cokin filters

[evan47]

i have the tokina 11-16 on order for use with my d7000and d90. does anyone have experience of the cokin z-pro filter set with this combination? i am looking at landscapes, plus some more creative closer work during the winter/early spring. then it will be back to macro in the summer.

[jcuknz]

The first thing you need to do is wait for the lens to arrive and find out what filter mounting thread it has and if as a wide-angle lens what Cokin type holder will mount on it without causing vignetting. I would expect you would need the P or the 100 holder*. By the time you organize the adaptor to suit the lens and then the typical filter holder I would expect vignetting quite likely at the wide end of the zoom which may well negate the point of getting the lens.

I would hope others with the lens and holder will confirm which you need.

I would then check out prices from www.SRB-Griturn.com as you are in the UK and just buy what you will need rather than a 'kit'. The most likely is a graduated ND to hold back bright skies which come is several strengths. But you will quickly find that few scenes match up with the filter and editing techniques are likely a better approach.

Some swear by the system but I bought in ignorance [Just had heard they were 'good' ] and rarely use the filters, but I am not into landscapes. So am advising caution and research before you spend up big on a 'kit' [ judging from Ebay prices when I searched the z-pro, not having heard of it before ]. You also need to seek opinions as to the relative image quality of Cokin v. Lee and others. The holders will carry most brands of filters ... so you need first a holder that doesn't vignette and then think about which filter[s] you need.

*Griturn names for sizes ....A,P, and 100x100.

[Manfred M]

My Tokina f/2.8 11-16mm lens takes 77mm filters, if that helps at all.

While I have no experiece with the Cokin line; these rectangular filter holders sit well off the lens and are likely to cause you some serious vignetting problems throughout the lens's operating range. I would recommend the thinnest screw type filters you can get. You cannot stack filters at all and of course, being an ultrawide, polarizers are going to give you banding effects in the sky. I have only heard bad press about Cokin's quality.

Optically and mechanically, it is a great lens; but is a challange to work with (as all ultrawides are).

[Donald]

The 'Z' system is fine with the 11-16 (I have one) except right down at 11 and 12mm, when slight vignetting becomes a factor (but that is me shooting with a UV filter already mounted as well). So, if you tried it without a UV fitted (which I would never do), then it probably wouldn't be an issue at all. In fact I've had both a 3-stop and a 2-stop GND mounted.

All you have to do is compose so that you can crop out the vignette. It's no hassle.

[Manfred M]

The 'Z' system is fine with the 11-16 (I have one) except right down at 11 and 12mm, when slight vignetting becomes a factor (but that is me shooting with a UV filter already mounted as well). So, if you tried it without a UV fitted (which I would never do), then it probably wouldn't be an issue at all. In fact I've had both a 3-stop and a 2-stop GND mounted.

All you have to do is compose so that you can crop out the vignette. It's no hassle.

I've certainly gotten noticable vignetting on mine with stacked screw in filters (ND + 2 stop GND) and you are right; the problem is less evident at 13mm. Clone tool does wonders too. I tend to shoot at 11mm pretty well all the time, so that may be why this bothers me.