Graduated ND filter Recommendation

d-sr

I shoot with a Leica V-LUX 1 bridge camera. I have just about decided on the Cokin holder and filters because of price. It calls for an "A" type holder for 35mm & up and a "P" type holder for wide angel lens. With the 35-420MM camera lens I add a Raynox 6600 pro lens, making it 24mm but I don't use it all the time. Do I need to get both holders & filters or would one do and if so which one would you think.

ian408

I can't answer whether you should get both or not. But what I would do is
ask if the P fits the lenses you have. What I mean is can you get the rings
for all. If so, then just get the P.

d-sr

ian408 wrote:

I can't answer whether you should get both or not. But what I would do is
ask if the P fits the lenses you have. What I mean is can you get the rings
for all. If so, then just get the P.

The web site says to avoid variegating I need both. They do have rings of all sizes so I don't understand the variegating part.

ian408

d-sr wrote:

The web site says to avoid variegating I need both. They do have rings of all sizes so I don't understand the variegating part.

I think you mean vignette. Right? I wouldn't expect streaking but I would
expect some focus problems at the extremes.

Anyway, if you have a large enough filter, this shouldn't be a problem.
Since I'm not familiar with the A holders, I should think vignetting would
be more of a problem with WA lenses than anything else so if you use
P's, you should be good to go.

d-sr

ian408 wrote:

I think you mean vignette. Right? I wouldn't expect streaking but I would
expect some focus problems at the extremes.

Anyway, if you have a large enough filter, this shouldn't be a problem.
Since I'm not familiar with the A holders, I should think vignetting would
be more of a problem with WA lenses than anything else so if you use
P's, you should be good to go.

You are correct. I went back and checked and it was vignetting and the P holder was what I was thinking. Because of cost I am going to have to start out with the Gray filters. The Cokin holder seems to be the one for me and I'll probably use the rectangle filters but do you have a recommendation on which brand of these cheaper gray filters does the best job?

ian408

d-sr wrote:

You are correct. I went back and checked and it was vignetting and the P holder was what I was thinking. Because of cost I am going to have to start out with the Gray filters. The Cokin holder seems to be the one for me and I'll probably use the rectangle filters but do you have a recommendation on which brand of these cheaper gray filters does the best job?

I have some of the Cokin products and I've been happy with the results too.

Ian

devbobo

I use Singh-Ray Graduated ND filters, they are bit on the pricing side, especially when you convert to aussie dollars.

But i have been very happy with the results.

PetersCreek

I can't imagine why you'd need or want both the A and the P holders. As mentioned, the P reduces the possibility of vignetting on wide-angle lenses...and they work every bit as well as the A filters on lenses with narrower fields of view. If you shoot wide-angle, go with the P and use it on eveything else.

As for ND grad filters, by all means use the P holder but avoid the Cokin grad filters themselves if you can. B&H carries the Hitech line which are a nice step up in quality without as much of a price increase as the Singh Rays...which are even nicer, still. They run about US$40 each. IIRC, they come in hard- and soft-edged varieties in three or four strengths: .3, .6, .9, and 1.2...each offering one stop of exposure reduction, successively. They're essentially the same width as the Cokin P series filters, so they'll fit the holder...and they have the added advantage of being longer so you have more control over where the gradation falls within the frame.

d-sr

PetersCreek wrote:

I can't imagine why you'd need or want both the A and the P holders. As mentioned, the P reduces the possibility of vignetting on wide-angle lenses...and they work every bit as well as the A filters on lenses with narrower fields of view. If you shoot wide-angle, go with the P and use it on eveything else.

As for ND grad filters, by all means use the P holder but avoid the Cokin grad filters themselves if you can. B&H carries the Hitech line which are a nice step up in quality without as much of a price increase as the Singh Rays...which are even nicer, still. They run about US$40 each. IIRC, they come in hard- and soft-edged varieties in three or four strengths: .3, .6, .9, and 1.2...each offering one stop of exposure reduction, successively. They're essentially the same width as the Cokin P series filters, so they'll fit the holder...and they have the added advantage of being longer so you have more control over where the gradation falls within the frame.

Thanks Ian, David & PetersCreek and I did decide to go with the P series. I just wanted to make sure before I purchased and have never gotten and answer from Cokin. I'm also going to check out the Hitech filter at B&H PetersCreek. Thanks for the added info.

drdane

I have the Cokin P holder, which is fine.

I also have 1 and 2 stop graduated grays (Cokin) I've seen some loss in sharpness with these, so going up a step in quality would be a good idea. The also scratch easily.