Cokin P series grad filter kit?

Hey all. So I just got back from a big trip out west and going over what I feel I need now that i'm back, I'm looking to

get some grad filters for landscape work. I'm just wondering about the P series which seems to be the basic starter

kit for those with a budget in mind.

 

I mostly use a 18-200 VR. I'm assuming I just need to get the appropriate ring adaptor for the 72mm size? my

concern is if there will be any vingetting when used with my polarizer as well. I just use a standard cheap Hoya

polarizer with threads on the outside so I could screw this grad filter onto the polarizer.

 

Just looking now at the website it appears they have sheet polarizers that go into the filter holders and you can also

use them at the same time as a grad filter...but is that a linear polarizer? i'm not even sure what that does...but i'm

used to a circular one, and would prefer to use it.

 

So if anyone has used this lens or similar one with this setup and knows the low-down on vingnetting, give me a

shout out!

Cokin P-series is pretty easy to use. If you use a lot of filters it's a cheaper option also. Their polariser is a circular polariser, it is round and fits in nicely to the holder. Big advantage when using garduated filters is that with systems like the Cokin, you can adjust where the graduation lies, whereas with a screw-in filter you cannot.

I would think that the P series would work fine with an 18 mm setting. Do check for vignetting, of course, but I

use the series on a lens with a similar short setting without difficulty. I've even used it on occasion with a

10-20 Sigma, but it's a close thing there. Cokin makes a one-slot holder for the latter, and of course there are

two larger holder sizes, but these and their filters are considerably costlier.

 

I'm sure that there will be some comments about the Cokin neutral density filters not being "neutral", but I

really don't think this is a significant issue with digital. If you want to experiment before investing in Cokin

or the more expensive Lee, HI-tech, or Singh-Ray square filters, there are inexpensive Chinese knock offs

available at Fotodiox ( http://www.fotodiox.com/shop/index.php?cPath=1_4 ). I honestly see no difference except

for the price, but there are some here who claim, perhaps, correctly, that's there's just no excuse for spending

less than US$100 to 200 on each of these bits of resin.

Another thing you can do with the Cokin rectangular ND grads is if the Cokin holder causes vignetting when used with your polarizer, you can just hold the bare filter directly against the end of your round one. No vignetting then. You can also use gaffer tape to hold it in place if you want to keep both hands free.