Description
Lee Filters LEE85 Little Stopper
Part of the ‘The Dark Treble’ of high density neutral density filters. The Lee Filters Little Stopper is a 6 Stop ND Filter. Alongside the Lee Big Stopper (10 Stops) and the Lee Super Stopper (15 Stops). It’s an equally high quality filter for those photographers who love to shoot images using long exposures for creative effect.
Use of Neutral Density filters has increased greatly in photography. Shooting in bright light is easy but sometimes the compromise of a ultra fast shutter speed and very slow aperture aren’t ideal. Shooting in bright light with a fast aperture to throw the background out of focus is only possible with a ND Filter. An ability to capture images of absolute stillness and ‘freeze action’ may suit many types of photography but it’s not the only interpretation.
In landscape photography, an image of flowing water stilled and frozen often looks unnatural and odd. Using a slower shutter speed allows the flow of the water to be to natural and a sense of movement is created. Extend this further to using high density ND filter and the mood of the scene can be changed completely. Scenes can take on a more ethereal and mysterious look.
When a 3 stop ND filter just isn’t enough, higher density filter like the Lee Stopper range come into their own, offering choice and flexibility.
The Little Stopper is ideal for those low-light conditions at the beginning and end of the day (when the Big Stopper’s ten stops may prove too much), allowing you to enjoy increased flexibility with exposure lengths.
It’s highly effective and also very neutral, the result of careful dyeing of the glass during manufacturing.
In many shooting conditions the Little Stopper will retain detail and texture in areas of movement such as the sky and water, while still conveying a sense of time passing.
All of the Lee Stopper Filters, whether for the Seven5, 85, 100 or SW150 are system filters meaning that they fit into a holder. What make this very useful compared to a screw in filter is in actual use in the field.
When setting up the shot, you would have to focus and compose with the filter removed. Screwing on and off again a screw in filter can be tedious if having to check on focus or re-composing. AF is out of the question as the camera cannot focus with such low light levels. Setting up the camera on MF, the photographer would focus and ensure they are happy with the composition. Attempting this several times with a ND filter on and then off is far easier if using a slot-in filter.
The Lee 85 Little Stopper is a tempered glass filter. It is 85 x 90mm in size and is 2mm thick. Lee 85 Series filters have a useful thumb guides to easily position the Stopper square within the holder. It’s supplied with a metal storage tin and has a useful crib sheet for exposure calculation. Also available is a Lee Filters App for smartphones.
https://apps.apple.com/app/id1105022698
Curious about the Lee Little Stopper? Look at the helpful video created by Lee Filters.
https://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera/camera-resources