Filter systems

RickMezza

RickMezza

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I don't know much about filters but I want an ND grad for dealing with bright skies in landscapes and a full ND for reducing light into the camera sensor (think thats right :shrug: ).
Whats everyones opinion on best system. Looked at Cokin and Lee systems which seem to be the same with an attachment into which you slide the desired filter (s).
Or is it better to just buy a couple of screw-in type Hoya filters because I don't think I'll want to use lots of other colours of filters?

Thanks in advance

Rich
 
I'd go for the slot in cokin or lee style....that way you only need to buy further adapter rings £8 each ish to be able to use on other lenses. Lee are supposed to be the way to go, although I went with hitech...slightly cheaper but quality is supposed to be up there. A set of nd's and a set of nd grad's + Lee filter holder and 72mm adapter ring cost just over £200....Lee's would have been nearer £300.
 
£ 200 for a few filters :eek: :eek: :eek:
I think I should have checked the prices before asking. I don't think its worthwhile (to me) to spend £200 on filters.

Thanks anyway :thumbs:
 
Then go for Cokin, you get the slot in system but without the lee pricetag, or quality of course but the cokin stuff is pretty decent for the money.
 
RickMezza said:
£ 200 for a few filters :eek: :eek: :eek:
I think I should have checked the prices before asking. I don't think its worthwhile (to me) to spend £200 on filters.

Thanks anyway :thumbs:
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Yeah but that's 6 filters....cokin p size can be had for about £10 each, which are okay but as many have said before....why put a £10 filter in front of an expensive lens! And believe me, that's the only reason why I spent that much......expensive game this innit!
 
Thanks everyone. I've had a look on warehouse express website and the Cokin 'P' series do look cheaper (thank Ken). I only want a single ND and a single ND grad (at the mo ;) ) - I'd maybe get screw-in Hoya filters but they don't seem to list ND grads.
Probably best if I give WH a ring so they can explain it to me (adapters, holders etc etc) :D
 
Thanks Rick for starting this thread! I'm trying to fathom the question of filters myself at the moment, and am hopelessly confused!

Rick - I think I'm correct in saying that you won't get a screw-in type graduated filter because you couldn't be certain to get the "line" straight to the horizon, if that makes sense. If you have a polariser then that can be used to reduce the light hitting the sensor as well - worth considering as a short term fix at least, just watch where the sun is while you're using it!

Can anyone tell me, If I buy the Cokin P system for lenses with threads of 77mm and 82mm do I need to buy the standard holder or can I get away with just buying the wide angle holder? ta! I'm also seriously looking at those hitech filters - they look like excellent value!
 
think I'm correct in saying that you won't get a screw-in type graduated filter because you couldn't be certain to get the "line" straight to the horizon, if that makes sense.
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You quite often wont want the line of the grad straight but what you will want to do, is to be able to place it at the right height in the frame. Hence no screw in jobbies, just the sliding type. :)
 
dazzajl said:
You quite often wont want the line of the grad straight but what you will want to do, is to be able to place it at the right height in the frame. Hence no screw in jobbies, just the sliding type. :)
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Yes, that makes sense! Doh! :)
 
Doh! is what I do best. ;)
 
I'd also try here I've bought from her before and service is great.....£7.99 for p size cokins.
 
KenCo1964 said:
I'd also try here I've bought from her before and service is great.....£7.99 for p size cokins.
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LOL - I have her eBay page open on the desktop machine at the moment. Certainly looks about the cheapest place.

Can anyone shed any light on my earlier question by the way "Can anyone tell me, If I buy the Cokin P system for lenses with threads of 77mm and 82mm do I need to buy the standard holder or can I get away with just buying the wide angle holder?"? Ta!
 
KenCo1964 said:
Try Here I think they are cheaper???
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I invested in these Hi-Techs for my trip to Scotland, all shots in my scottish link are with Hi-Techs. They work very well but have a tendancy to steam and streak very quickly.
How I coped without ND grads before I will never know.
If you shoot allot of landscapes, buy sheap Hi-Tech ones and see how you get on.
You can get a 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 (Soft) for about £40. They also fit a Cokin P holder which you can pick up on ebay for about £12.

I will be investing in a Lee set shortly, when I can afford them :)
I really can honestly say that they have made a massive difference in my shots...they really make you think about what you shoot.

Hope this helps...
Neil
 
Witch,

i recently bought a 17-55 77mm Nikon wide angle lens and at the extremes of the lens, the regular p holder is visible at the sides of my pics (not vignetting). I haven't got round to trying it with a wide angle holder to know if that works better, but I expect it will.
Jas
 
Richard, I got a full ND filter from 7 day shop (I think) for about £4 or somewhere around there.
 
Witch said:
Can anyone shed any light on my earlier question by the way "Can anyone tell me, If I buy the Cokin P system for lenses with threads of 77mm and 82mm do I need to buy the standard holder or can I get away with just buying the wide angle holder?"? Ta!
Click to expand...


i use cokin P's with a 77mm and the wide angle holder is the same as the standard one but with slots for only one filter instead of the usual 3...

be warned with a wide angle lens (say my 10-22 efs) you'll see the inside of even the wide angle holder
 
Cheers Tango Charlie. I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that there isn't a filter system that won't cost me mega-bucks that will work with the Sigma 12-24mm when I eventually get it. I've decided to go with the P system as 77mm is the size for both my 70-200mm and the Tamron 19-35mm which Ben and I now share, and my Sigma 24-70mm is 82mm threaded which should hopefully work with the wide angle holder. All of those will work with the P system and I'll also get a 55mm adaptor so Ben can use it with his walkabout lens if he wants to. I managed (just about!) without any ND or NDgrad filters on hols last year so having one lens that they won't fit on won't be too muchof a hardship.

Have you decided what you're going to do Rick? did you speak with WH?
 
Witch said:
.....

Have you decided what you're going to do Rick? did you speak with WH?
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No Witch, havent spoken to them yet. As Mini knows...I'm still thinking about it ;) :D

I'll have to checkout if the P system will work on my Nikkor 18-70mm (67mm diameter) without the edges being visible - anyone know.

Thanks
 
Next silly question....."hard" or "soft" grads? For Scottish landscapes soft seem like the more logical choice as I'm fairly unlikely to get a very flat horizon - but is that the right choice? (And reason for the choice!)

I've now ordered the holder and the adaptor rings....just got the filters to go - I've decided to go for the Hitech ones as recommended above and want to get on and get them ordered today.
 
Have you won the lottery Witch and you're not telling us? :lol: New straps, new filters, etc. It'll be a new user name next ;)
 
OI! Shhh...I'm hoping to escape that!!

Nah - no lottery win - just the stuff I've been saving up for all winter (while nthere's been no speedway to spend my cash on!) and putting off actually making a decision about buying. One more thing to get (Sigma 12-24mm) and I'm done, set and sorted! :thumbs:
 
Witch said:
Next silly question....."hard" or "soft" grads? For Scottish landscapes soft seem like the more logical choice as I'm fairly unlikely to get a very flat horizon - but is that the right choice? (And reason for the choice!)

I've now ordered the holder and the adaptor rings....just got the filters to go - I've decided to go for the Hitech ones as recommended above and want to get on and get them ordered today.
Click to expand...

Witch, go for soft 0.3,0.6,0.9 exactly the same as me, via a Cokin P system.
Scottish landscape coped OK with mine last week !
 
Cheers Chewy - exactly what I ordered in the end!

I'm looking forward to getting everything sorted and having two weeks to play with them! :D
 
LOL - I knew it was a good thing I bought two of those rather nice large Sigma cloths when they were being sold on here! :D
 
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