which neutral density filter

[Frog]

I've decided its past time for neutral density filters for the skys around here mostly.
I've ordered a cokin p series holder and some ring adaptors.
Now I'm a bit confused over which filter(s) to get. I know I want graduated and I'm thinking one, two, or all three of these: Cokin 120, cokin 121L, cokin 121M.
Any/all advice would be appreciated

Descriptions:
Grey Neutral Density filters compensate for bright light.
· By under-exposing the sky, they give a better relief to the surfaces and colors of landscapes and architecure.
· They are indispensable in summer, for seaside and mountain photos.
· They are available in six choices to cover every situation.
120 - 2X graduated neutral density filter reduces the light 1 stop
121 - 8X graduated neutral density filter reduces the light 3 stops.
121L - 2X Light starts with the same neutral density as 120, but feathers the grey almost from the color edge and more gently graduates to clear. One stop of compensation.
121M - 4X Medium is the same gentle graduation as 121L but with twice in dens ty. Requires 2 stops of compensation.
121S - 8X Soft is twice the density of 121M and the graduation extends to 3/4 of the filter. Requires 3 stops.
121F - 8X Full is the same as 121S except that the neutral density grey cover the entire filter. Requires 3 stopse will fill my need or which ones.
description:

[Jimmy B]

Frog I have a cokin P121 filter. Seem to work for out NW skies.
Jimmy

[Greg McCary]

Frog I have all three, L, M & S and use the 121M, two stop 90% of the time. It does the job. Sometimes I will combine it with a polarizer when shooting over water, I think the 2 stop will be plenty.

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

I have the 121L and the 121M split graduated ND filters in my bag and also P154 - P153 - P152 full ND filters

I do suggest getting a filter wallet for them since the cases they come in are a pain to mess around with in the field - also i found that when I stack the full nd filters I need to do a custom white balance otherwise the colors don't come out right. The full ones are nice when you want to really get that silky water or other effects.

[Frog]

Ok, thanks gentelmen.
Jimmy which 121 are you using. You know we can vary a lot from bright gray to dark gray.
Funny how all the sites I visit seem to have on or the other but not all three.

[freygr]

Ok, thanks gentelmen.
Jimmy which 121 are you using. You know we can vary a lot from bright gray to dark gray.
Funny how all the sites I visit seem to have on or the other but not all three.

Here is a link you may find usefull: http://www.geocities.com/cokinfiltersystem/theguide.htm

[Jimmy B]

Frog it is a ND8 P121.
I have yet to really use it, all though what little I have I like it.
Jimmy

[another view]

Once again I forgot to see which one I have, but honestly I haven't used it much if at all with digital. It's basically a requirement with slide film but there are other tricks that can be done with digital (blending two exposures; one for the highlight and one for the shadow).

I know mine is a "P" series graduated two-stop neutral density, just not sure of the number. The blend from clear to gray is about 1/2" wide, I guess. This filter works really well in most situations. If you're shooting with a straight line as the horizon (sunset over an ocean, for example) then you might want less of a graduated area - IOW a faster transition from clear to gray, like 1/8" or 1/4". Singh-Ray makes versions like this. Their filters are expensive (~$100 I think) but supposedly are more purely neutral than Cokin's gray. Never bothered me, however.

[freygr]

You can purchase the Cokin Filter from B&H Photo and they run form about $25 and up. If you purchase the GLASS Tiffen filter for the Cokin P series, it can be between $125 and $300 or more. I would go with the P series as the A series are too small for many 35mm DSLR telephoto lenses. I woud purchase off ebay (buy now) where the filter and shipping should be around $20 for Cokin compatible filter. There are adapters for PS digital cameras in the Cokin A series filters and the filters are less costly than the P series.

[Frog]

Thanks freygr, Jimmy, another view!
I looked at B&H and they had very little. I'll start with one or two.
Probably the 121L and/or 121S

[Frog]

By patiently going through the stores listed in links here, I finally found one that had more than one or two and that was Canoga Camera which seemed to have the complete line.
I ordered a 120, a 121L, and a 121S. With our varying gray and blue skies, I think I'll need the options.

[another view]

With our varying gray and blue skies, I think I'll need the options.

Know the feeling... One tip, decide what aperture you're going to shoot with and stop down to check the position of the filter. It's hard to tell with the lens wide open. If you stop down al the way, it's really easy to see but if you're going to shoot at a moderate aperture it's best to check it with that setting. For some reason, if it looks right at f22 it might not at f8 - only by a little bit, but that'll make a big difference.

[Frog]

Thankyou for the tip! I'm going to be trying to get a lot more landscape stuff in this year.

[PhotoTrucker_37]

Hey Frog, I am a big fan of Galen Rowell GND Filters and own several myself but, they do get pretty spendy. They are glass filters and are worth every penny you will spend on them. They go for around $100.00 to $150.00 depending on the size glass you purchase. If you want to go the cheaper route, Hi-Tech offers a good comparable filter.

Regards, Erik

[Charley]

Erik, I am trying to find a source for Hi Tech nd filters, any suggestions?
Charley

[gryphonslair99]

Frog,
Thought I would toss this out for consideration. If you plan on getting lenses in the future that have large filter diameters you might want to consider the Pro Z series. The holder and filters will be a bit more expensive but the difference between an 82mm filter and a 100mm filter can be important when using something like a Canon 10-22 lens that has a 77mm filter size.
http://www.cokin.com/ico15/ico15-haut.html?=#p