Cokin filters anyone usd them

[dullbird]

Hey guys

I probably have asked this before but being as though I'm looking to buy again and we have a heap new people visiting this area I thought I would pose the question again.

I'm soon to be having to produce some landscape photography so I have been considering adding some ND graduation filers to my arsenal.

I have obviously looks at Lee filters and I don't have the money to go down that route.

I have read review after review and from what I can establish is the cokin z pro holder is generally preferred over the Lee holder but the lee filters are preferred over the cokin.

Is anyone using the Cokin filters? Is there any colour cast? I'm assuming if there is a slight cast this can be corrected post pro if needed?

I can get a holder, set of filters and pouch to hold them for the cost of just buying the bloody holder from Lee.

[Paulie]

Dullbird,
I used to use the P series filters and holder - they're now probably gathering dust at the back of a cupboard. I've got to admit, I wasn't a fan but YMMV.

Id rather take two or more exposures and blend in PS, but thats probably a whole new discussion.:)

[33chinacars]

I've used Cokin filters . Was happy with the results. Although I haven't used them much since going digital But my photographic habits have changed as well .

[dullbird]

Dullbird,
I used to use the P series filters and holder - they're now probably gathering dust at the back of a cupboard. I've got to admit, I wasn't a fan but YMMV.

Id rather take two or more exposures and blend in PS, but thats probably a whole new discussion.:)

Can I ask the reason behind not being a fan?

[lebanon]

Hi Dullbird,

I have been using them since I started the hobby, they are very good and don't give any color cast.

Their Z series holder is not cheap though. The ND and the progressive neutral density are a must for outdoor photography in very sunny locations.

[WhiteD3]

I have no experience with Cokin but I do have two Lee filters. The 4x6 GND 0.9 and the 4x4 ND 1.2 resin filters. Expensive and take forever to ship but well worth it.

[dullbird]

Hi Dullbird,

I have been using them since I started the hobby, they are very good and don't give any color cast.

Their Z series holder is not cheap though. The ND and the progressive neutral density are a must for outdoor photography in very sunny locations.

$268 for the holder and the 3 filters and a carry pouch for the filters.

The lee starter kit is that much with no filters from what I can see.

I do realise that I need to buy the right size ring on top of that but I honestly from what I have looked at thought that price wasn't to shocking.

[ozeraser]

Cokin ND from when i was testing with them, had a purple hue on long exposure. I also run the Lee Seven5 filters, grabbed them from BandH including postage was cheaper then buying local. Only thing i disslike is the lack of a lens cap when the seven5 is on. (I used some cheap perspex instead to act as a lens cap.)

[dullbird]

I think the Seven is a smallish filter system isnt it?
im after Z's because i want to use it with my wide lense and I believe the P's create some vignetting

[werdan]

I used to use them a fair bit when I shot film.
They became redundant as all the new lenses I bought, had much larger filter diameters. I didn't bother replacing them because I could get similar (if not better) results shooting in RAW, on a tripod, bracketing exposures and blending in Photoshop.

[dullbird]

yeah problem is the photography group im joining prefer things to be as best as possible in camera....

any post process is to be a minimum

[ozeraser]

I think the Seven is a smallish filter system isnt it?
im after Z's because i want to use it with my wide lense and I believe the P's create some vignetting

Yep Seven5 for the micro 4/3rds cameras, although depends on the diameter of the lens all mine are around the 60mm.

[ozeraser]

yeah problem is the photography group im joining prefer things to be as best as possible in camera....

any post process is to be a minimum

You want all you can get from the camera of course, but if anyone says they shoot raw and dont do any post their full of it (My opinion). I am also against the manual focus, whilst i use it heavily in the timelapse i do, because i cant accept the camera changing focus over 500 shots. However in standard shooting I find personally you sometimes have one chance to get the shot right. and the focus on EVF and back of camera isnt good enough, and you wont know untill you get home :P

[dullbird]

no I never said that they dont do any post process they just prefer minimal..

is blending 3 shots minimal? I highly doubt it, when you can use a filter with some careful planning with the light

[ozeraser]

no I never said that they dont do any post process they just prefer minimal..

is blending 3 shots minimal? I highly doubt it, when you can use a filter with some careful planning with the light

Ahhh okies sorry read it wrong :)

[lebanon]

I think the Seven is a smallish filter system isnt it?
im after Z's because i want to use it with my wide lense and I believe the P's create some vignetting

Exactly.

[dullbird]

Well I'm pleased to say thanks to Gumtree I'm now the proud owner of a Cokin Grad ND kit which is in emaculate condition and cost me $160 thats the filter holder and a ring (although not the corect size) 3 filters and the filter zip up bag to store it all in. :)

So pretty happy and as well as that he put me on to a facebook group called Focus that show Australian seascapes and Landscapes pretty cool would encourage anyone to join stunning images on there

[Bytemrk]

Nice work Lou, I really should keep more of an eye on gumtree...

[dullbird]

Cokin ND from when i was testing with them, had a purple hue on long exposure. I also run the Lee Seven5 filters, grabbed them from BandH including postage was cheaper then buying local. Only thing i disslike is the lack of a lens cap when the seven5 is on. (I used some cheap perspex instead to act as a lens cap.)

Ok I was using them today and I can confirm that they have a Magenta cast on anything over about 4" very disappointing..you can correct it in LR but its annoying.

Oh well looks like I have to mortgage the house to get some lee filters:(...

Maybe I can use them for sunrise shots, If I ever get out of bed early enough ( highly doubtful :lol2: ) I'm sure the purple will fit right in:D

[WhiteD3]

Filters are great, especially the GND but I find I still have to blend occasionally.


no I never said that they dont do any post process they just prefer minimal..

is blending 3 shots minimal? I highly doubt it, when you can use a filter with some careful planning with the light

[werdan]

Heh, so after db posted this thread, I went and did some further research and found these on ebay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181653838489).

I've realised that the main reason I stopped using the cokin filters was that I had spent a bucket of cash on the original cokin 'S' filters. The 'S' system didn't fit any of my newer lenses and I didn't want to spend a bucket load of more money upgrading to the 'P' system. A lot of the filters I used to use were effects or lighting correction filters which became redundant with digital. Only a grad and solid ND would have still been useful. After seeing how ridiculously cheap they are on ebay these days, I just had to get some. :) I know they are knock-offs but for the price, what's to lose?

I'll let you know how they go.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/07/1006.jpg

[dullbird]

I used my grads the other night and they worked well

I think the issue with the casting is more to do with stacking them on really bright days.

[iPom]

I recently bought a Cokin 0.9 ND Grad filter and holder for sunrise and sunset shots. Seems to be fine, with no loss of clarity or casting.

[lebanon]

Cockin has just released a new line of ND filters, the Nuance line.

Cokin - NUANCES - Attrapeurs de lumi're (http://www.cokin-filters.com/nuances/)

[dullbird]

That sounds promising

I wonder how much they will be