New LEE Filters 15-stop ‘Super Stopper’ Revealed
Whilst it may seem crazy, LEE Filters are introducing a new 15-stop filter to their range. This will mean a normal 2 second exposure will take over 15 hours to complete. But the real attraction of this filter is to be able to create long exposure images in bright sunlight.
With its 15 stops of light-reducing power, the Super Stopper sits at the top of the Stopper family, joining the Big and Little Stoppers in the long-exposure photography revolution. Similarly, the Super Stopper will be available for the 100mm, Seven5, and SW150 lines of LEE Filters products.
The Super Stopper is designed for use in bright conditions, during the middle of the day – a time that’s traditionally considered unsuitable for photography because of the harsh, contrasty nature of the light. However, with the Super Stopper filter fitted, the softness that arises from any movement contrasts pleasingly with any areas of bright light, creating an effect rarely seen in photography before now.
Like all the filters in the Stopper family, the Super Stopper is constructed from the high-quality optical glass and is supplied in a metal case for protection. It has only a minimal colour cast that is easily corrected in postproduction.
The filter factor of the Super Stopper is 3200 and it has a density of 4.5. This exposure chart allows you to find out the extremes to which photographers can now take their long exposures using the Super Stopper.
DPreview reports that the SW150 series will cost $175, with further details and availability to be announced soon. LEE Filters has yet to make the announcement on its own website, but the press release comes from reliable sources: the UK distributor Linhof Studio.
