COKIN Modular Bellows?

[Leslie Wand]

anyone using this?

http://www.cokin.com/modular-bellows.html

thoughts please,

leslie

[Marcus Marchesseault]

I use this cheap Cokin lens hood:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...od_for_A_.html

It is stackable, but I can't use two without risking getting the hood in the image.

There is a more affordable bellows style lens hood made by Lee that isn't quite so deep so it might work better. If nothing else, it will save you about $100 since it's only $60. I also don't think I want a bright red lens hood, so the Lee gets my vote for looks.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...od_for_A_.html

If you don't already have a Cokin filter system, the "P" series works and is very affordable. The Z-pro series is 4"x4" so it might accept standard 4x4 filters (depending on the thickness). I am happy with the P series. All that I couldn't get for it was a contrast filter, so I just bought a 72mm Tiffen Ultra Contrast 3 and put it behind the Cokin filter ring. It seems to work well so far.

[Leslie Wand]

thanks marcus,

at the moment all i have is a uv (86mm) that'll fit on my wa (the sony kit one). unfortunately;

a. the kit lens hood (beast that it is) wont fit on as well as filter.

b. i really want to keep the wa on all the time, but be able to use nd / uv / pol filters as and when necessary (usually in bright sunlight) WITH a lens hood / shade.

c. not spend the earth on a chrosziel, set-up, good as they are.

are you using with wa?

leslie

[Marcus Marchesseault]

I'm not using it with a WA adapter. Many WA lenses don't even have threads to attach a filter. With the 86mm size of your WA lens, you would probably need to go up to the Z-pro model of the Cokin filters. Those are 100mm (~4") and cost quite a bit more. The problem when going up from the "P" series is that the selection decreases sharply. There are not nearly as many adapter rings and hood options for the Z-pro. They do have a mattebox with filter holder, but it is $440 which is close enough in price to a proper mattebox. Depending on your budget, you might want to look at the Cinevate mattebox and rail system. Their mattebox is $470 and the rails are about $170. That's about $900 cheaper than the Chrosziel. I bought the Brevis 35mm lens adapter from Cinevate and their equipment is professional quality.

http://cinevate.com/catalog/index.php

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Marcus Marchesseault

...There is a more affordable bellows style lens hood made by Lee that isn't quite so deep so it might work better. If nothing else, it will save you about $100 since it's only $60. I also don't think I want a bright red lens hood, so the Lee gets my vote for looks.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...od_for_A_.html...

Marcus, this isn't the correct link... couldn't find a $60 Lee lens hood on B&H.com. Does the Lee hood work with the Cokin "P" sytem? Do you have a link? Need to do something for my Raynox wide angle.

[Marcus Marchesseault]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...for_Cokin.html

Sorry about that. Not only did I copy the first link for the plastic hood into the link I intended for the bellows, I selected the wrong plastic hood. The hood I linked to is the "A" series instead of the "P" series that I use. The "A" is too small for the V1/FX7 and even the larger "P" model is too small to use on a WA adapter. This is the correct one for the "P" hood:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...od_for_P_.html

The problem with both of these is that I don't think there is any way to make them work with a wide angle adapter. The threads on Leslie's adapter are 86mm which is slightly larger than the "P" filters themselves. You must use square filters larger than your lens threads so the "P" Cokin filters are rated for use up to 82mm but even that might be pushing the limit. The 72mm size of most HDV prosumer cameras is just fine and I use a 62-72mm step-up ring so I can standardize on that size and also attach my 35mm adapter. I got filter holder rings for 72mm and 52mm sizes so I can put the filters on my camera or my Nikon lenses. They are so cheap that I think I have four of them so I can keep my lenses "filter ready" without unscrewing the holder.

For an 86mm thread size, you would need to use the Z-pro holder:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...r_Holder_.html

and 86mm adapter ring which MAY be this model:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...pter_Ring.html

I don't know if that one will work as it also lists a "thread size" of 100mm which I think is the fineness of the threads. Depending on your threading on the WA adapter, you might need this instead:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...pter_Ring.html

As you see, it starts to get more complicated and expensive if you get anything larger than the "P" series. A big problem I see is a lack of polarizing filters for the Z-pro. The Cokin polarizer is a non-multicoated resin filter and costs $300 which is almost ten times the price of the "P" linear glass polarizer I got for the V1 (you shouldn't need circular polarizer). I'm not sure, but the Cavision 4" polarizer ($60) might work with the Z-pro filters, but the Cokin polarizers are physically circular.

