tried cokin p 'style' ND filters.. they're in the bin. now what?

T

tikigod19

Well-known member
hi all,

I spent ages researching all of my lenses filter sizes and buying necessary step down rings for the cokin p type of ND filter (basically a semi transparent grey piece of plastic) but no matter which one I put on, I get a horrible misty type picture. i'm possibly doing something wrong, if so I'd love to be put in my place!

however, assuming this is just because I skimped and bought the cheap rubbish (they were about £5 each) could someone recommend a quick easy to attach ND filter set for use with the GH1/2

Thanks
 
I have just seen the fader nd style filter, am I right in saying you only need to screw one filter onto the lens and then twist it to adjust the ND level? this seems perfect if it really is that simple without any quality loss.

Would love to get some advice on something that I sadly know nothing about
 
step up rings from your say, 52mm to a 77m ( have lenses from 49mm to 77mm) across all lenses then buy a Vari ND filter 77mm. There are a few on the market polaroid, genus, lightstorm, singh ray (most expensive but very good I have it). Problem solved. remember to buy a vari Nd that has rings on the END OF IT so you can keep stacking if need be. I bought my Singh Ray to my annoyance bough the fat non front thread version.

yes it is that simple and I'm a tech idiot.
 
damn, i JUST bought a 67mm.. I've emailed them and asked if I can exchange for a 77mm (my biggest lens) and then buy some step up rings from them. I'm sure they wont mind!
so the step up rings are light tight around the edge of the lens then? they dont let any light in between say the first step up ring and the fader ND itself?

The step up rings is something I experienced with the cokin p filter system, I just dont know why on earth I purchased those instead of these which seem so much simpler!

Can/Should you attach a UV filter over the top of the ND or is that pointless?
 
Hey welcome to the tech idiot club.... No light leak, tight as nuns knickers.

uv...pointless....
btw you will need new lens caps all 77mm I keep them on all the time. I bought General brand from B&H for 5 bucks a piece 77mm and a 77mm slip on hood cover BW brand for the lens when I have the vari ND on in the field. Like I said in previous posts my Vari Nd does not have rings on end of it so I cant use a click lens cap.
 
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so with 2 DSLRs being used I could buy 2x 77mm and the necessary step rings, then a 77mm lens cap and hood... job done?

When the vari ND is on but turned all the way down (to let as much light in as possible) does it still darken the image or is it like the vari ND is not on the lens?

If that was the case it'd be great as you could leave it on all the time and just twist it when you want to apply ND, however I fear that this is not the case and it'll be case of screwing the vari ND on when you go outside into bright light
 
also thinking about it.. the step rings that I bought for the cokin P filter holder would probably do the job for this too? as far as I know they're just rings that has a male thread on one size and a larger female thread on the other to screw the next ring or a filter onto, sound correct?
 
i use Lee filters so you need the Lee 77m adapter to holder (tough to find). i have an old Cokin P (i think) to use with my red and orange filters for Black and white video and yes i use the 77mm step ring to the Cokin holder - but's its kinda loose, does the job though.

Vari filters ( i stand corrected ) have anything from 8-12 stops. the singh ray has a zero marking so can leave it "off" when i choose. Mostly just leave it on all day, on sunny days, and adjust accordingly. Here in South Africa 11am on a beach shoot i'm at 8 stops. So its worth the investment not juggling with matte boxes etc certainly for the GH1/2.
 
Excellent I've bought a cheap one to play around with and eventually have as a spare but if I like it I'll get the Singh Ray one as I love the idea of leaving it on all day and twisting when needed. As long as it doesn't affect the picture in any say when set to off but if it's meant to be a good one I assume it won't affect the picture in a bad way
 
Formatts HiTech filters should fit in your Cokin holder. They can be had at up to 8 stops of ND.

http://www.formatt.co.uk/stills-filters/products.aspx

While using two polarizing filters is a decent quick'n'dirty solution for many set-ups, bear in mind that at varying angles they can remove translucency from human skin and make your subject look like a corpse. Does all kinds of funny shimmering things with daylight reflections in general too, when panning, tilting or doing dutch movements on hand held.
 
hmph. thanks for the heads up. I will play around with the cheap filter and see what it does.

Hopefully it wont go straight back on ebay like the cokin filters.

AF-100 seems the only true solution to this issue!
 
Huh? A good sunshade/matte box is the solution to loosing contrast when using filters. Actually Cokin has a neat small square one for their filter holder that is stackable for various focal lengths. Very clever and blocks stray light from hitting the filter rather well.
 

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Buying the AF just to have built in ND's somewhat excessive as is a matte box for new shooter, general all shooting and run gun vari is the way to go. Matte box looks cool and pro but you have to make the decision when you need it 1. for stacking more filters 2. looking pro for clients.
If you need a lens hood for stray light buy one of these colllapsibles for $12, does the job and can on end of Vari ND

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/117013-REG/General_Brand_77mm_Screw_In_Rubber_Wide.html
 
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thanks for the suggestions guys. I change lens every 10 mins or so when I'm shooting at weddings and its that issue that (if my understanding of matte boxes) has put me off of getting a matte box. I understand it would lengthen the time it takes to change lens which to me in what I film is absolutely critical.
 
If you have a Cokin adapter ring on each lens you move the entire filter / sun hood kit between them in mere seconds. Faster than the swapping of the lenses.
 
ive never really understood matte boxes but wasnt sure how the attached to the lens. I thought they'd screw on instead of sliding into a filter holder but obviously not. Do you need rails in order to have a matte box as I dont have them.
 
Don't stack cheap plastic filters. It will affect color & sharpness.

Buy filter holders for all your lenses, or a swing-away mattebox.
 
Martin Oller said:
Don't stack cheap plastic filters. It will affect color & sharpness.
Click to expand...

That's why I pointed to the Formatt HiTech Cokin style filters as they have up to 8 stops of ND in one filter.

tikigod19 said:
ive never really understood matte boxes but wasnt sure how the attached to the lens. I thought they'd screw on instead of sliding into a filter holder but obviously not. Do you need rails in order to have a matte box as I dont have them.
Click to expand...

You can use them both screw-on or on rods - depending on model. The True Lens Services 'Kestrel' I use came with a screw-on adapter but I made my own rods attachment with a Rod clamp from Shoot35 and a L-shape aluminium bit. You can get the same matte box from Formatt with a kit of glass NDs for a rather low price.

The Cokin sun shade is obviously a screw-on type.
 
right i'm getting lost but I think what I'm going to do is try out this vari nd and if like people say it gives the corpse affect (which I find bad enough with the GH1 as it is!) then I might have to revisit this thread and ask some more questions if thats ok.

I really appreciate your help
 
Martti Ekstrand said:
Huh? A good sunshade/matte box is the solution to loosing contrast when using filters. Actually Cokin has a neat small square one for their filter holder that is stackable for various focal lengths. Very clever and blocks stray light from hitting the filter rather well.
Click to expand...

do you think this is what would have resulted in the horrible washed out footage that i was getting using my cokin style ND filters with a cokin p holder?

Ive done some tests with the Vari ND and its very practical, cheap and easy to carry but its right that you do lose a bif of the skin tone. Maybe 20% of the colour in faces to give a very non scientific guess.

Was thinking of buying another for my 2nd cam but thought maybe I'll go with the matte box idea.

As long as I can remove it from the lens easily and just change over for a lens with a holder ring pre attached it should be ok.

I've sold the cokin style filters that I thought were useless so can anybody recommend some decent drop in ND filters and a compatible matte box and holder. If so I might try these out and decide which is the one for me. The main thing is not losing this skin tone when using the ND filters
 
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