Cokin filters and Digital?

[Xmetal]

I've been trawlling eBay again *slaps himself* and I came a cross a box of 10 assorted Cokin filters with all different colours plus a few graduated ND's and other do-hickeys. Now it all looked very nice and for 25 Aussie Dollars (includes shipping) it's a steal! (adaptor rings are just as cheap)

Is it still worth using them on DSLR's because most of the coloured filters are available in Photoshop but i've always wanted a 1/2 ND to play with...

One last thing: Are Cokin filters better than the filters in Photoshop? I know it's probably a personal thing who prefers using a physical filter you can handle and play with rather than a piece of rendering software?

Thoughts?

 

[Big Mike]

Things like split or grad filters can still be very useful on a digital camera because they can decrease the tonal range of the shot...allowing you to capture more detail in a single exposure.

The colored filters can be fun...but you can easily apply a similar effect in photoshop...and in photoshop, you have unlimited flexibility with the effect. With the actual filter, what you see is what you get.

If you get them for a good price, they can be fun to use. I have some, but I find that I don't use them much, so they don't make it into the camera bag...so they don't get used much...

 

[Arch]

i'v recently bought some cookin ND grads..... they look like they'd do a decent job.... i actually went out with them a few days ago, but forgot the adapter ring :roll: .... but id say if they're a good price... get them!

 

[fightheheathens]

i use cokin filters and i have at least one infront of my lens in every shot...
but i also do film so no photo shop for me.
the split ND's are great to use with slide film and nothing beats a red filter and a polarizer for B&W

 

[rmh159]

I have a few Cokin grad ND filters and love them. They're great for bringing out detail in the sky if it's a lot brighter than than the foreground. I agree with Big Mike though... the others might be worthwhile if they're dirt cheap but they're very easily replaceable.

 

[Jeff Canes]

If you do use the color filter remember to shot in raw mode, because in jpg mode the white balance will try to adjust for the filter.

 

[PetersCreek]

Are they the A or P series Cokin filters? Keep in mind that the smaller A series are more likely to cause vignetting on wide angle lenses and won't even fit your lenses with a filter diameter larger than 62mm.

One additional benefit of the larger P series filter holder is that you can use higher quality ND grads and other filters from manufacturers like Hitech and Singh Ray. These ND grads are longer, giving you more control over where the transition falls in the frame by allowing you to slide the filter further up or down. Cokin's are square and lack that degree of control.

I use the Hitech ND grads, myself.

 

[Xmetal]

They'd be going on my 18-55mm jobbie which is 58mm so i'm hoping the vignetting isn't too bad at 18mm.

 

[Alex_B]

because in jpg mode the white balance will try to adjust for the filter.

only if you set it to auto though ... I'd suppose ...

 

[outlier]

I used Cokin filters for about 8 years fairly regularly with a film camera. I loved them. I still have them but have never used them with a digital. Some of the effect ones might be helpful (Star, graded filters etc.) but most are easily replaced by editing software. I don't miss lugging around two boxes of 10 filters each though.