[stevegreen]

I have decided that I need to get some filters to fit my 350D.

I have been looking at both Cokin and Hoya filters but don't really know which to go for.

I will be initially looking at a Circular Polarizer and maybe some graduated filters.

The Cokin range looks good and I assume that I would be looking at the P series for my lenses (77mm threads on both the 10-20 Sigma and the 24-105 Canon) One thing that concerns me slightly at the moment is vingetting at 10mm. Will the Cokin range suffer from this? I'm assuming that a screw in filter wouldn't.......but they are soooooooo expensive!

Any advice/alternative suggestions appreciated.

[Kaoshan]

I recently got a 77mm Hoya Circular Polariser as it fits all my L lenses. It produces some very nice effects. The only problem I have with it is that it is difficult to adjust with a lens hood mounted.

I'm also looking at graduated filters.

Canon EF 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM lens for sale.

[Dar]

You can still get vignetting from a screw in filter. I have a 77mm circular polariser which covers all my lenses. I have been looking at the Cokin P series as I would like to get a graduated filter.

The only complaints I have heard about the Cokin system is light leaking in as the filter isn't a tight fit in the holder.

I believe Cokin do a 'Wideangle' holder for the P system. I think it is lower profile to avoid vignetting on wide angle lenses.

[Kaoshan]

You can still get vignetting from a screw in filter...

How right you are! This is the first sunny day here for a while so I've been out with an assortment of lenses and the circular polarising filter. Vignetting is most noticable on the 24-105 L at 24mm (This is on a 5D body)

Canon EF 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM lens for sale.

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

I have decided that I need to get some filters to fit my 350D.

I have been looking at both Cokin and Hoya filters but don't really know which to go for.

I will be initially looking at a Circular Polarizer and maybe some graduated filters.

The Cokin range looks good and I assume that I would be looking at the P series for my lenses (77mm threads on both the 10-20 Sigma and the 24-105 Canon) One thing that concerns me slightly at the moment is vingetting at 10mm. Will the Cokin range suffer from this? I'm assuming that a screw in filter wouldn't.......but they are soooooooo expensive!

Any advice/alternative suggestions appreciated.

You would need a wide holder for the 10-22, the normal one cuts in around 16mm.

I would recommend the Cokin system, definatelly a good buy. I found Hilton Photographic to be the best buy, on eBay. Let me know if you need their eBay id

[stevegreen]

Thanks for the replies.

I have just been into the local Jessops and the helpful chap behind the counter said that their own 'Pro' brand of circular polarisers are on 1/2 price offer at the moment and that they are as good quality as the Hoya brand (in fact he said they were the same apart from the branding) I asked him about vignetting at 10mm (16mm equivalent) and he said that the profile of the surrounds was quite shallow so I shouldn't see much vignetting at 10mm (16mm) Kaoshans post would suggest otherwise.

£53 for a 77mm thread circular polariser, Jessops brand, seems quite tempting but I wonder if the quality is the same or whether there would actually be that much in it if there were a difference. I had a look at the quality of a Jessops UV filter and it seemed to be quite good.

[Chunder]

That's interesting to know - I'm going to pop in to our Jessop's at lunchtime to have a look...

You only really see bad vignetting if your aperture is open wide (i.e. low aperture value) - I've got a 5D, and a Hoya UV filter on my 16-35, and don't get too bad vignetting. It's mostly noticeable if you've got a constant colour scene - e.g. sky, snow, painted wall, etc.

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

£53 for a 77mm thread circular polariser, Jessops brand, seems quite tempting but I wonder if the quality is the same or whether there would actually be that much in it if there were a difference. I had a look at the quality of a Jessops UV filter and it seemed to be quite good.

Got a few of their filters and they are good quality

The Cokin cost me £9 for the holder [same again for the wide one] and £6 for the ring adaptors then about £12 a filter Very flexible and I'd say moreso than a standard screw on filter.

[Kaoshan]

Steve,

With the 24-105 L + cpf on either a 350D or a 30D there is no vignetting at 24mm. It only occurs on a FF body.

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by Kaoshan

Steve,

With the 24-105 L + cpf on either a 350D or a 30D there is no vignetting at 24mm. It only occurs on a FF body.

But there would be on the 10-22mm bud

[Chunder]

Even though the 10-22 is an ef-s lens, so the sensor doesn't actually gather any (well, much) light from the edges of the lens?

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by Chunder

Even though the 10-22 is an ef-s lens, so the sensor doesn't actually gather any (well, much) light from the edges of the lens?

