Filter Help Needed!

Ok, I have a question. I am not one that uses a lot of filters on my camera but I own a bunch of Cokin A filters just in case (I guess its the girl scout in me to always be prepared). Anyway, I am thinking of upgrading to the Cokin P size. Why? I am not really sure. I have been doing some reading and the many books I have read say that serious photogrpahers use the filters (grad. ND's, warming, etc.) in the Cokin P size or a variant of them. What do you guys think? I don't want to invest in another set of filters that I already have but I am wondering about later on down the line when my Cokin A's don't cover the front of the lense anymore. I also know that I need to think about upgrading my lenses some day but I am on a budget. Let me know what you all think. Thanks.

Tammy

Tammy, I have and started with the Cokin P size. I use it for pol, GND, and warming filters (all non-Cokin). I really needed the P size for my 28 mm, and now that I do 4x5, it's great to be able to use the same filters on those lenses without having an entire portfolio of screw-on filters. I still couldn't resist a few screw-on filters though.

I'd probably wait until I needed the P size to upgrade. On the other hand it might be a good mid-summer project. Some filters only come in the P size though, like the Singh-Ray GND.

Tammy,

I agree with Andy. Finally got my lenses down to all being 77mm ( with the exception of my 200 macro-----I'm a Nikon guy & I think you have a canon if I remember right). I have always found the B+W filters are really superior. I only use 81 A & B's and Nikon Polarizers). There's a big difference in grads between Cokin and Singh-Ray or Lee. (The Cokin's tend to color shift, unless they did something to improve them in the past few years)You need the P size for them.

Have I really confused you?

Hi Tammy,

I wouldn't worry about it until you upgrade and need them, though I wouldn't buy any new filters in the A size, all upgrades should be made in the P size. I was in the same boat, and now have a 72mm threaded wide angle and I switched over my ND and ND grads to the P size. All of my filters I now buy in the larger sizes and use step rings to make them fit smaller lenses.

Tammy,

I only shoot digital and prefer to keep life really simple.

I carry a few multicoated B+W (MRC) polarizers in the sizes I need (most used is 77mm).

If I am on a landscape shoot, I carry the Cokin P holder for wide angle (only one slot). I use four Singh-Ray grads (2 and 3 ND, hard and soft).

I had the Cokin grads and they were very poor optical specimins with distortion, color shift, and extreme flare.

Thanks for all the help and advice. However, I broke down and bought the Singh-Ray Grad ND filters from B&H yesterday after some consideration. Set me back a pretty penny but I think it will be worth it in the long run. Now the fun part begins - figuring out how to use them....lol!!

Thanks again
Tammy

Tammy---its easy and you will certainly see the difference.

There's no free lunch!
JG