What kind of filters would be good for a Cokin 52mm P Series Holder and ring adapter?

PhotographicIdiot · Feb 22, 2010

Any takers? I'm currently at ends on what ones are good or for my Cokin 52mm P Series Holder and Adapter ring. Would any filter work with it? or should I be looking into something that is made just for that? any help would be great. Thanks! :0)

Shelly1204 · Feb 22, 2010

By any filter, do you mean any type of filter, or any brand? I assume you mean brand, so..

Lee, if you can find 'em. I couldn't, so I settled on some Hoyas, which supposedly are a step up from Cokin, but not really.

JayLPhoto · Feb 22, 2010

you need P series filters. Neutral density, graduated is my favorite

PhotographicIdiot · Feb 23, 2010

Shelly yes I meant brands. So are hoyas any good?
Jay I looked online, mostly on amazon and there wasn't very many P series filters. I saw some such as the ones you said the Neutral Graduated Densitys. also do the sizes matter? i know that i should get a 52 but if its a P series then would it fit no matter what?

Big Mike · Feb 23, 2010

Welcome to the forum.

'P series' is the size. The filters are square and slide into the holder. 52mm is the size of the adapter ring that connects the holder to the lens. What is the size of the filter threads on your lens? 52mm is about the smallest size that will you will find on modern lenses for SLR cameras. You might need a larger adapter ring.

If you are shooting (and/or editing) digitally, most filters are obsolete these days because you can create the same effect with software, and in a much more versatile way.
The exceptions being polarizing filters and maybe graduated filters. Graduated filters are great with a Cokin type (square) system because you can slide the filter up and down in the holder.

Derrel · Feb 23, 2010

You can buy different sized mounting rings in the P series, for different sized lens fronts. Cokin's graduated ND in gray is okay. Lee and SinghRay make better acrylic filters than Cokin does.

Cokin's 084 diffuser is a nice diffusion filter.

PhotographicIdiot · Feb 23, 2010

Mike,alright. my size thread on my camera is 52mm. I actually looked at some larger adapter rings and read what people said about the step up rings and basically they all said thats not a good idea to get. and you are saying to get one right? a step up ring? Derrel i did not know that. so if i got a bigger size mounting rings for it it would work with a 52mm?

Big Mike · Feb 23, 2010

If your lens has 52mm threads, then all you need is the 52mm adapter ring. No need for step up rings etc.

If you have (or get) a lens with a larger filter size, then you could just buy another adapter ring in that size and use it with the holder & filters.

PhotographicIdiot · Feb 23, 2010

mike, yes i already got the 52mm holder and adapter ring. I just mainly wonder if i need to just buy P series filters or that any filter would work with the holder itself.

Big Mike · Feb 23, 2010

Yes, only P sized filters will work with that holder. (They can be any brand, but I'm not sure if companies besides Cokin use 'P' as a size designation).

myfotoguy · Feb 23, 2010

I use Hitech. Not "high end" like Lee, but after researching it in forums, I came to to the conlcusion that Hitech are a step up from Cokin, yet don't break the bank. So good value. BH has an entire section dedicated to Cokin P series filters:
P Series Filters (Cokin, Tiffen, Hitech & Singh-Ray)

They are often referred to as "for Cokin P series". Hitech lists theirs as 85mm, so I'm guessing that's the wdith of the holder where the square or rectanlge filters slide in.