Cokin ND Grad Filters - Recommendations?

boccers_2000

boccers_2000

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Hi Guys,

Ive seen a few threads about ND Grad Filters.

Im thinking of investing. Does anyone know where it is best to get hold of them cheapest?

Ive got a Canon 500D plus 50mm 1.8 and 10-22 mm. I'll be using them for landscapes so mainly for the 10-22 but ive heard if you get a holder it works out cheaper (as not need to keep buying for different thread sizes).

Any idea?
 
for the beginner this is a minefield, I've subscribed to this thread in the hope I can get a solution too
 
boccers_2000 said:
Hi Guys,

Ive seen a few threads about ND Grad Filters.

Im thinking of investing. Does anyone know where it is best to get hold of them cheapest?

Ive got a Canon 500D plus 50mm 1.8 and 10-22 mm. I'll be using them for landscapes so mainly for the 10-22 but ive heard if you get a holder it works out cheaper (as not need to keep buying for different thread sizes).

Any idea?
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hi boccers

okay,you can get cokin filters from most photography outlets,and most will be pretty much the same price wise.you could try e-bay,or there are cheaper copies out there,but not sure how they would compare.cokin square[or rectangular] filters require a holder,and adaptor ring to fit your lens thread.i use a cokin P system,but anything wider than approx 20mm causes vignetting in the corners,so using your 10-22,you will need to go for a cokin Z or X pro kit to use the lens full range,which are pretty expensive in comparison,however...how often are you likely to shoot at that width :shrug:.
 
You need a holder and adaptor ring, as well as the filters them selves.

I bought some a month ago, but I have already upgraded to some Lees, so at some point I'll be putting up my Cokin stuff in the classifieds.
 
stan the man said:
hi boccers

okay,you can get cokin filters from most photography outlets,and most will be pretty much the same price wise.you could try e-bay,or there are cheaper copies out there,but not sure how they would compare.cokin square[or rectangular] filters require a holder,and adaptor ring to fit your lens thread.i use a cokin P system,but anything wider than approx 20mm causes vignetting in the corners,so using your 10-22,you will need to go for a cokin Z or X pro kit to use the lens full range,which are pretty expensive in comparison,however...how often are you likely to shoot at that width :shrug:.
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I dont plan on shooting at the full 10 mm very often.

ideally id just like a set of filters to cover where im comfronted with bright skies etc. Views?
 
The Cokin filter system is actually very good, and worth a look at, and of course they do a lot more than graduated ND's.

I've got a bunch of filters, screw in and recently purchased a Cokin P series holder and ND8 filter.

With the 10-22mm you will get vignetting up to 13mm (not 20mm as posted above, not on a crop at least) but thats not a massive issue... If you dont want this I'd recommend the X or Z series which are truely designed for ultra wides but may be a bit excessive on other lenses (the Z series use 130mm filters, thats a 13cm piece of glass hanging off the end of your lens!!).

In fact, I went out and took some test shots with mine today, I'll post some up later if you want, though I havnt even looked at them myself yet!
 
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odd jim said:
The Cokin filter system is actually very good, and worth a look at, and of course they do a lot more than graduated ND's.

I've got a bunch of filters, screw in and recently purchased a Cokin P series holder and ND8 filter.

With the 10-22mm you will get vignetting up to 13mm (not 20mm as posted above, not on a crop at least) but thats not a massive issue... If you dont want this I'd recommend the X or Z series which are truely designed for ultra wides but may be a bit excessive on other lenses.

In fact, I went out and took some test shots with mine today, I'll post some up later if you want, though I havnt even looked at them myself yet!
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would be great, post them and let me have a nosey.

My recurring problem is blown out skies so ND Grad Filters may be the way to go for me. I try and expose for the foreground (as opposed to the sky) but sometimes you can help but get some blown highlights
 
Ok, give a half an hour or so to upload a few to photobucket and you can have a gander :)
 
boccers_2000 said:
I dont plan on shooting at the full 10 mm very often.

ideally id just like a set of filters to cover where im comfronted with bright skies etc. Views?
Click to expand...

if you don't plan on shooting at 10 mm very often,then i would say go for them.i know people say about a magenta colour cast,but i would say it's negligable,and easily correctable in PP.
 
HiTech filters sit between Lee and Cokin in price, and haven't had reported any of the colour cast issues that plague the cokin filters.
They're also available in 85mm (P size) and 100mm (Z-Pro/Lee size)
A lot of folk seem to go for the Lee foundation kit for the holder and adapter ring and HiTech filters to go in it.

Also, IIRC, the Lee filters are on backorder of 5-6 months almost everywhere at the moment, which is also pushing up second hand prices.
 
Kood are also cast free. My Cokin ND8 is green.
 
Ok heres a few from this morning, ignore the sibjects and composition, it was simply to test the filter.

Remember this is an ND8 filter which is pretty extreme at the top. The normal landscape strength I'd suggest is ND4, so the effect with the ND8 is quite extreme. The weather conditions were 'boring' in that the sky was completely and utterly grey in the extreme. I would have liked sun and clouds, but this shows what you can do even when the conditions are far from perfect.

No pp'ing except for a little shapening...

1
MemorialNDtest.jpg


2 - it looks darker on the right but I think thats due to the light source being on the left.
BikeNDtest.jpg


3 - remember the sky was completely grey without the filter!
CoastNDtest.jpg


I've not experienced this cast people talk about? The only green I can see is where the green existed in real life!
 
