Light Craft Workshop Fader ND Mark II (Owner's Advice?)

[HD-tography]

So I’m going to be purchasing a Light Craft Workshop Fader ND Mark II, for use with my APS-C DSLR camera (T3i), however most of the lenses I own and use regularly are 58mm thread, but I have access to/use many 77mm threaded lenses as well, such as the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM (though I don’t own my own, yet)


My question is to those whom actually own and use this ND fader...


Can I just buy the 77mm version and step up rings for my other lenses (eg: 58mm-77mm step up) or should I do it proper and buy both a 58mm and 77mm version?


Obviously price comes into play here, as the 77mm version can be had for just $125 (and a step up ring for $8-$10) but if I’m buying an additional 58mm version that’s an extra $80 I could put back into something else, like my ever depleting lighting budget.


My concern is possible vignetting and also IME often the problem with step up rings is they come loose from the lens when you’re trying to either adjust the ring on the filter (like a circular polarizer for example) or make it difficult to unscrew the filter from the lens without the step-up ring coming loose, or in other words just being finicky.


What do those of you who own this model have to say? I know it’s very popular so many of you must be using it?


I also considered the Fader ND Digi Pro-HD but it's always out of stock, $470, and I don't always wanna use a Matte Box, which is why I shoot DSLR... lightweight & portable.

[mkkid28]

I've not seen any issues using a step up rings with my fader ND with any my lenses, that being said I've haven't got an lenses wider then the kit lens but I've not had any vignetting.

[HD-tography]

I've not seen any issues using a step up rings with my fader ND with any my lenses, that being said I've haven't got an lenses wider then the kit lens but I've not had any vignetting.

mkkid28 is that the 77mm Light Craft Workshop Fader ND Mark II + 58mm-77mm Step-up + Kit Lens (EF-S 18-55mm IS) Combo?

For 58mm to 77mm step up focal range that's the widest in my bag too, the 18mm end of the kit, but I rarely use it... next would be a 24mm and then a 28mm focal length... I WOULD be using the 77mm on a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 however, I wonder if vignetting will be an issue there, though that is an entirely different question than the step up one.

Maybe I actually need an 82mm version?!?

[mkkid28]

my Fader ND is the mark 2 but I got a 58 as at the time I had lenses that had 52, 55 and 58mm threads, then later on I got a 82mm thread on my Sigma (for that I now use a Cokin P filter system), but step ups work fine for those what Ive used it on. I even used a step up on my 82mm circular polarizer to fit on my 52 and 58mm threads and they worked great as well.

[HD-tography]

I WOULD be using the 77mm on a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 however, I wonder if vignetting will be an issue there, though that is an entirely different question than the step up one.

Maybe I actually need an 82mm version?!?

Nevermind, answered HERE... reportedly the 77mm (*Important: Mark II version) has absolutely NO vignetting on the Tokina 11-16mm (wide open).

Also, apparently no issues with vignetting using step up rings and 77mm on focal lengths like 24mm/28mm?

my Fader ND is the mark 2 but I got a 58 as at the time I had lenses that had 52, 55 and 58mm threads, then later on I got a 82mm thread on my Sigma (for that I now use a Cokin P filter system), but step ups work fine for those what Ive used it on. I even used a step up on my 82mm circular polarizer to fit on my 52 and 58mm threads and they worked great as well.

Thanks for the report, so as I understand it you are stepping a 52mm/55mm to a 58mm on the actual LCW Fader ND Mark II with no issues of vignetting, but have also had no issues of vignetting using step-ups for a 82mm circular polarizer with as low as 52mm/58mm threaded lenses, but what focal lengths are we talking about here?


The thing is too, The newer (Mark II) versions are already built over sized to prevent vignetting and actually have a wider frame than the lens threading (eg: Back thread diameter 77mm/Front thread diameter 82mm) This means you will lose the ability to place your stock lens cap and also use of any stock lens hoods, regardless of whether or not using step-up rings.

[HD-tography]

[HD-tography]

I don't know... I'm really torn... I don't really want to have an 82mm thread on the front of my once compact 58mm threaded lenses/primes... maybe I should just ignore the miser within and buy both the 58mm + 77mm versions?

[krewcial]

Just buy the 77mm version and use step up rings.

I use my FaderND on all my lenses (5), including my Sigma 24-70 (which actually is 82mm, I use a 82-77 step down ring on that one without any vignetting).

[Mark Stevens]

I have come to the conclusion that for me, these degrade my footage too much. It it worse the more telephoto you are but it is definitely there. Starts getting soft around 50-85 and anything above 100mm is just horrible (IMO). Try zooming in on the footage. So until I can afford the vari nd, I use high quality "fixed" nd filters. Just the normal kind. I use the 1.2 a lot. It doesn't soften the footage or tint it in any way, I feel a lot better about my footage compared to when I was using the lcw fader.

[Randy Malone]

Mark - I totally agree, I don't understand why more don't realize this. Sure you can't see it on the camera lcd but when you bring it into the computer the problem is obvious.