In the Cokin "P" holder, the polarizers are circular in shape with a toothed edge so they can be rotated in the holder to get the desired effect. The whole filter holder can also rotate. The problem with using the Cokin holder with a square polarizer is that you would be rotating all of the filters along with the square polarizer. The Cokin polarizers have a special slot in the holder for their round shape.

Honestly, I don't see an affordable way to do it with the Z-pro filters since the polarizer is so expensive. You might want to look into the Cavision 4x4 filter holders which have one rotating holder and one fixed. Either spend $300 for the mattebox or $300 for the polarizer.

Most of the 4x4 polarizers are about $150 and the neutral density are $10 less and gradual ND are about $180. As you can see, anything above the Cokin "P" filters becomes expensive quickly.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Marcus, thanks for the advice.

I'm dealing with 62mm for the cam, and with 82mm on the Raynox adaptor. Light and fast r' us, so, not really considering the Z-Pro. I can see that everything "P" that works on the cam may not work on the WA adaptor.

I'll probably buy the Lee hood with the Cokin P series for the standard lens - anything that works with the WA will be a bonus.

From your post, the hood won't work - I'll probably rig a french flag on a stick as needed.

[Marcus Marchesseault]

The P size is ~84-86mm (I think I've seen both listed) and their maximum thread size is 82mm so you may be in luck. I just remembered that they have a "wide angle" filter holder that has less slots. I'm sure there is no way their hoods will work with a WA adapter due to the viewing angle and large size of the lens, but you should at least be able to use one filter with the WA. You might even get away with a polarizer and one square filter.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...er_Holder.html

I'm guessing this is your WA converter?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...0_7x_Wide.html

It looks like it might just work as it does have a bit of room around the glass for the filter threads. How is that .7 working for you? If it supports a decent zoom and the Cokin works, that will be on my list of equipment to buy.

You might want to get one of the cheap plastic Cokin hoods since you might be able to cut it down a bit on the sides and maybe use it as a platform to attach a sort of french flag.

[Seth Bloombaum]

Yep, that's the one, the Raynox HD7062 Pro.

IMHO well worth $150. I couldn't bring myself to buy a .8x converter at any price. I do some event coverage in small spaces, will probably purchase a .5x adapter when it becomes available.

The 7062 is pretty good, and excellent for the price. It's not so good that I would leave it on the lens, as I used to do with the Kenko Pro converter on my PD150. Generally, rez is good, but, when you zoom in past 70 (?) or so it picks up some softness, but very good rez for the wide angles.

There's a lengthier thread about the 7062 here:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=88767. Scroll down on the second page for some shots.

I'll definitely pick up 1 or 2 of the Cokin P hoods for use with the standard V1 lens, that's a good idea to look at mounting a flag to it. I guess I'll see if the standard P holder vignettes on the WA before buying Cokin's 2-slot WA holder.

[Leslie Wand]

okay - finally settled and received this one from india - ebay item 120082040810

almost immediate delivery.

pro's: cheap, reasonably well made, does the job i want. it doesn't have a rotating filter stage, but works with either 4x4 or (i have yet to get one) circular filter. don't workwith grads so not a problem. truth is, my sunglasses dont rotate either and they work well enough ;-)

con's: dont make a 86mm t0 95mm adaptor. however, cheapskate that i am - a plastic down pipe box for guttering has the cicular bit, ready for it - 90mm internal, 94.5mm external. one wrap of gaffer tape and i now have a rock solid hood on my sony kit wide angle.

would i do otherwise knowing what i know now? probably not. i appreciate the engineering that goes into proper matte boxes (i used to have one on my 400sp rig), but for what i want, and can afford in retirement, they're out of my league.

my home made improvisation is as good as it gets.

so far, don't see the need (literally) for rotating stage. i generally set up my shots with teh sun in optimum position, so the polarizer by default works at it's best (yes took it off and turned it to check).

cost (aus$) box 175, cavision pol. 85, down pipe 2.50. so, for around 275 i have what i needed, and as an added bonus, the rig now looks more pro than ever - not that that matters to me, but the clients are impressed enough to NOT quibble with my fees...

leslie