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Posted: June 8, 2012

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Experience with Cokin filters?

~Rasenmaehermann Jun 8, 2012 Photographer

Hey, does anyone have experience with the Cokin filter holder system?
How are the gradual grey filters like? I fear, it could be sensitive to scratches.
The smallest scratch would be probably visible on the photo.

Another thing, i am worried about is the overall quality. Because here in Germany there only seems to be one retailer. fake? crapware?

I dont really want to go for the 3 times more expensive LEE filters. : / although they make a good impression..

Aside from LEE and Cokin, have you heard about another manufacturer?

greets!

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*gnohz Jun 18, 2012 Photographer

I had some serious issues with Lee Filters a while back, but in the end I managed to pinpoint the origin of those problems: the 3-filter wrap!

My advice is never to keep your filters in that as it may cause some serious banding and discoloration problems to your filters. If any, get the 10-filter pouch which comes with much better quality sleeves and also gives to peace of mind

Original post: Banding and weird scratches developed in LEE Filters' GND filters

^Kaz-D Jun 15, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

HI!
You've been featured -> [link]
Enjoy

~Svenler Jun 13, 2012 Professional Photographer

The problem with the Cokin filters themselves is that they are not consistent across production lines. Some of them are really good, other are worthless.

If the camera shop right by the Kölner Dom still exists and if you are in the area, check there, they sometimes have used Cokin setups for really good prices and you can inspect each filter. Last time I went, I bought about a dozen good Cokin filters without scratches or any of the other usual problems. In general, the older filters (>15 years) seem to be of better quality than the newer ones.

*Fuzzypiggy Jun 10, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Used Cokin P series for about 2 years but I found they always had a nasty magenta cast which had to be worked out in post, and it obviously just got worse as you stacked the filters up! When I got an ultra wide lens I found the P series too small at 84mm so I was never able to get the full range on all the lenses. I believe the Cokin pro range ( X series is it? ) are supposed to be very good, people seem to like them. I went through the junk in my spare room, raised a load of cash and bought myself a set of Lee filters and they are worth every penny as there is almost no colour cast on their grads. Being large ( 100mm sheets ) they do catch the rain and sea spray easily and yes they get scratched but can't say I have noticed any degredation yet as they get a few more scratches each time. I keep my filters in velvet lined pouches to try to keep them safe. My advice would be to get the biggest filters you can get to avoid vingetting on your lens' wider ranges.

Other names I can think of are Hoya ( pricey ), Kood ( about the same price as Cokin and compatible with Cokin systems ), Hi-Tech ( not the sports shoe guys, HT are about half the cost of Lee but compatible with the Lee filter system ), Singh Ray ( high quality, about the same price as Lee but sometimes a lot more ).

Before you think about cutting costs on the filter, think of it this way. You have paid hundreds for a good body, hundreds for a good lens and you're going to stick a cheap plastic filter on the front and degrade all the quality potential the camera and lens has to offer for the sake for saving a few euros/marks/dollars? You bought the best camera you could afford, buy the best quality filters you can afford.

~PrimoPhotos Jun 10, 2012 Student Photographer

Contrary to what everyone else is saying here, I've found the holder and the filter (I have a A121M that I use pretty often) absolutely fine. Originally sceptical about the strength of the filter, I've ran around on assignments with the filter loose in my pocket and have never had it broken (I'd imagine it wouldn't get broken unless you was doing something pretty stupid). It's a little scratched, but it doesn't mitigate the image quality whatsoever. I can't really point you in the direction of any alternative manufacturers, but I'd definitely buy Cokin filters again. For the love of God, don't buy a non-descript thing off eBay, that has sleeze written all over it.

*Thilu Jun 10, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

I agree with the first commenter, the holders are okay but the filters are not that good :/

~Rasenmaehermann Jun 10, 2012 Photographer

Thank you!

Just saw, that Singh Ray is making Filters that match with Cokins P size Holder. optimal!

`FallisPhoto Jun 8, 2012

They make one of the best holder systems you can get, with some of the worst things on earth you can put in them.

~Rasenmaehermann Jun 8, 2012 Photographer

thank you! Okey, looks like if its going to take more research for the filters itself then. Combining a Cokin holder with a third party filter, that is featuring the right dimensions, especially the thickness.
We´ll see...

`FallisPhoto Jun 9, 2012

The very best, as eyeballman says, are made by Schneider Optics. If you are going to hang this on a typical consumer grade Nikon or Canon, the filter may be better than your lens.

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