ND Filters

[ricktas]

Thanks Rick for your experience and advice, sounds like the investment in a 100MM system is worth it as it's flexible if moving to better glass such as the Lee filters. Have you used cokin and lee filers, what are you experiences with them in terms of IQ?

I have all Cokin filters except my 10 stop ND which is Lee. I am happy with all of them. I have experienced a magenta cast with stacked Cokin filters, once. A while back on AP we discussed the colour cast issue with stacked filters and found it was more prevalent in with Canon users, and we started surmising that it was possibly a white balance issue (when set to Auto White Balance), in that the camera was tricked by the filters into assuming the white balance was different to what it should be, and therefore the AWB was creating the colour cast. In the discussion, we even had some example shots from members of the colour cast and in each case it was correctable with an adjustment to their WB in post processing. I would not deem it to be a reason not to get a few Cokin filters. For my Z-Pro system I have ND 2 4 8 / NDGrad 2 4 (broke my 8) / Lee 10 stop / polariser (price ouch) / blue grad, orange grad and a tobacco grad.

[rodw]

I bought some Cokin knockoffs on eBay over the weekend with some other stuff. I've already got a Cokin GND set and I have ordered the 2,4 and 8 ND To go with them. at $7.50 each, it was worth a go. This is the 3 rd order I have made from seller jiakgong.

After some research, there is a filter brand out of China called TIANYA which has a reasonable reputation so I paid a bit more to get this brand. Who knows how it will go but I'm only risking about $35 or so on the glass and that also Includes a Cokin style CPL.

I also got a pack of about 10 different sizes Cokin step up rings which will make sure I can use the filters on every lens I have or am likely to buy.

[Roosta]

So I've been looking into this as well and it seemed from my research that I'd need the cokin X series since I'd want to use the system with my 16-35, does anyone have experience with this set up?

I have the "P" Cokins. Used the grads and solid filters by just holding them,yes, not the most accurate for horizons, but it still worked a treat. Not sure on the "P" and the the filter size 16-17 / 35mm, if this was your goto lens mostly, I would steer you to the 100mm setup for sure.

[rodw]

I have the "P" Cokins. Used the grads and solid filters by just holding them,yes, not the most accurate for horizons, but it still worked a treat. Not sure on the "P" and the the filter size 16-17 / 35mm, if this was your goto lens mostly, I would steer you to the 100mm setup for sure.

Years ago, a pro told me he used a bit of buetack to hold filters in positon. Might be worth a try if you get stuck.

In fact, I may well need to try this as now I've got my D800, I just tried the Cokin filter holder on my 17-35 and I get vignetting below 24mm (of course this was never a problem on DX). Changing the crop to 5:4 almost totally eliminates the vignetting at 17mm.

Turning the Cokin holder on it side also solves vignetting at 17mm but it obviously won't work for Grads in landscape mode.

I might try trimming back a P holder once my cheap Chinese clone arrives so it can only hold 1 filter and see how that works. I'm pretty sure it will solve it too.

[ricktas]

Years ago, a pro told me he used a bit of buetack to hold filters in positon. Might be worth a try if you get stuck.

In fact, I may well need to try this as now I've got my D800, I just tried the Cokin filter holder on my 17-35 and I get vignetting below 24mm (of course this was never a problem on DX). Changing the crop to 5:4 almost totally eliminates the vignetting at 17mm.

Turning the Cokin holder on it side also solves vignetting at 17mm but it obviously won't work for Grads in landscape mode.

I might try trimming back a P holder once my cheap Chinese clone arrives so it can only hold 1 filter and see how that works. I'm pretty sure it will solve it too.

Using the D3 for a few years, I upgraded to the Z-Pro system from the P system specifically cause of the vignetting issue with the P system. For anyone starting out, even with a crop sensor camera at this stage, I would say spend the extra and get the Z-Pro to start with.

[rodw]

Using the D3 for a few years, I upgraded to the Z-Pro system from the P system specifically cause of the vignetting issue with the P system. For anyone starting out, even with a crop sensor camera at this stage, I would say spend the extra and get the Z-Pro to start with.

Thanks Rick, clearly all good advice but does not help if you already had the filter system before purchasing a UWA lens which is why I shared my experience which tends to confirm your thoughts.