I took this sunset photo at Mayflower Beach, Dennis, Massachusetts, in late October. Minolta Maxxum 9 camera, Minolta 24-50 lens, B+W polarizer, Singh-Ray graduated neutral density filter, Gitzo tripod.

I'm just beginning to use a GND filter to bring out colors in the sky and clouds in shots like this. I got disgusted with trying to use a Cokin filter holder with wide angle lenses -- for this shot I just held the rectangular filter up to the lens.

-- Ross Warner (ross.warner@East.sun.com), November 22, 1999

Answers

Very nice image, good color and composition. I learned early that filter holders on wide angle just vingette the photo, the holding of the filter in front of the lens works best with wide angle. Pat

-- pat j. krentz (krentz@cci-29palms.com), November 24, 1999.

Hi

A Cokin P holder need not be a problem with wide angle lenses.

But you need to buy and modify an extra Cokin holder just for the wide lens(es). With a hacksaw, cut off the front 1 or 2 slots, depending on how wide the lens is. (If memory serves, this worked fine on a Nikkor f/2.8 20-35mm zoom, which I no longer own). Do not use the Cokin Modular Hoods for the wider lenses.

If you must cut off 2 slots, but need to use 2 filters, it is much easier to handhold the polarizer or warm-up filter, and put the ND grad in the holder so that the gradation remains exactly where intended.

I use the same 2 Cokin holders (one is not modified) on all lenses, in all formats from 35mm to 8x10". Steve Grimes can fabricate custom Cokin P adapters for non-standard lens threads. Using Cokin P holders is not just a considerable cost saving, it also eliminates the monstrous hassle of many different holders and sets of filters in the back of the vehicle.

One can stack 3 Cokin Modular Hoods on the unmodified Cokin Holder on a 355mm Schneider Gold Dot Dagor lens. If I had a fourth modular hood, I would try it, but it is just as easy to hold up the dark slide, gray card, or whatever is handy. Remember that near the water, or in snow, there are more sources of flare than just the sun...millions of them...just waiting to desaturate colored transparencies.

Tiffen makes some excellent glass filters in Cokin P size, for B&W, and ND grads for color. They also have a useful warm-up, #812, for color work.

HiTech has very good graduated ND in resin, for Cokin P.

Singh-Raye is no longer the only one to offer plastic filters with no color cast, and they are grossly overpriced.

I have also cut down a 4"x4" #23A Lee resin filter to fit Cokin P. This is difficult filter to find, and often used for (my) B&W work.

Hope this helps.

Cap Gallery at: http://top.monad.net/~kellogg

NB: Above system/theory collapses if you buy a lens with a front filter thread greater than 82mm!

-- Cap Kellogg (kellogg@monad.net), November 26, 1999.

Thanks for the comments, Cap

I cut the front slots off my Cokin holder some time ago! However, I wouldn't use Cokin filters on my Minolta lenses; I much prefer B+W filters that mount on the lens. And the Singh-Ray filter costs less than most B+W UV filters, so I don't see them as being extravagantly priced at all.

The only thing I bought the Cokin holder for was the GND filter. Rather than use it and deal with vignetting problems, and buy a different ring for each diameter lens, I've decided to follow Galen Rowell's advice and just hold it up to the lens.

-Ross

-- Ross Warner (ross.warner@East.sun.com), November 29, 1999.