Cokin Z Pro FIlter Falling Out of Holder

Dan A

Hi There,

I got the Cokin Z Pro Filter Kit for Chrissy and something that has been annoying me with it a bit is that if you put a filter in the slot nearest the lens it just slides right through, so you have to use the second slot, this means you cant stack the filters and if you use 3 slots you get vignetting on a wide angle.

You can take the spacer off but then can't get the filters through at all as they get stuck on the ridges of the holder and also get stuck on the little knobs.

Is the sliding normal or is there something wrong with my filter holder?

Thanks

JimKarczewski

Have you tried playing with the thumb screws on the holder? Mine has 4, maybe they are too loose when you have the spacer in??? Just a though?

Dan A

Hi, no the screws are ok, cant go any tighter than they currently are.

ziggy53

I don't own the Cokin Z-Pro system so the following may be incorrect. Earlier versions may be different, but I believe that the following information is relevant for the current model of the Z-Pro holder.

I believe that I read that the Cokin Z-Pro filter holder has 3 plastic "pins" or "posts", which may be positioned inward or outward. If you want to use a 4x4 filter in the closest slot (with the holder in the "normal" orientation), then I believe that you may push the bottom 2 pins forward to prevent the filter from passing through. (Leave the top pin rearward to help position the holder on the adapter ring and to keep the holder from sliding down.)

Vignetting "is" a problem with the widest lenses. The Z-Pro holder may be reversed to allow a single filter to be used without (or with less) vignetting for the widest focal lengths.

You may also wish to try the Lee holder for 4x4 filters.

Dan A

ziggy53 wrote: »

I don't own the Cokin Z-Pro system so the following may be incorrect. Earlier versions may be different, but I believe that the following information is relevant for the current model of the Z-Pro holder.

I believe that I read that the Cokin Z-Pro filter holder has 3 plastic "pins" or "posts", which may be positioned inward or outward. If you want to use a 4x4 filter in the closest slot (with the holder in the "normal" orientation), then I believe that you may push the bottom 2 pins forward to prevent the filter from passing through. (Leave the top pin rearward to help position the holder on the adapter ring and to keep the holder from sliding down.)

Vignetting "is" a problem with the widest lenses. The Z-Pro holder may be reversed to allow a single filter to be used without (or with less) vignetting for the widest focal lengths.

You may also wish to try the Lee holder for 4x4 filters.

Thanks for your information,I have since after much research found that the first slot is ideally fir the Cokin Z circular polarizer which needs to be wider, doesnt help me much if i wanted to stack my filters though

David_S85

I use the Z-Pro myself with 4x5 ND grad filters. I'm getting it out right now and it is in front of me to look at as I write.

I will say that you will absolutely get vignetting if you use two or more adjacent slots and at anything approaching wide angles. That is to be expected and a given. The only way vignetting won't happen is if you are maybe using some tiny lens with a 52mm front thread or doing telephoto work. As far as the Z holder goes, the top peg pushes all back the way through for full top loading access on all three front slots. And yes, the first outside slot is usable, but that top peg might need to be filed down a bit. The bottom two pegs push only 2/3rds through by design so the first slot won't let you drop a long filter or a ND grad very easily unless you park it solidly in front of the holder. For adjusting ND grads back and forth, the outside two slots are your friends. That back slot is really then just for a square effect filter.

Three filters in the holder itself is a lot to deal with, and optically, not a great idea. When I use an ND-only or a polarizer, I screw round versions onto the front of the lens, then place the Z holder's adaptor on the front of that stack, then the Z holder itself, and then the ND grad. The closer you can get any filter towards the outside front element of the lens, the better chances you have optically to get a clean shot.

Finally, the holder's four total slots have varying tension curves, so you can rebuild it any way you want for any thickness differences between the filters you use. There are two weak, and two strong slots, plus that spacer to put anywhere you need. It might be possible to order another weak or strong slot separately (maybe?) from some of the online filter-only shops like 2filters or camerafilters (dot) coms. Hope this helps.

EDIT: it looks as if my Z holder has three different tension slots rather than the two types I mentioned above.

Dan A

Thanks all I have managed to be able to have 2 grad filters stacked now by flipping the holder around and swapping the pins..... I think this is what they intended for the holder . They should have some type of manual


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