I carry a circular polarizer and a graduated neutral density filter. I also carry a 500D closeup filter (not really a filter) and a 67-77 mm step-up ring.

I have been using the Tamrac SAS Compact Filter Case. Unfortunately, the padding inside the filter case seems to smudge my filters, requiring cleaning prior to every use.

What compact carrying system do you use to carry filters? What are the pros and cons of your system? I need to find something that works better without requiring cleaning prior to every use.





P.S. This doesn't need to be a discussion on whether these filters are needed for digital. I like to use them. I understand the possible alternatives, but still feel they are desirable to use in the field.

The best way I've seen is to buy screw on caps caps and screw all the like sized filters together and cap them. If you've enough filters they sit like a little lens in your bag.

Course that won't work with square filters.

I have the ThinkTank pouch. Fairly easy to get at when mounted on my belt. Square filters slide in and out easily.

Before this, I just stuck it into my fleecy pocket. I don't really keep my filters well.

I have the polariser permanently attached to my sigma 17-70. My ND grads I leave in their original boxes & they fit neatly with the Cokin holder in my Tamrac 7 adventurer backpack together with rocket blower, 50-200 zoom, spare batteries etc etc


I gave up on trying to be "compact" - I just find I can't leave anything behind


Simon

This is a good question. I was going to leave the filters in their plastic cases and buy a belt pouch to carry them. Not exactly a compact system. I too would like to know what works.

I can't stand the square filters in their cases. It rattles and that's bad for my subjects.

I haven't heard anything better than the tamrac filter case. To get around the inevitible smudges, I have each of mine individually wrapped in lens cloths and then stowed in the padded slots. The case can be attached to a belt or shoulder strap. I guess I already have a pretty compact method.

which Think Tank Pouch?

i've been looking for this solution for years and am suprised that there still isn't anything better than the Tamrac - the lens cloth idea is good - now if someone would make some lens cloth pouches that would even better

i don't like the stack caps -- screwing and unscrewing is a lot of juggling in the field that i don't need

I just use a old nylon CD pouch/wallet.

Speed Changer

I like to keep the polarizer immediately available so I attach a SanDisk CF Card pouch to my camera strap and keep the polarizer in it. The others are in a Tamarac. Haven't noted the smudging problem yet.

I keep mine in their original cases, which isn't ideal because they can be a fiddle to open especially with cold hands. But the upside is that you only drop them one at a time into a muddy puddle or on a hard floor........ I've never really come across any pouch etc that addresses clean filters and quick access and its about time somebody designed one.

I find that if I can't quickly find and mount the filter, I won't use them. I guess my system isn't as bad as I thought. I just figured that there would be a better system out there.

As for the smudging, I am not sure why the case does that, but wrapping them in lens cloths seems to be an okay solution.