Good All around Filter system...

[anchored]

Honestly, part of the decision-making process should revolve around how much you use filtration, and how finnicky you are on quality issues. As far as holders, the Lee filter holders are a lot better than the Cokin System... but then again, if you only rarely use filters, the added expense might not be worth it.

I believe you've misunderstood a bit on the quality of filters... Lee filters are WAY better than Cokin filters in quality.... they're made of optical quality resin and not polyester plastic as the Cokin filters are. Lee filters are second to none as far as quality goes. The main negative to Lee filters is since they're made of resin, they're more prone to getting scratched than glass filters.

In reality, one would be hard pressed to see a difference in images between one filter brand and another. That is... except for the polarizer, in which there are considerable differences from brand to brand. Regarding polarizers, you definitely get what you pay for (higher prices almost always equate to higher quality for this filter.

Whatever you're final choice will be regarding holders and filter brands, for the polarizer buy only high-grades... the quality of this filter is all-important to image quality.

[Jan Nieuwenhuysen]

[QUOTE=anchored;379386]I believe you've misunderstood a bit on the quality of filters... Lee filters are WAY better than Cokin filters in quality.... they're made of optical quality resin and not polyester plastic as the Cokin filters are. Lee filters are second to none as far as quality goes. The main negative to Lee filters is since they're made of resin, they're more prone to getting scratched than glass filters.
QUOTE]

Cokin filters (most, they also have some filters made of mineral glass) are made of CR 39, ophtalmological quality resin. Same stuff the lenses in your reading glasses are made off. Lee filters are also some kind of resin. Lee also produces polyester filters (thin sheets) that look and feel extremely flimsy. Some serve me for more than 10 years without a problem however. Some Cokin filters I have a over 20 years old. It is very easy to damage both brands, all types, if you are not reasonably careful.

Availability and cost would be the determining factors for me.

[trink408]

Thanks for clearing a few things up for me.

I think for starters I'm going to go with the Cokin P series holder and try out the HI-tech graduated ND filter. That is the main filter I wanted to try out, and didn't really want to spend $200+ just for the standard thread on filter for my 72mm lens.

One Question:

Can I use my Cir. polarizer with the P series holder attached to that filter? I'm thinking I can, but might have problems with Vignetting at wide open...

[EuGene Smith]

There is always a troglodite in the woodwork - a fungus among us. So I admit it! Since I don't have any monster lenses, I can use my good old Wrattens with almost all of them.

I have the 75mm Kodak holders and the 84mm Cokin P holders with all sorts of rings (in mm & series sizes) to fit them to my vintage & modern lenses. With my homebrew frames I can use the 75mm Wrattens with the 84mm Cokin holders.

Why Wrattens? Because they are everywhere in the used and NOS market, and cheap enough that even us poor folks can buy them. The most I ever paid for a Wratten was $30 each for a NOS 87/87C pair . . . and that's before I knew any better. With patience, I have bought spares for both for less than $10 and generally can get the old standards (8, 11, 15, 23A, etc.) for $2 - $4.

I guess many photographers dismiss the Wrattens as an old joke, but they do a fine job for an amateur on a very limited budget

[Tim Povlick]

Thanks for clearing a few things up for me.

One Question:

Can I use my Cir. polarizer with the P series holder attached to that filter? I'm thinking I can, but might have problems with Vignetting at wide open...

This was exactly how I use the P series on my 4x5. I see no vignetting problems. I say 'was' because I recently acquired the Cokin polarizing filter for the P series holder. It made field life easier when dealing with multiple lenses.

_ .. --
Tim

[Petewit]

P system filters are a bit small for wide angle causing vignetting. Better off with the Z pro Cokin or X pro better still. Cokin ND filters are grey grads and not neutral density and therefore inferior to Lee system.

Pete