Anyone use the Cokin P series?

[dullbird]

Was considering get one like this

Cokin Series P (NEW) ND Grad Set with Holder (http://www.qualitycamera.com.au/cokin-series-grad-with-holder-p-4144.html)

anyone else use the Cokin stuff, do they like it? was it worth it? what filter do you use most?

[dmdigital]

No but a set of drop in filters is on the must buy list. Have a look at Lee filters as well.

[dullbird]

OK so I'm just about to buy

the ND Grad kit above with the holder.
a grad blue filter
and an ND4 filter
oh and a filter case to keep filters in good order

I'm going to buy after market adapter rings off ebay, as two rings from this camera store is going to cost me $60 as I need a 77 and a 67mm but these two on ebay are going to cost me $8 with free postage...if they break they break! but these ones are metal so I doubt it.

do people think its worth getting the ND4 as the kit i'm getting is only a graduated filter I figured it would probably be best to have a complete ND filter as well.

[dmdigital]

The ND4 will give you 2 stops. Up here that isn't enough for the light conditions and I have a 6 stop and 10 stop to allow me to step down to the lower shutter speeds. But your conditions are different.

Can I ask why you are buying the blue grad filter. I'd get the ND4 over the blue unless you have a specific need.

[dullbird]

The ND4 will give you 2 stops. Up here that isn't enough for the light conditions and I have a 6 stop and 10 stop to allow me to step down to the lower shutter speeds. But your conditions are different.


Can I ask why you are buying the blue grad filter. I'd get the ND4 over the blue unless you have a specific need.

was thinking for the saturation of the skies or should I just stick to the ND grad for that.....

I figured the ND grad would help stop the skies from blowing out etc...but would not help towards the washed out blue you sometimes get form the intense sun light....dont want to be taking my polariser on and off to help blue up the skies was all I was thinking

[dmdigital]

Best example of coloured grads is Top Gear. I'm not sure if the grad blue will give you the effect you want. Everything I've read tends to suggest they aren't the way to go.

The ND's will allow for richer colours.

Might help to PM CowsGoMoo (David) as I believe he uses Cokin (or similar) drop in filters quite a bit.

[Taz]

There are folks who say that Cokin ND is more of 'grey' filter than neutral density, in other words the spectral response of the filter is not as uniform (white) as some other brands. But I use the cokin P filters and I'm happy with them. I also have the blue grad which is a nice to have, but I dont use it much. But it does create very vivid skies.

[dullbird]

There are folks who say that Cokin ND is more of 'grey' filter than neutral density, in other words the spectral response of the filter is not as uniform (white) as some other brands. But I use the cokin P filters and I'm happy with them. I also have the blue grad which is a nice to have, but I dont use it much.
But it does create very vivid skies.


thats what I thought it would do...but its good to know that you dont use it that much perhaps I will take it off my list:)

[drifter]

There are folks who say that Cokin ND is more of 'grey' filter than neutral density, in other words the spectral response of the filter is not as uniform (white) as some other brands. But I use the cokin P filters and I'm happy with them. I also have the blue grad which is a nice to have, but I dont use it much. But it does create very vivid skies.

Agree on the grey caste to the pics taken with the Cokin series filters. The Lee filters are optically better in this regard but come at a much larger cost.

I have 2 holders - the 'standard' 3 filter holder (so I can 'stack' filters if required to increase the effece - or decrease the light - whichever way you want to look at it) and I also have the single filter holder as I found the standard one caused some vignetting on my wide-angle lens.

I also have 3 adaptor rings so I can use it on the smaller 55mm lenses, too.

Edit: the vignetting was only apparent on the full-frame body - the cropped bodies don't, obviously, exhibit that effect.

[Taz]

Just took some example shots outside... hope they help to give you a feel for the filters


This one uses no filters;
http://taznkaz.gallery.netspace.net.au/albums/album09/nothing_0001.jpg

This one used the graduated blue filter (B2);
http://taznkaz.gallery.netspace.net.au/albums/album09/B2_123_0005.jpg

And for this one I used an ND4, graduated ND2(G2) and the B2 all together;
http://taznkaz.gallery.netspace.net.au/albums/album09/ND4andB2andG2minus1_0013.jpg
Stuffed if I could get the highlights to settle down (the roof), but its digital (Nikon D1), so I cannot expect too much :):(:)

[dullbird]

Hey Taz thanks a lot for the examples they are really helpful....

does give you some nice rich colours.......

when you do use the B2 do you often use the ND in conjunction? or do you find that sometimes the ND is enough on its own

[Taz]

Yes, the B2 and G2 do work well together. I think this pair of filters produces nicer skies than a polarising filter. The B2 alone is very subtle. It would be nice to try a polarising filter combined with the other two; however, I dont have the cokin polariser :(- its on the wish thou!

[CowsGoMoo]

Might help to PM CowsGoMoo (David) as I believe he uses Cokin (or similar) drop in filters quite a bit.

I did a fair bit of research on these before buying. I use the larger 4x6 Singh-Ray ND Grads. You can also get them to fit the popular Cokin "P" holder. Mine fit the bigger Lee holder. You find many people buying the smaller size filters then finding out they causin vignetting using a wider lens.

Ones I use the most are the -3 Hard Step and -2 Hard Step. I do have a -3 Soft Step and a reverse grad but find I don't use them as much.

Singh-Ray ND filters are well known for their quality and neutrality. The down side is they cost top $$$$. But at least you don't have to buy them twice :)

You can read a little more here-
My Photographic Journey: Putting the creativity back to the camera not photoshop (http://brentbat.blogspot.com/2008/04/putting-creativity-back-to-camera-not.html)

[300+]

That example shot on your page shows quite a cast with the cokin filters! Shame that Singh Ray are so expensive...

From looking at the example shots on various filter makers pages do grad NDs help remove the haze in long distance landscapes by evening out the exposure. Or is this just part of their post processing to make their filters look better?

Cheers, Steve