Yeah thought that would be a factor but it isn't

[spanna]

has anyone got any photos taken with the cokin circular polariser?
Im also looking for a polariser but worried about the cokins quality.

cheers

[spanna]

well ive been advised by a collage photography teacher to go with the lee filter system.
Does anyone use them or have experience of them?

[stevegreen]

Bit of a bump as I am still undecided what to get.

Anyone have any experience of the Cokin system? Are the filters as good quality as the Hoya's?

I'd appreciate that e-bay link h4rri as I think I shall be getting my own as I would like them before I go to Scotland in two weeks.

Money-pocket-hole and all that

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

Bit of a bump as I am still undecided what to get.

Anyone have any experience of the Cokin system? Are the filters as good quality as the Hoya's?

I'd appreciate that e-bay link h4rri as I think I shall be getting my own as I would like them before I go to Scotland in two weeks.

Money-pocket-hole and all that

Here you go mate http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Hiltons-of-...ers_W0QQfsubZ5 do the Cokin and Hoya systems. Fantastic little system and very easy to use. Have a look at the diameter(s) of all the lenses you have and order the appropriatte rings

Easy to use and offers good results, colleague of mine uses it and swears by it

[stevegreen]

cheers mate

[SSB]

Worth noting that Kood do a Cokin P fit set of filters and the holder. I find the Kood grads are just fine - the circular polariser is OK for the price, but nothing more - but of course you could substitute it for a proper Cokin one.*

I got mine from www.surreyphotography.co.uk, but I think their prices might have crept up since. www.7dayshop.com also sell the Kood stuff, and Loobylin

Hiltons of Hull (suggested above) are good for service, but it's always worth looking at their website to see if you can't get a better deal missing out the ebay middle-man.


* thinking about it, I'm wondering if the circ pol might work better in front of the grads rather than behind. Seems to make sense that it would as at the back it's trying to polarise already filtered light.

[h4rri]

I have noticed quite a few of the manufacturers are doing Cokin fit filters these days and as you say unless you look to a Cicular poloriser you shouldn't notice the difference.

Having said that Cokin filters aren't too bad at £10ish a pop

[stevegreen]

Originally Posted by SSB

Hiltons of Hull (suggested above) are good for service, but it's always worth looking at their website to see if you can't get a better deal missing out the ebay middle-man.

That saves a few quid, cheers SSB.........still contemplating the idea, checking bank balances, projecting costs for Christmas, thinking about having more options when I take a picture, worrying I might have too much to think about.......I should just order the things really and have done with it all

[h4rri]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

That saves a few quid, cheers SSB.........still contemplating the idea, checking bank balances, projecting costs for Christmas, thinking about having more options when I take a picture, worrying I might have too much to think about.......I should just order the things really and have done with it all

Go for it mate, I did and always have them in my bag now for when I need them Not expensive when you look at the cost of the rest of the gear, could always get your family to get you them for xmas

[stevegreen]

Just to update the thread.

I have ordered the Cokin 'P' series system along with a circular polariser, a graduated filer and a neutral density filter. The ND filer is out of stock due to them having production issues apparently.

Ordered from Hilton Photographic. Thanks for the links and advice all, particularly SSB

[chris1210]

Will be good to hear your opinions Steve! Im thinking about getting a Cokin system for Xmas to fit my 67 and 77mm lenses :D

[spanna]

Yes , will be good to hear your opinions. After some advice Ive gone down the Lee filters route. with a cp and nd 0.6
(well its my xmas pressie anyway )

[mattym]

ive been using Hama filters of late, and they are pretty fair for cheap filters, ive also used Tiffen, which are also very good...

[QuietRiot1983]

Originally Posted by mattym

ive been using Hama filters of late, and they are pretty fair for cheap filters, ive also used Tiffen, which are also very good...

Are Hama any good?

In theory plastic (sorry, optical resin ) filters produce the same optical quality as glass, in reality this only applies when the plastic filters are new and totally unmarked.

Cokin filters don't have a good reputation for accurate colours; if you really must go for plastic, go for Lee.

All filters fitted to extreme wideangle lenses are likely to produce some degree of vignetting - come to that, so do the lenses themselves. To a certain extent this can be corrected in Photoshop.

All filters degrade image quality to some extent. Filters are useful for solving problems, if you don't have a problem then it's best not to create one by using a filter. Other than landscape photographers, you will find that very few pro photographers use them on a regular basis.

Hope this helps