Hey guys, next weekend I'm off for a few days to Long Beach / Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I don't surf but I hope to wander around the beaches and parks with my 10D.

Question: I just got a Sigma 10-20mm wideangle and of course realized after I bought it that my polarizer is 52mm not 77mm. So if I want a polarizer for my trip (which in my mind I must get) I'd have to shell out a bunch for a 77mm size. Then I started poking around the Internet and saw the sub-community of people who use the Cokin system of mounts and square filters.

In the long run does it make sense to get into this system rather than continuing to spend $60-80 a pop for screw on threaded filters?

Also, any tips on locations to look for at Tofino? (I doubt I'm going anywhere that I will get my camera wet i.e. whale watching or boating).

Cokin square polymer filters are generally only of mediocre quality. The polarizers, however, are circular and fit in the Cokin system mounts. Overall, I would rate the Cokin POL's as above average or slightly better, maybe a B+. If you can afford it your best filters are B+W, Heliopan and the Hoya HMC filters, in that order. the Cokin glass filters, such as the round POL's are only a notch or so below the best and much better than the Tiffins, regular Hoyas etc.

A cokin filter system definately makes more sense if you do more work with filters

especially things like graduated ND filters really only work with a system like it. The round filters always have the gradient at a fixed spot

Get a cokin filter holder but dont buy cokin brand filters. Cokin brand filters are not color neutral and while that doesnt matter on a regular ND filter as you can easily correct that a grad ND is not correctable as the color change is only in the darker areas

Get either Lee or Hitec filters

Cokin also makes their full line in screw-in, but you have to order them from France.