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odd jim said:
I've not experienced this cast people talk about? The only green I can see is where the green existed in real life!
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Point camera at white wall, set white balance, take a shot - it's white, yes? Pop Cokin ND8 grad on and take the shot again - it's now green tinted.

P1030952s43.jpg

You can see it there - notice how the stone on the windmill chnages colour?

Here however it doesn't show at all:

P1030470s43.jpg


Some people have pink casts.

I now use a Kood ND4 and an ND 2 together whch give no cast at all.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Point camera at white wall, set white balance, take a shot - it's white, yes? Pop Cokin ND8 grad on and take the shot again - it's now green tinted.

You can see it there - notice how the stone on the windmill chnages colour?

Here however it doesn't show at all:

Some people have pink casts.

I now use a Kood ND4 and an ND 2 together whch give no cast at all.
Click to expand...

I'll give it a go out of curiosity! However, as I can't really see it in the final image, even when I'm looking for it I'm not too bothered evening there is a slight tint!
 
Personally I like the nd8 but I know it's not very subtle of some peoples taste! I'm going to get a 4 as well, it depends sometimes how much light you have available as the brighter it is the more subtle the effects are.
 
I use the Cokin Z Pro ND grads with the Cokin filter holder but the Lee wide angle adapter for use with my 10mm lens with one set of the filter holding leafs taken off the holder with that set up there is no vignetting. I can say that even stacking 2 filters gives me no colour cast either green or magenta, I bought my set of filters last September and I have heard that earlier manufactured ones did have problems with colour cast but later ones were free of problems. For 10 stop I use Helliopan screw in filters.
 
odd jim said:
Personally I like the nd8 but I know it's not very subtle of some peoples taste! I'm going to get a 4 as well, it depends sometimes how much light you have available as the brighter it is the more subtle the effects are.
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+1, I can get by with an ND8 Soft grad or nothing at all. ND2 is so subtle you just don't notice it (good for adding a little extra spice in pretty good light) and ND4 isn't quite strong enough to hold back a bright sky on it's own.

Like I said I now use kood ND4 and ND2 together isntead of the Cokin one.
 
Hi Boccers,

If you're only thinking of getting 1 filter, I'd suggest the ND4 - mainly as it's the grad I use the most! I started off with the ND2 and ND4 filters, then added the circular polariser and finally the ND8. I find the ND4 covers most occasions but, shooting into the sun at dawn/dusk required a bit more - I used to stack the ND2 and ND4 but found this added to the risk of flare so ended up getting the ND8.

I also use a couple of solid ND's too to slow the shutter down when needed.

As for colour casts, I have noticed a slight purplish cast when using the grads - and sometimes you can see a grey/purple tint at the top if I've 'over gradded'. Apart from that, I've not noticed colour casts - certainly not green. Maybe it's because mine are several years old and were made better? Who knows...

Cheers
Andy
 
I would agree with the comments suggesting avoid Cokin. I bought a few and the cases scratched the filters, the color cast is horid and there customer service office in the UK has closed, the french Cokin office has no interest in customer service.
 
Brightstone said:
what about the KOOD? offer the P series system
Click to expand...

Already covered...

Alan Clogwyn said:
+1, I can get by with an ND8 Soft grad or nothing at all. ND2 is so subtle you just don't notice it (good for adding a little extra spice in pretty good light) and ND4 isn't quite strong enough to hold back a bright sky on it's own.

Like I said I now use kood ND4 and ND2 together isntead of the Cokin one.
Click to expand...

I like Kood filters a lot, and would highly reccomend them. They don't have the amount of choice Cokin have, but what they do make they make better, and half the price somehow.
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Already covered...



I like Kood filters a lot, and would highly reccomend them. They don't have the amount of choice Cokin have, but what they do make they make better, and half the price somehow.
Click to expand...

I have a set of kood filters, they work ok individually, it's also got a color cast issue when stacking up a few.
 
Basic question here, but I will continue:

When using an ND grad filter, you would put the dark part of the filter towards the sky - to avoid the highlights blowing out, and then adjust the shutter speed for longer than if using without the filter - meaning that the darker areas of the image are subject to the lighter side of the grad filter and will benefit from the long exposure whereas the brighter areas of the image (the sky etc) will be toned down by the progressive grad filtering?

Am I right?
 
futureal33 said:
Basic question here, but I will continue:

When using an ND grad filter, you would put the dark part of the filter towards the sky - to avoid the highlights blowing out, and then adjust the shutter speed for longer than if using without the filter - meaning that the darker areas of the image are subject to the lighter side of the grad filter and will benefit from the long exposure whereas the brighter areas of the image (the sky etc) will be toned down by the progressive grad filtering?

Am I right?
Click to expand...

Correct
 
I'd say pretty much correct :)

I usually use Av mode and take a reading from the foreground and then a reading from the sky. Then, judging by how the suggested shutter speed changes, if there's three stops of difference, I use a two stop grad (sky should be slightly litter than the ground?). I then compose, add the filter and then let Av/Evaluative Metering option worry about shutter speeds etc. Usually gives me a well balanced image.

The other way I've used Grads before is to compose, set aperture and shutter using Manual then add a one or two stop grad to darken a broody/stormy sky.

Cheers
Andy
 
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