide lenses.


1

Ive been shooting the S5II lately and im very satisfied with the technical performance of high-end glass on that sensor. If youre worried about vignetting, you need to look at the physical construction of the rings.

  • Go with B+W for your circular polarizers. You basically cant go wrong with their brass mounts because they wont bind when the temperature drops in the mountains.
  • Just get any of the pro-level circular ND filters from Lee Filters. Their coatings are scientifically consistent and I havent seen any loss in micro-contrast.
  • Always choose the slim profile versions to ensure the wide zooms dont catch the edge of the filter frame. The reliability of these brands works well for me. Its much better to have gear you can trust when the light is peaking than to fiddle with budget options that shift colors. No complaints here.


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