Cokin P System and GND Filters

[D-B-J]

Hello!I
So, I've been looking into getting myself setup in the Cokin P system. Mostly because I want the versatility and stack-ability it allows. I've found myself getting more and more into landscape and nature photography, and have found many instances where a GND filter would work wonders, as well as a simple ND filter. My question is in WHAT to start with. I found a set of GND filters and holder (first link), which seems okay. Or should I get a holder, and separately purchase each filter? That being said, which ones? Thanks in advance!


Cokin ND Graduated Filter Kit P Series w/ Filter Holder H250


Best,
Jake

 

[astroNikon]

I'm interested in this too. I'm curious on the quality versus high end glass GND and NDs

 

[JTPhotography]

Spend a little more and get the Cokin Z-pro. That way you can use 4x6 filters by Lee and Singh Ray. I use Singh Ray plastic resin filters and the quality is superb, no loss in image quality whatsoever as far as I can tell. I have a few that have been abused and are scratched to hell and still produce clear crisp images. Avoid square slide in glass filters. The are expensive and brittle.

 

[tirediron]

I use the Cokin P system (mainly because I got a HUGE lot of them, many brand-new for almost nothing at a garage sale years ago) and while they're results are good, they are definitely not up to Lee and Singh-Ray. That said, the only issue that I have ever noticed is their tendancy to produce a slightly reddish cast when pointed toward the sun. This is easily overcome by shading the filter. I keep an 8x10 piece of matte black craft foam (Wal-mart/Michael's <$1.00) in my bag.

Note that the kit you have linked to has three different graduations. The 'S' designates that the transition is gradual from the centre to the top of the filter, the 'L' is a lighter tone (meant to keep a more even, natural look across the whole image) and the 'M' indicates that the graduation is from the middle to the top of the filter with the bottom being clear. This also comes in hard (basially a line between light and dark) transition and soft (larger light to dark range).

My suggestion would be to buy a set of three in 1, 2, and 3 stop graduations of the 'M' type with a soft transition. For landscape work, this is the most useful, IMO.