The case for Kase
Posted on Nov 29, 2019
The Kase filter system offers a practical and elegant solution to using a polariser in combination with other filters. That’s one of many reasons why two leading scenic pros use Kase filters.
SPONSORED BY KASE
Working on feedback from users, the Kase team of designers and engineers took the popular K8 filter holder and came up with the innovative K9 holder.
The new holder still positions a magnetically attached polariser next to the lens and allows the use of three more filters in front, but this filter is now 90mm in diameter. Together with redesigned filter slots, it means the Kase filter system can be used on lenses as wide as 14mm on the full-frame format without vignetting.
The holder, made from aviation-grade aluminium alloy, is also lighter than the previous model and features design tweaks to make handling even better. So now there’s a rapid tightening screw, improved polariser drive cog and modified cut-outs to allow easier polariser removal. Finally, the K9 is fully compatible with Wolverine filters. Made from hardened optical-quality glass and featuring nano coating, these filters maintain the lens’s quality, are scratch resistant, dust and water repellent and totally neutral. A full range of NDs and neutral density graduates is available in the Wolverine range.
Julian Baird
youtube.com/jbairdexp
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m a landscape photographer living in the beautiful county of Devon. My passion for photography is only outweighed by my love of the great outdoors. I love being outside, and despite the misery of those 3am alarm calls, sometimes there is nothing better than photographing the start of a new day. My joy for photography extends past the camera and I am passionate about creating prints and sharing my adventures on my YouTube channel.
What is your photographic style?
I’m what you might call a classic or traditional landscape photographer. My photography is very much influenced by my local area so I shoot a lot of open views, moorland and seascapes. I like my images to create a sense of wonder and excitement about the landscape we all share. Though I typically like my photographs to have lots of contrast and colour, I take a light hand to post-processing. I want my photographs to be exciting, but genuine.
Why Kase filters?
As a landscape photographer I need my gear to be robust and the Kase system is just that. The filters are easy to keep clean in wet weather and I can be confident they can handle a few rough trips. The new K9 holder and polariser now allow me to realise the full potential of the latest wide-angle lenses with no vignetting or loss in optical quality. They are an essential part of my kit bag.
Alister Benn
expressive.photography
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m really only happy when I’m in the countryside, whether by the ocean, or climbing in the mountains; I live on the west coast of Scotland. I spend a lot of the year running small group workshops, encouraging participants to find creativity and expression. My primary business focus is in education, challenging the myths, rules and templates for successful images and promoting the power of engagement.
What is your photographic style?
I don’t believe in personal style; we have a spectrum of expressive and creative output, and the quest for identifiable personal style is more of a restriction than a benefit. If I want to make bright, airy images I will, but If I’m in a more melancholic mood I enjoy the freedom to allow those feelings to resonate. Anything that I produce that is honest is genuine. I also enjoy photographing in diverse environments, from coasts and rivers to mountains and forests; all of these encourage diversity and growth.
Why Kase filters?
Over the two decades I’ve been using filters, I’ve used most of the big brands and was never truly happy with any of them. I’ve been asked before to endorse a brand, but Kase is the first one I’ve felt confident enough to commit to. Colour neutrality, ergonomic design, convenience, durability and light weight, Kase delivers on them all. I use them in the field for over 260 days a year and they’re rock solid performers. I never have to doubt my gear, so I can focus on creativity.
Availability
Kase filters are available from the Kase website and official UK stockists, WEX Photo video.
Several kits are available:
- The K9 holder kit costs £140 and includes the holder, a slimline circular polariser and four rings: the 77mm and 82mm geared lens adapter rings plus the 67mm and 72mm step-up rings.
- The entry-level kit is £365. It features the holder kit, a soft carry case plus two Wolverine 100mm filters: the 0.9 soft ND grad and ND64 6EV neutral density.
- At £495, the K9 high-end kit adds a 0.9 reverse ND grad designed for successful sunrise/sunset shooting, while the K9 master kit costs £745 and features five Wolverine filters, including a 1.2 soft ND grad and a 10EV ND.
For more information, please visit the Kase website.
