ND filters

Sabre Man

I'm looking for an ND filter for my Sigma 10-20mm lens, filter size 82, but I can't decide what to get.

A variable ND filter sounds ideal, but do they offer good quality?

A square ND kit could be used on multiple lenses, which may come in handy every now and then, but it means more kit to carry around and would be more cumbersome to use.

What do you guys use and recommend?

kevc2

The cokin adapter has 3 slots in it so you can store 3 square filters easily in it while it's in your bag. The circular filters for the 82mm can be quite expensive, I bought one recently for €90. The cokin set including the same stop ND filter cost me around €50 and then it's not that expensive for filters after that.

adox

Sabre Man wrote: »

I'm looking for an ND filter for my Sigma 10-20mm lens, filter size 82, but I can't decide what to get.

A variable ND filter sounds ideal, but do they offer good quality?

A square ND kit could be used on multiple lenses, which may come in handy every now and then, but it means more kit to carry around and would be more cumbersome to use.

What do you guys use and recommend?

If you are going the square filter root then Lee are probably about the best on the market but they are expensive.

The screw on ones are a bit of a pain in my opinion, much prefer the filter holder system.

Kenny Logins

You can get 85mm (Cokin P) single filter holders for a little over a tenner, adapter rings the same, and Hitech filters for ~£20 each on Amazon, but you may need to step up 100mm if you want to stack filters on a Sigma 10-20 without heavy vignetting.

I have all of mine (holder, 4 x rings, 2 x 85mm and 1 x 67mm screw-in CPL all in a wallet (like a CD wallet (remember them? ) that packs away easily with no fuss.

Sabre Man

kevc2 wrote: »

The cokin adapter has 3 slots in it so you can store 3 square filters easily in it while it's in your bag. The circular filters for the 82mm can be quite expensive, I bought one recently for €90. The cokin set including the same stop ND filter cost me around €50 and then it's not that expensive for filters after that.

So you have both square and circular filters? Why did you go for a circular filter when you already have a square system?

Sabre Man

Kenny Logins wrote: »

You can get 85mm (Cokin P) single filter holders for a little over a tenner, adapter rings the same, and Hitech filters for ~£20 each on Amazon, but you may need to step up 100mm if you want to stack filters on a Sigma 10-20 without heavy vignetting.

Thanks for the tip.

11811

If you're pretty serious about photography, I'd recommend going for a LEE or Tiffen square filter set. Yes they're expensive but they're streets ahead of the likes of Cokin.

I went down the route of buying cheap filters and in the end I stumped up for a set of LEEs. Would have been easier to purchase them at the start. But as I said, depends on how seriously you are with your photography!

The screw in variable filters are OK, they're pretty handy but the quality isn't the highest, plus you're stuck with the one for only one thread size. Also some can vignette a bit on wider lenses. Personally, I like the versatility of square systems, and find them quiet easy to work with.

Kenny Logins

Just remembered, I've seen some good reviews of this kit - http://srb-photographic.co.uk/square-filter-kits-711-c.asp

kevc2

Sabre Man wrote: »

So you have both square and circular filters? Why did you go for a circular filter when you already have a square system?

I got a circular polariser and square ND filters. I couldn't find a square polariser at the time.

pansyflower

I'm looking for an ND filter for my Sigma 10-20mm lens, filter size 82

Check filter size, mine's 77m.

Kenny Logins

pansyflower wrote: »

I'm looking for an ND filter for my Sigma 10-20mm lens, filter size 82

Check filter size, mine's 77m.

Oh yeah, good spot.

(my point about vignetting still applies BTW)

adox

I think the F3.5 version of the Sigma is 82mm.

Sabre Man

pansyflower wrote: »

I'm looking for an ND filter for my Sigma 10-20mm lens, filter size 82

Check filter size, mine's 77m.

You probably have a different lens.

My lens is a Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC. According to the box the filter size is 82.

adox

Sabre Man wrote: »

You probably have a different lens.

My lens is a Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC. According to the box the filter size is 82.

Yeah the older 4.5 - 5.6 (which I have and presume Sabre Man has too) is 77mm.