Lets talk Filters :D

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Ok so im in search of a filter system something similar to the cokin A & P system but dont know a lot about these, does anyone have these and experience of them? and whats a good price for a kit of ND grad filters and holders? and any other info you guys can assist with i may need.

regards
 
Cokin P is for the lens threads like 77mm etc and offers a wide range of NDs and ND Grads for about 10 - 20 pounds a go.
There is also Lee filters who offer a much bigger filters but at a heavier cost.

Cokin is the consumers brand really though.

Cokin A is for the lens threads like 58mm so the entire filter system is physically smaller than the P

Example

Canon EFs 18 - 55 is a 58mm thread lens and will require the Cokin A system with Cokin A compatible filters.

Canon EF 17 - 40 L is a 77mm thread and will require the Cokin P system with Cokin P compatible filters.
 
i thourght i was gonna need two kits!, are there any competitor brands to cokin that are cheaper? also whats the quality of these filters going to be like? and the image quality after, do you use them fstop? as some real life examples would be good
 
I think Fstop11 might have been slightly confusing there !

Buy the P system if you have large diameter lens or ever likely to buy one.
I started with the A system years ago, but had to change over to the P when I bought a bigger lens... The P system works OK on small sizes as well.
It's actual a better way to go, as ultra wide angle lenses vignette easily, so having an over sized filter holder on a small lens is a good idea.

You want quality and cheaper.... "sorry doesn't work like that"
 
How am I confusing?

I do use the Cokin P system as all of my lenses
EF 10 - 22 - EF 17 - 40 L - 100 - 400 L IS - EX 105 Macro have 77mm lens threads and that system fits it perfectly.

There are 3 parts to it
1. the filter bracket
2. the ring that you buy for a specific lens thread (all mine at 77mm but there is a range of something like 67mm/85mm and you buy the ring for the lens thread you have and just slot it into the back of the bracket)
3. filter bracket cover

I had a Cokin A system when I had the Kit lens and 70 - 300 as those lens threads were both 58mm

Cokin A lens thread range
36/37/39/40.5/41/42/43/43.5/44/46/48/49/52/54/55/58/62mm
If your lens threads are higher than the above figures buy yourself a Cokin P series

There is the Z Pro series too but thats aimed more for pros
 
Last edited:
9designs2 said:
I think Fstop11 might have been slightly confusing there !

Buy the P system if you have large diameter lens or ever likely to buy one.
I started with the A system years ago, but had to change over to the P when I bought a bigger lens... The P system works OK on small sizes as well.
It's actual a better way to go, as ultra wide angle lenses vignette easily, so having an over sized filter holder on a small lens is a good idea.

You want quality and cheaper.... "sorry doesn't work like that"

Soft P grads wont be much use on a lens with a 52mm thread hence the need for the A filter range that has harder graduations.
 
Cokin P goes right down to 48mm so is usable with just about any SLR lens so unless the OP isn't planning on using anything that A is too small for I'd recommend P.

The Cokin NDs and ND grads aren't great though, they leave a brownish colour cast on the image which is a pain to remove in Photoshop. Lee filters are far better but vastly more expensive (and need bespoke holders), Hitech have a reasonable reputation but they're tricky to get hold of.
 
The options you have;

Cokin A (67mm)
Cokin P (85mm)
Cokin Z-Pro (100mm)
Cokin X-Pro (130mm)
Lee (100mm)
Hitech 4x4 (100mm)
Hitech (85mm)
Kood A (67mm)
Kood P (85mm)

If your just using them casually and want fairly cheap i'd recommend going with a Cokin P holder and Hitech filters. Coking holders are perfectly fine, but their ND and ND grad filters tend to leave a slight magenta cast. I went with a Lee filter holder and filters in the end, as I want to be able to keep using it if I ever move to a full frame system with ultra wide angle lenses.
 
I have to say I tend to do my ND Grad work in PS now, no issues with quality of filter then, and more controllable.

"Soft P grad" ???? :confused:
 
messiah khan said:
If your just using them casually and want fairly cheap i'd recommend going with a Cokin P holder and Hitech filters. Coking holders are perfectly fine, but their ND and ND grad filters tend to leave a slight magenta cast. I went with a Lee filter holder and filters in the end, as I want to be able to keep using it if I ever move to a full frame system with ultra wide angle lenses.

The LEE system is probably easily the best out there but it comes at a whooping cost and to someone being introduced into filters you prob want to try out first with some 15 quid filters before you start scratching 30/80 quid filters! :eek:
 
I use a Cokin P mount i bought about 13 years ago.
thats got an original Cokin Grey Grad 120.
But recently i've bought Kood filters to use in it.
The Kood CPL works brilliantly in the P mount.
 
9designs2 said:
I have to say I tend to do my ND Grad work in PS now, no issues with quality of filter then, and more controllable.

But photoshop is no good if the sky in a shot is already burnt out due to the dynamic range being to great for the camera.
 
Fstop11 said:
The LEE system is probably easily the best out there but it comes at a whooping cost and to someone being introduced into filters you prob want to try out first with some 15 quid filters before you start scratching 30/80 quid filters! :eek:

thats a good point but it could in the long run work out more economical to splash out now than upgrade from one system to another later on, as im looking to buy the whole caboodle kit plus 3 filters of different grad 2-8 or summit. what price we talking for the lee kit?

We still aint got any examples posted yet!!

thanks for help so far
 
ichabod crane said:
thats a good point but it could in the long run work out more economical to splash out now than upgrade from one system to another later on, as im looking to buy the whole caboodle kit plus 3 filters of different grad 2-8 or summit. what price we talking for the lee kit?

We still aint got any examples posted yet!!

thanks for help so far


For my full Lee kit; Holder, 2 wideangle adapters, ND grad filter, filter puch, lens caps etc I payed about £180.
 
Thats the correct attitude to have about starting out with the best but only if you can justify it.

As MK said above. his kit is peaking £200 and that doesn't get you a lot to play with.

This system is for those who really want to use them for digital work and if in the future they venture forward into Medium/Large format cameras where the camera is going to require much larger filters so the LEE is future proof.
There isn't many people who will go that route though.
 
messiah khan said:
But photoshop is no good if the sky in a shot is already burnt out due to the dynamic range being to great for the camera.

Shouldn't be taking pictures at mid day anyway !! LOL
.....I thought that was what HDR was for ;)

Just dug out my ancient 120P Grad....

For a start the P system on the 24-105L...77mm vignettes, had to take the slimline Hoya filter off first... but still does it..... pictures to follow in a bit...
 
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