Filter Reviews

With this split-field close-up lens, you can get a sharp and magnified foreground while maintaining the background in focus. Enhance the mood by contrasting a blurred, lighter subject against a darker area. Also, by combining two Split Field filters, you can deliberately blur one or two areas of an image, in order to emphasize just one part of it.

Helpful hints : Stop down the lens and observe the effect in the viewfinder.

Cokin fog filters are available in two different densities and have a misty graduated area. The fog or mist effect (Cokin Fog 150 and 151), combined if necessary) is more pronounced with more distant objects while the foreground remains sharp and clear, These filters can be combined with Cokin Graduated and Sunset filters. Vertical adjustment in the filter holder provides a continuous graduation of sharpness between the near and far planes.

Neutral Density filters have several uses and offer the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. ND filters appear gray and reduce the amount of light reaching the film. They have no effect on color balance. They have four main uses:

1 To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with high speed films, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, or cars.

2 To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background.

3 To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (above ISO 400) and allow it to be used outdoors in bright situations.

4 To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure. Neutral Density factors:

Cokin 152 (exposure adjustment = approx. 1 stop, reduces ISO 1/2) Cokin 153 (exposure adjustment = approx. 2 stops, reduces ISO 1/4) Cokin 154 ("P" series only; exposure adjustment = approx. 3 stops, reduces ISO 1/8)

Neutral Density filters have several uses and offer the possibility to achieve otherwise unachievable results. ND filters appear gray and reduce the amount of light reaching the film. They have no effect on color balance. They have four main uses:

1 To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with high speed films, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, or cars.

2 To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background.

3 To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (above ISO 400) and allow it to be used outdoors in bright situations.

4 To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure. Neutral Density factors:

Cokin 152 (exposure adjustment = approx. 1 stop, reduces ISO 1/2)

Cokin 153 (exposure adjustment = approx. 2 stops, reduces ISO 1/4)

Cokin 154 ("P" series only; exposure adjustment = approx. 3 stops, reduces ISO 1/8)

If you don't have a polarizer, stop reading this and get one! I use a polarizer on almost every shot with a blue sky. Without a polarizer, blue skies appear a tepid, light blue on film; with a polarizer filter, they come out in a rich, deep color. The filter works by cutting out reflected glare and it's also useful for water (lakes, ponds), window glass, and tree leaves. A polarizer is more expensive than most other filters but worth the investment.

Regardless of the type of shooting you do, a polarizer is the most useful and versatile filter you can own. It's a very visual filter with which to work: As you rotate it in its mount, the effects are immediately noticeable. A polarizing filter can deepen the color and contrast in a sky (the most intense effects are always 90° from the sun or light source), eliminate glare from wet or reflective surfaces and cut through atmospheric haze to increase clarity and contrast in a scene. Since the effect of a polarizer is most pronounced when it is used perpendicular to the light source (the sun usually), try this trick... Make an "L" with your thumb and forefinger. Point your forefinger at the sun and your thumb will point in the direction that the polarizer will have its greatest effect. You can rotate your thumb around the axis of your forefinger, pointing the lens in any of these directions will let you take full advantage of the polarizers capabilities. Polarizers have little or no effect when they are used in the same direction as the light source.

Polarizers come in two varieties: Linear 160 and Circular 164. Each has the same effect visually; the difference is just in the way they polarize the light passing through. If you own an auto focus or auto-exposure camera (basically any modern camera), use a 164 Circular polarizer, which won't interfere with its automatic functions.

This filter gives the effect of zooming a telephoto lens during exposure. It uses the same technique as the "speed" filter. The streaks of light radiating from the center of the frame suggest movement toward the camera. Here again, a mixed and preferably dark background accentuates the radiating streaks and so the apparent impression of motion. Should not be used for subjects dominated by a light sky or which feature empty expanses of snow or water in the background, as it is the unfocused areas of a lively, disturbed background which emphasize the zoom effect. Technically this filter is a Center Spot filter

With a Cokin Sunset filter you don't need to wait till evening - you can simulate the colors of the setting sun in the morning or anytime. But you can't make 12:00 noon in downtown Los Angeles look like a warm, coffee-sipping, prairie sunset in Montana by simply slapping an sunset filter over the lens either. The two Sunset filters (197, 198) are graduated, the upper densely colored section highlights the effect of the sky, while the lower less dense section gives the rest of the picture the desired sunset effect. These filters can be combined with almost all other Cokin filters and attachments : Diffraction, Colored Varnish, Vaseline, Diffusers, Dreams, Split field, Polarizers, Super Speed, Double Exposure, Prism, etc.

Most prism filters do little more than multiply the image. With the Cokin Multi-image filters, you can create more than just repeat images, because the filter holder is fully adjustable both axially and laterally. This gives you much more control.

Helpful hints: Recommended focal lengths are between 50 and 105 mm. Do not stop down too far, or you'll see the design of the, filter, rather than the effect. This filter can be used with most other Cokin filters.

This Cokin attachment creates parallel multiple images. Unlikeconventional filters, you can adjust the effect, either by rotatingthe filter holder or by shifting the filter itself. Like the CokinSuper Speed (217), the Multi-Parallel keeps part of the imageunaltered to accentuate the special effect. For best results selecthigh contrast scenes : Simple shapes, neon signs, trees silhouettedagainst the sky. Even portraits can become amusing caricatures.Through the use of double exposure, you can achieve more compleximages. First, expose a picture without the Multi-Parallel (though anyother filter may be used). Then, superimpose a second exposure on thesame film with the Multi-Parallel filter. Or you can project your oldslides on a screen (or matt drawing paper) and rephotograph themthrough various Cokin, filters. You'll be surprised at howsophisticated the effects will be.

Helpful hints: As with all Cokinfilters, make sure that wide-angle, lenses do not vignette theimage. Also, don't stop down too much with the Cokin Multi-Parallel orthe filter, rather than the effect, will become visible. This filtercan be used with practically all other Cokin System filters especiallythe Stars, Color Filters or other Cokin Multi-image attachments...

Speed things up, make the world move, give life to inanimateobjects. Have fun with your children, and your friends, even yourdog.

Helpful hints : This filter is suitable with lenses up to 250mm. I recommend a large aperture on wide-angle lenses, and a smalleraperture with longer focal lengths. Do not cover the whole image withthe filter so you can keep part of the picture sharp. Do not use toosmall an aperture, or you'll see the filter rather than theeffect. This Filter can be used with all the color filters...