What filter system
by J. Ramon Palacios
username: jrp
Nikonian in Mexico
tell a friend about this article
|
The Two
Basic Filter Systems
There
are two basic filter types or systems to choose from,
the
screw-in and the slide-in types. The first are circular integrated
filters with a mounting ring that screws into the front
thread
of a lens, and with a thread on the other end to screw other
filter(s) or attach a hood. The second consists of a
threaded adapter to screw into
the
front of a lens
and a filter
holder with
slots,
where
square or quadrangular optical resin filters slide-in.
Most filter holders also allow for the use of a
rotating circular polarizer.
.
|
|
| Screw-in and slot slide-in
type filters and holder |
The advantages of one system are more
or less exactly the disadvantages of the second and vice
versa:
| Screw-in type |
Slide-in type |
| Good quality filters are common and
easier to find in many brands; generally and comparatively
a little more expensive |
Good quality filters are more difficult
to find at local stores however, comparatively
less
expensive |
| Typically made of glass, scratch resistant;
they don't warp |
Made of plastic resins they scratch
easily, crack and break easily |
| More convenient to carry |
One needs special care to carry them |
| More convenient to use |
Most frequently require use from
a tripod |
| Easy to have on at all times |
Hard to keep on at all times |
| With step-up rings same filters can
be used on different size lenses |
With size ring adapters same filters
can be used on different size lenses |
| Allow for use of the original lens
hood |
Require special modular or Pro hoods |
| Stacking two or more filters can cause
vignetting at wide angles unless oversized |
Easier to avoid vignetting even with
4 filters if a large holder model is chosen |
| Best for frequent and constant use
filters: Polarizer, Warming, Color Enhancer and
Soft-focus |
Best for color correction filters,
multiple combinations and precise positioning of
split
or graduated Neutral Density ones |
| A little more expensive in the short
run |
A little less expensive in the short
run |
| Best for most situations. Except for
tricky lighting landscapes, without the ability
to exactly
position a graduated filter transition. |
Best for versatility; for creative
color effects, and specially effective for landscapes
with high contrast areas and tricky lighting. |
THE
COKIN SYSTEM
| The French photographer Jean Coquin,
invented the concept of creative filter photography.
Introduced in the market either in the late 70's
or early 80's, it soon became most popular. Of
course
I immediately tried it. The plastic holders have
four slots, one for rotating filters, three for
rectangular.
A common practice among pros then was to saw off
the last slot to maximize vignetting prevention
with
wide angles.
There are four Cokin sizes: "A", "P",
"X-Pro" and the new "Z-Pro" series, to fit different
diameter ranges of lenses. |
|
 |
 |
|
THE "A" MODEL fits
lenses with diameters from 36 to 62mm, well
suited for most 35mm prime lenses, down to 28mm focal
length
and
camcorders;
with holder for quadrangular filters measuring 66x72mm. |
 |
|
THE "P" MODEL covers
diameters from 48 to 82mm and is generally preferred
for everything, particularly wide angle lenses. Filters
are rectangular, depending on brand are either 84x100mm
to 84x120mm or 85x107mm to 85x110mm. |
The "P" model is the one I own and recommend. It takes Cokin,
Tiffen, Hitech & Singh Ray "P" filters.
You may want to get a single
slot holder for your super wide-angles to prevent vignetting
and the regular 3-slot one for longer focal lengths.
 |
|
THE Z-PRO allows for
4x4 (100mm Kodak, Sinar, Lee, etc..) square and graduated 4x5 (100x150mm)
filters use, geared towards medium format cameras.
There is a Z/P adapter for the X-PRO holder with
a single slot. For DSLRs with
fish-eye lenses. |
 |
|
THE X-PRO MODEL fits
62 to 112mm (and Hasselblad's B60, B70, Rollei's
B6) diameters, for those having both large 35mm with
fishe-eye lenses and medium format camera
systems.
The X-Pro holder is made for filters 130x170mm
in size. |
Other brands of
slide-in filter systems are Lindahl,
Lee,
Sailwind, Hitech, B+W, Nikon, Tiffen and Kenko. The Cokin system of holder, adapter
and filters is the least expensive but Cokin filters seem
more prone to
scratches
and breakage
and some -intended as neutral- have a slight color cast.
On the other extreme of both high price and high quality
are the
Singh-Ray filters.
If you are on a budget use the Cokin ones, just remember
to treat them with special care. If you are somewhere
in the middle, Hitech filters
by Formatt from the UK are a very good.
Screw-in type filters are the choice
of most Nikonians, and that is fine for most filters (warming,
enhancers, circular polarizers; Nikon, B+W, Hoya
Pro 1).
However, as one progresses in photography and more so
if hooked on landscape
photography, somehow there is always this uncontrollable
urge to try the slot slide-in type
for precise
positioning
of graduated neutral density filters and maybe even the very
special color effects ones, like the available "sunset"
filters.
I have both systems. Silly, but in
the not so distant past seldom carried the slide-in
as it got bulky in the bag. Although to have more
than 160 choices was very tempting, I had the uneasy
feeling it would lead me more into creating special
effects than into better compositions. However, now
that I have replaced my badly scratched slide-in Cokin
graduated
neutral density filters with Hitech ones, these
increasingly get more use in the field. Now I know they
should. |
|
 |
| |
|
|
Whatever system you choose ...
or not ...
Have a great time  |
