360mm Symmar-S 6.8 + Cokin X-Pro?

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I was finally able to get my 360mm in a Copal shutter (had it in a Sinar DB shutter before that) and now that I', ready to use it in the field I need a filter system.

Now I've heard that the Cokin X-Pro should suit my needs and many others who use a 360 Symmar have been advised to get the X-Pro system, but as the diameter of the Cokin is 118mm and the filter thread on the lens is 120mm I have slight doubts that it'll fit.
Do I need a special adapter like the Cokin universal adapter? I doubt that even that would fit this big lens...

:-/ so what should I do?

[Lachlan 717]

The universal is rated at 118mm, but I'll check mine later in case it's slightly wider.

Blu Tac can be used to hold the filter in place. Possibly an option?

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I'd rather not use stuff like Blu Tac, I intent do use it outdoors a lot and don't want the filters to end up an the bottom of a chasm ^^

[Lachlan 717]

I'd rather not use stuff like Blu Tac, I intent do use it outdoors a lot and don't want the filters to end up an the bottom of a chasm ^^

That's never been close to being an issue for me.

However, Newton Rings were when I used 2 filters together, so I recently purchased the Universal (specifically for the 72mm with 112mm centre filter).

I haven't had a chance to mount it on the lens yet. Did you want an exact measurement?

[Lachlan 717]

Mind you, you could sell the lens and get a 355mm G Claron. A bit slower, but it's happy with 77mm filters...

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I just want to know whether it's actually possible to mount the X-Pro System on this lens and how - or if there's an alternative, I'm open to suggestions!

I know what you mean, but as I prefer a shallow DOF when it comes to portraits I want to use an fast lens, the faster the better.

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Hmm...well... I thought 360mm 6.8 lenses were a bit more common so others might help me in this area. ^^
Or is everyone else just using blu tac, duct tape or screw-in filters?

[Clive Gray]

I have a 360 Symar S but have not used this lens yet as I got it ridiculously cheap in dbm mount and it needed cleaning. I do also have a Sinaron 360mm F6.8 the naming gets a bit odd on these but its a Sironar N I think from memory thats 105mm from memory rather than 120mm front thread.

From looking at your profile I see you have Sinar cameras so I am going to suggest an aternative to the Cokin X pro System the Sinar 125mm system although deleted some dealers still have some of the harware and it also appears on ebay as do the filters at not unrealistic prices now and then.

I'm just charging the D300's battery and will post some crappy shots later to illustrate why it might be worth looking for.

[Lachlan 717]

I finally had time to get the callipers out to measure this.

I did 2 measurements: one of the full diameter of the ring and one of the maximum "spread" if you're using the retaining screws (I wound these right out, and then reattached them by about half a turn).

Results? Full diameter was 119.8mm. Maximum spread was 118.1mm.

Hope that this helps.

[Clive Gray]

Right now having had a poke about the Sinar 125 system will do what you want and I can point you in the direction of where you can get most of the bits you might need but then some will be secondhand you can still get the equivalent of the filters new too but at a price more on that in a bit.



First some rubbish pictures

A 125mm filter



They should come in nice plastic cases



Rear view of filter holder one




Front view of filter holder one

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7...c27b2e66_z.jpg

There are three ways to mount these, you can get screw in rings in sizes up to 127mm you can mount these directly in any sinar standard or you can suport then with a sinar bellows rod and clip.


The filter holders can be pushed together so you can stack several / as many as you have / wish together



Filter holder two just allows two filters that you can not independantly rotate but again you could stack these




Set if looking at the full res might help


Image2output in the UK still have the filter holders available new


They have a pdf that illustrates the system and has all the relevant code numbers .

They still list some of the adapter rings sadly not the 120mm one (547.81.022) that you might need

chucking that number into google found this page if you click on adapter rings they have a 120mm one also if you click filters they have some filters for sale.

If this is just for use with your Sinar cameras you could just use the filter holder on the bellows rod so you would not need the ring.

Why technically none of this is available new you can get some bits and you can certainly get things cheaper from ebay and the like I have picked up odd filters here and there but was very lucky that the sadly missed Paul Beaumont from MXV knew my interest in such items and some years back had set aside a box containing 19 filters mostly grads and three holders that was mine for 120 pounds.

With regard to the filters it is no secret that they were made for Sinar by Formatt Filters in the Uk at the same time they marke they own system the filters were identical but the hardware was different I have two one slot holders and a couple of adapters they are less flexible as they will not mount straight to sinar standards or bellows clips. Formatt I believe will take custom orders for filters and should certainly know what you are after if correctly described that might be an expensive route but any new filters of this site are not cheap. (?I have some custom filters I was lucky to get secondhand 81EF combined with grads and the like.

If it is for your Sinar cameras the filter holder bellows clip etc is very useable and available new or secondhand at not to obscene prices if you need the 120mm ring its out there and if you don't mind secondhand filters they can be not to bad price wise or in theory you can have them made for you but that will be expensive.

It is an alternative to the X Pro I think its better but it might not suit you.

For completeness I do have two odd X pro filters (they were dirt cheap) I tried one in the Sinar holder they go in but lacking the frame you see on the Sinar / Hitec (Formatt) ones they are not gripped so you could use them if you made a plastic shim perhaps or did omething horrible with bluetack.

I know it is of course heresay but as suggested in a pinch just holding the filter against the lens cn produce useable results also worth a thought if its for your sinars is the old style filter holder on the rod if you get the gel snap adapter you can put 100mm filters in that as you have room for movements on the 360mm potentailly you can position a 100mm filter to do what you need and it need not appear in your image.