Top 5 "have to have" Graduated square filters

[astroNikon]

So I'm making a jump from screw in ND/CPL filter to a 100mm square filter system.

But looking at all of the options out there it is a bit confusing.
I'll be doing mainly landscape/seascape (if I get to a sea) and sunrise/sunset photos.

I was thinking a standard soft gray GND. But I see orange, blue etc ... literally every color under the sun !! haha

I don't want to repeat any NDs as right now I"m all set with screwin NDs (from 2 to 10 stops) right now and don't want to duplicated filters for now.

What would be the Top 4 or 5 GNDs to get if you were just starting out with the square filters?

 

[weepete]

2 stop soft GND, 3 stop soft GND, 2 stop hard GND, 3 stop hard GND 1 stop soft GND.

And in that order.

 

[astroNikon]

Thanks

And do all the Cokin filters take the same size filter ?

I'm looking at a "L" 049-096mm sized holder. Just want to make sure it's 100mm in comparison to the S, M & XL sizes.

 

[runnah]

All my filters are dropouts.

 

[SnappingShark]

I used Lee 100mm filters.

Get Started with LEE Camera Filters and the Flexible LEE System

I have the big stopper and it's great. Although I won't be using it much longer due to system changes.

As for ND filters - I only ever used a cheapy version off of ebay (30 bucks for like 40 various filters) and they worked OK for an amateur like me.

 

[gsgary]

Ive got about £350 worth of Lee filter system with the big hood but never use it now

 

[weepete]

Ive got about £350 worth of Lee filter system with the big hood but never use it now

Worth keeping a hold of though Gary.

Thanks

And do all the Cokin filters take the same size filter ?

I'm looking at a "L" 049-096mm sized holder. Just want to make sure it's 100mm in comparison to the S, M & XL sizes.

I'm not sure what you mean mate. Cokin z-pros should be 100mm on the short edge, so should your filter holder. I'd reccomend The Filter Dudes 100mm holder if you are looking for one. I'm dead happy with mine.

 

[astroNikon]

I'm not sure what you mean mate. Cokin z-pros should be 100mm on the short edge, so should your filter holder. I'd reccomend The Filter Dudes 100mm holder if you are looking for one. I'm dead happy with mine.

I wasn't sure if their different sized holders for the lenses where different sized filters or not. I guess they are all the same.

 

[D-B-J]

REALLY, you can get away with 4. A 1,2, and 3 stop soft GND, (use the dark bit as a 1,2, and 3 stop ND), and then a 6 stop ND (then you can add your others for up to 11 stops (6 + 3 + 2).

Jake

 

[TCampbell]

The standard is the 100mm (4") wide filters. But the grads are rectangular and measure 100mm wide x 150mm tall.

The Cokin "Z-Pro" size is also 100mm wide (the "P" size is smaller).

I use Lee filters and have a set of 1,2, & 3 stop soft edge and also hard-edge filters (as well as the "big stopper" which is their 10-stop ND).

You probably don't want or need the "color" filters. There's a "coral stripe" that Lee makes which is clear except for an orange stripe in the center. It can be used to intensify sunset images and can be used with an ND grade. This lets you dim the sky, leave the land below "clear", but put the "stripe" right on the horizon line where the sun is the most intense.

 

[weepete]

I'm not sure what you mean mate. Cokin z-pros should be 100mm on the short edge, so should your filter holder. I'd reccomend The Filter Dudes 100mm holder if you are looking for one. I'm dead happy with mine.

I wasn't sure if their different sized holders for the lenses where different sized filters or not. I guess they are all the same.

As Paul says above mate, commonly filter holders come in 85mm (Cokin P compatable) or 100mm (Lee 100mm compatible or Cokin Z-pro compatible) flavours. Lee also do the fiveseven filter system which is 75mm but I dont think that a common holder size. So you'll want to check that before buying that it is for 100mm filters. Most 100mm systems are I think 3mm thick though I believe the Singh Ray 10 stop is 4mm. I also read something a while ago about the big stopper having some kind of rubber grommet around it so you may want to check that your filter holder is compatible if you intend to buy either in the future

 

[astroNikon]

Ive got about £350 worth of Lee filter system with the big hood but never use it now

Are you using it to collect dust ??

 

[gsgary]

Ive got about £350 worth of Lee filter system with the big hood but never use it now

Are you using it to collect dust ??

Probably not used them for about 3 years must look at selling them

 

[astroNikon]

Yes I'm looking at TheFilterDude.com ring adapter and holder

Now it makes sense.
In Cokin's marketing stuff for the holder they have in big letters "Size S", "M", "L" and "XL which is:
S = A Series - 36-62 ring size / with filters of 67mm
M = P series 48-82 / 84mm
L = Z-Pro 52-96 / 100mm
XL = X-Pro 62-112 / 130mm
- I wish they would have put it in a nice and legible chart

TheFilterDude.com
has a 100mm Holder which is the same as the Cokin Z-Pro
and the X-Pro is for 130mm / Cokin X-Pro

My main UWA (and 80-200, etc) is 77mm for the ring adapter
My only other bigger lenses are:
my Nikon 300/4 is 82mm
the Tamron 150-600 is 96mm

Looks like the Z-Pro series is the way to go if I want to include the Tamron
Otherwise the P-Pro series holder

There seems to be a large difference in price though between the Z and P series filters. I'll probably opt for the P series after I add up the cost.

 

[astroNikon]

Ive got about £350 worth of Lee filter system with the big hood but never use it now

ouch .. just did a conversion to US Dollars ... a lot $$$ in filters
Though, I have a lot of B+W screw in filters too ...

I stack all my ND and CPL to take photos of the Sun.