Square filter system

[zamanakhan]

I think its time i upgrade to a square filter system, currently i have a heliopan (i think) slim 77mm cpl and a 77mm B+W 10stop filter. I LOVE both of them but i am seein the limits of the circular ones, i would get a soft grad cicular one but having the line in the middle could screw with composition.

So far i am looking at the cokin P system but am kinda worried as its made of resin, i have a feeling this would affect sharpness quite a bit. My largest filter size is 77mm and i actually dont plan on having lenses that have larger diameters. I was looking at the 14-24 2.8 but i feel the 16-35 would serve me better, so that also has a 77mm filter. I plan on keeping the 10stop filter as well and possibly stacking it with the square system.

What do you guys recommend? i want to keep it as affodable as possible but willing to go over budget if there is a HUGE diffrence in quality. I would like a soft/ hard edge nd fiter not sure what density yet but 2 or 4 may be enough, also i would like another 10stop square filter if the 77mm over vignettes. I will be using this on a 10-20 sigma for now, but hopefully upgrading to 16-35 sometime later this year along with FX.

Suggests?

 

[Buckster]

So far i am looking at the cokin P system but am kinda worried as its made of resin, i have a feeling this would affect sharpness quite a bit.

I've been shooting with Cokins for over 20 years.

These were all shot through Cokin P resin filters:

1. A couple of NDs:

2. A sunset and a mauve:

3. I think I had 5 Cokin filters in front of the lens on this next one. Sunset, mauve, graduated blue, and two NDs:

Never had any sharpness issues with them, that I know of. Fair warning though, the Cokin NDs have a bit of a magenta color cast. Be prepared for that with a gray card or something.

 

[zamanakhan]

So far i am looking at the cokin P system but am kinda worried as its made of resin, i have a feeling this would affect sharpness quite a bit.

I've been shooting with Cokins for over 20 years.These were all shot through Cokin P resin filters:1. A couple of NDs:

2. A sunset and a mauve:

3. I think I had 5 Cokin filters in front of the lens on this next one. Sunset, mauve, graduated blue, and two NDs:

Never had any sharpness issues with them, that I know of. Fair warning though, the Cokin NDs have a bit of a magenta color cast. Be prepared for that with a gray card or something.

Great shots, looks like I'll be ordering the Cokin system soon. Do you recommend getting color filters? I thought they would be useless in the digital age, as light room has color filters built in.

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

Nice shots Buckster.

Z,

I have used the Cokin filter system for years and love it, but, there is a major downside. Dont plan on using the Cokin P series on any lens wider than about 20, unless, maybe you get the low profile holder, otherwise the holder will be in the Field Of View. But I can tell you that I purchased a low profile holder for use on my 10 -20 and it is made CHEAP. The flanges that connect it to the adapter ring broke on about the second use. I then bought a Cokin Z series holder for my wide angle shots, but those filters are quite costly and a 4" X 4" Cokin polarizer is about $300 minimum.

 

[spacefuzz]

2. A sunset and a mauve:

3. I think I had 5 Cokin filters in front of the lens on this next one. Sunset, mauve, graduated blue, and two NDs:

.

WOW great shots!

 

[spacefuzz]

I think its time i upgrade to a square filter system, currently i have a heliopan (i think) slim 77mm cpl and a 77mm B+W 10stop filter. I LOVE both of them but i am seein the limits of the circular ones, i would get a soft grad cicular one but having the line in the middle could screw with composition.

So far i am looking at the cokin P system but am kinda worried as its made of resin, i have a feeling this would affect sharpness quite a bit. My largest filter size is 77mm and i actually dont plan on having lenses that have larger diameters. I was looking at the 14-24 2.8 but i feel the 16-35 would serve me better, so that also has a 77mm filter. I plan on keeping the 10stop filter as well and possibly stacking it with the square system.

What do you guys recommend? i want to keep it as affodable as possible but willing to go over budget if there is a HUGE diffrence in quality. I would like a soft/ hard edge nd fiter not sure what density yet but 2 or 4 may be enough, also i would like another 10stop square filter if the 77mm over vignettes. I will be using this on a 10-20 sigma for now, but hopefully upgrading to 16-35 sometime later this year along with FX.

Suggests?

I use mostly lee 4x6 resin filters and they changed my photography so much....I now feel naked without them. I have the 14-24 but I have been shying away from using it because my filters dont fit. So I wouldnt worry about it. If it makes you feel better I was shooting with my D800 (very twitchy about sharpness) through my resin GND filters all weekend and the shots look great.

But of course if you buy a $100 Lee filter you will get a totally different product than a $20 off brand. Have never used Cokins so cant say.

 

[zamanakhan]

Nice shots Buckster.

Z,

I have used the Cokin filter system for years and love it, but, there is a major downside. Dont plan on using the Cokin P series on any lens wider than about 20, unless, maybe you get the low profile holder, otherwise the holder will be in the Field Of View. But I can tell you that I purchased a low profile holder for use on my 10 -20 and it is made CHEAP. The flanges that connect it to the adapter ring broke on about the second use. I then bought a Cokin Z series holder for my wide angle shots, but those filters are quite costly and a 4" X 4" Cokin polarizer is about $300 minimum.

on DX or FX? i am looking towards the future as well and i had planned to use it with the 16-35 currently with a 10-20sigma, if i cant use it with a 10-20 then it is relatively useless to me as i wont be using it on tele lenses often. I'll look into the low profile holder, this is somewhat of a game changer. I really dont want to go larger than the cokin p system, for both price and amount of space taken up in a bag issue.

 

[HughGuessWho101 16]

Look Here

 

[gsgary]

Another vote for the Lee system expensive but good

 

[Alex_B]

Using Lee here as well .. and very happy!

 

[Buckster]

Great shots,

Thank you kindly.

looks like I'll be ordering the Cokin system soon. Do you recommend getting color filters? I thought they would be useless in the digital age, as light room has color filters built in.

I don't use color filters in front of my lenses anymore, now that I've fully transitioned to a digital workflow that includes PhotoShop and the wonderful digital filter system it offers.

The only filters I ever put in front of my lenses these days are neutral density and polarized.

 

[Derrel]

2. A sunset and a mauve:

3. I think I had 5 Cokin filters in front of the lens on this next one. Sunset, mauve, graduated blue, and two NDs:

.

WOW great shots!

Yes, great shots. Excellent compositions,superb exposure choices, and truly artful execution. Pretty damned good. And to think they were shot with those awful resin Cokin filters so many people bash!!!

 

[zamanakhan]

.[/QUOTE]

WOW great shots![/QUOTE]

Yes, great shots. Excellent compositions,superb exposure choices, and truly artful execution. Pretty damned good. And to think they were shot with those awful resin Cokin filters so many people bash!!![/QUOTE]


i think i should stop over thinking and just pull the trigger on the cokin kit. For $100 it will more than get my feet wet, plus i dont do filters all the time, and this should be enough for when i do. But then i think one holder and just one filter might be better, i can go for one lee vs the 3 cokin filters.

 

[zamanakhan]

gonna hold off on these, decided to get rid of all of my DX gear except the 35 1.8, going to fx as soon as everything sells. Now i gotta decide 14-24 16-28 tokina or 16-35...