Pentax 15mm Limited and square filter systems

Has anyone tried using a square filter system such as Cokin or Lee on the above lens?

I ask as I am wanting to invest in one of these systems (probably Lee if/ when the filters become available). On the 15mm Ltd the lens hood protrudes slightly when retracted and I am worried the filter holder may not be able to screw in properly. It would be a shame if there were a problem as this lens is the most likely one I would use the system with -landscapes with the graduated filters or the 'Big Stopper' etc.

Any thoughts /experiences / comments welcome.

Cheers

H.

I think the way around it is to screw in a filter (UV/Protector but with the glass removed if you prefer) and then attach a slim Cokin (or other) filter holder to this. I've never done this - just read about it elsewhere. Hopefully, other PUFers will be able to provide more detailed help.

As I said in my Polariser thread I have the Hi Tech System and they do an adaptor for their system for a 49mm thread, which may or may not help you...
http://teamworkphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_261&prod...
Have a look around the site above for an idea of prices etc.

This is the manufacturers website, they are really helpful and a top notch bunch of people...
http://www.formatt.co.uk/default.aspx
No I don't work for them, it's just a good product at a fair price...

Jules, have you used this with a DA15? I ask because it says this on the Teamwork page:


I wondered if the in-built hood would interfere with the receding adapter ring?

Not yet I just ordered it this morning!
If it doesn't work you'll all be the first to know!
They also do ordinary adaptor rings which may work as an alternative...
http://www.formatt.co.uk/stills-filters/hardware-100mm/wide-angle-adaptor.aspx
Someone has to be the guinea pig here

You have to watch out for the graduated filters

A 100mm NDgrad works a treat on a DA12-24 where the front lens element is huge. However, stick the same 100mm NDgrad on a small lens and you are only using a tiny part of the grad

You'd probably find that an 'A' sized filter would be more suited to a 49mm thread... or a 'P' at a pinch.

Of course, for the Big Stopper it won't matter. (Except the cost! :shock

... the other thing is how far the lens protrudes from the body. You may find that a Lee 100mm holder will hit the handgrip!! (Sorry, I don't have the 15mm to check)

HTH,
Matt

Good point, Matt. But don't the smaller filters have slight colour casts?

Mhuni,
Even the Cokin Z-Pro filters I have have slight colour casts
Lee are probably the only ones that have next to none, or none - but you definitely pay for it!

A slight magenta cast is no big deal and easily neutralised in Photoshop

It would definitely be a shame to pay out for lovely Lee NDgrad filters and find that they're not actually NDgrad but adjustable grad on a smaller lens

Matt

PS. Apart from straight ND, I find I'm using grads less and less. The dynamic range of the K7 helps, and where that's not enough two or three shots work just as well - gluing them back together in PP.

Just got off the phone with them and they can't make it fit
http://teamworkphoto.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_261&prod...
Not before the Postman had collected it
So it'll just have to go back and I'm back to the polariser idea, though Teamwork did suggest the Lee push on but I have no experience of that particular system and ain't about to throw masses of wonga their way either when it appears my other filter holder system is now redundant!

Thanks for all the above replies -

Matt - I'd never thouoght about the problem of the grads with a lens with a small front element before - thanks for bringing that up - and cheers to Mhuni and Jules for their input too - It's not looking so hopefull that that I'll get the sysytem I really want to work properly on it.


Such a shame as I really like the 15mm but this problem is throwing a real spanner into the works -all my other lenses I figure would be fine, but the one I reckon would be the most useful with the filters is the one causing the headache!

Thanks again - might have to consider selling it and going for the DA14m or DA12-24 - had some specific types of shot in mind that I'm not sure I can pull off without certain fiters.

For a very short while I owned the 12-24mm and it was an excellent lens that at the time I thought was faulty! I sent it back, turned out to be my K7 that was faulty! Have a look about for a Samsung one they seem to be much cheaper! However now I have the 15mm I'm not parting with it and will just have to find another solution...

Been looking at the 15mm Ltd myself and figured this would be an issue. Only solution that I could work out is either build out the filter thread to reach beyond the fixed hood or... grind the hood down

The hood on the 31mm Ltd causes me the same grief and is one of the reasons why that lens gets less use than it should!

Noone's commented on the idea of using a filter (element removed if desired) to get you beyond the in-built hood. Wouldn't this work? I'm sure I read about someone doing this elsewhere - and without vignetting.

What's the thickness of filter that you need to get beyond the hood? 5mm? Or is it more? Surely if you have to go much beyond the hood then you'll run into vignetting issues? Otherwise Pentax would have designed a larger (half useful?!?) hood?

I'm afraid all I can do is regurgitate something I read in a post (on Pentaxforuns, I think) a few weeks back. I don't have the lens. Physically that is - mine should be arriving at relatives in the US around about now.

I guess it was a slim filter they referred to.