TheCokinCreativeFilterSystem

Editor'sNote:Revisedandupdated5/3/2012
Ofallthesquareandrectangularfiltersystemsavailablethesedays,probablythebestknownistheCokin
CreativeSystem.LaunchedinFrancebyphotographerJeanCoquinin1972,Cokinsreputationstretches
aroundtheworld.Cokinimagescanbefoundonthepagesofeverymagazineknowntomanandhave
enhancedweddingalbums,corporateannualreports,travelbrochuresandamateurbookshelfvacation
shots.
Cokinholders,adapterringsandfiltersarefoundinendlesscamerabagsworldwideanditsrangeoffilter
selectioncoverseveryconceivableshootingscenario.Fromsimpleblackandwhitecontrastfiltersto
advancedgraduatedspecialeffectfilters,Cokinmakessomethingforeveryone.And,asaveryreasonably
pricedsystem,theappealofCokinisuniqueintheworldofsquareandrectangularfiltersystems.

Unlikeotherfiltersystemswhicharegearedtomoreadvancedshooters,Cokintouchesbasewith
photographersandvideographersonalllevels.Withanarsenalofdifferentsizedfilterholderstochoose
from,theimagemakercanenterthesystematwhateverlevelisbothfinanciallyandprofessionally
comfortable.FromanentrylevelAsystemtothemoresophisticated,largerandfinerXProsystem,Cokin
offersaholderandmorethan200filterstoaccommodateeventhemostdemandingphotographer.Whether
youareadigitalshooteroratraditionalfilmaddict,Cokinhasananswerforyourfiltrationneeds.

TheSystem
Aswithothersquarefiltermanufacturers,Cokinoperatesusingathreecomponentsystem:abasicholder
attachedtothelenswithanadapterringand,ofcourse,thefilter(s).Cokinhasevenexpandedintothe
worldofqualitycircularfiltersthatfitcamerasrangingfrompointandshootstoprovideobroadcastsystems.
Inaddition,awiderangeofaccessoriesisavailabletosupportwhicheversystemyouchoose.Hoods,
differentkindsofadapters,storagesystems,bellows,cleaningproductsallmarchintheCokinparade.

Inaddition,Cokinlaunchedarangeofrevolutionaryuniversalconversionlensesthatwillboostthe
capacitiesofpersonaldigitalimagingequipment.TheCokinMagneFixlensesfeatureamagnetic
attachmentinsteadofathread.Cestmagnifique!Theycanbeusedwithmanyunthreadedcameralenses,
thankstoauniquemetallicringthatsticksaroundthecameralens.Thismagneticringcanremain
permanentlyonthecamera,orcanbeeasilyremovedwhendesired.

EventhoughmostpeoplethinkofCokinasasquareandrectangularfiltercompany,theynowalso
produceaseriesoffine,roundscrewinfilters.Ranginginsizefrom2586mm,thesesignaturefilterscover
abroadspectrumofusesfrombasicUVsandskylightstostars,diffusers,polarizers,closeupandneutral
densities.

GettingStarted
TheCokinsystemis,basically,brokendownintofourfilterholdersystemseachonegettingprogressively
largerinitssizeandservingadifferentsetofneedsand,often,adifferenttypeofcamera.Thesystemsare:
A,P,XProandZPro.KeepinmindthattheCokinsystem,alldowntheline,isbackwards
compatible.Youcanusealargersystemonasmallercameraforaddedflexibility.However,choosingwhich
holderintheCokinsystemtopurchasecanbeconfusing.Therefore,howdoyoudecidewhichoneto
select?

First,youmustlookatyourequipmentanddecidewhichCokinholderwillserveyourneedsbest.Whatsize
lensesdoyouhave?Whatfiltersizesdoyourequire?Areyouarankamateurwhodoesntneedtojumpoff
thedeependwiththemostadvancedandexpensiveholder?Areyouusingsmalldiameterlensesthatcan
getawaywiththesmallerAsizedfilters?Orareyou,infact,aworkingprowhousessuperwideangle
lensesandneedsthelargerZ"or"XProholder?Finally,howmuchdoyouwanttospend?Asmentioned,
thesimpleAsystemistheleastexpensivewayin,butifyouareahighendvideographer,thesefilterswill
probablybetoosmall.
So,letstakeacloserlookatwhatCokinoffersbyexaminingeachproductrangeinmoredetail.

TheASeries
Designedtoaccommodatelenseswithamaximumdiameterof62mm,theA

systemis,sotospeak,thebabyoftheCokinsystem.ThesearethesmallestofthesquarefiltersCokin
manufacturesandare,generally,usedinconjunctionwith35mmcamerasusingnormaltominimallylong
lenses(35mmandequivalentlensesonup).Manystudentsandamateurs,notrequiringtheuseofsuper
widelenses,startoffwithanAseriesfilter.
Thefiltersare67mmsquareandaremade,asallCokinfiltersare,fromCR39,aqualityorganicresin.The
Aholdercanholduptothreefiltersatatime,givingyouamplefreedomtocreatemanyeyecatching
specialeffects.Therefore,wereyoutopurchasethissystem,youwouldneedanAseriesholder,the
appropriateadapterringtofitthefrontofyourlensandanAseriesfilter(s).Thissystemislightweight,
inexpensiveandoffersanincrediblywidevarietyoffilters.OnceyouhavethethreecomponentsoftheA
system,whenyoubuyanewlensallyoullneeddoispurchasetheappropriatelysizedadapterringand

youreinbusiness.
ItshouldbenotedthatAfiltersarenotrecommendedforwideanglelenses.

ThePSeries
TheP

seriesisthenextstepuptheCokinladderandisdesignedforlargersizedlenseswithamaximumdiameter
of82mm.OnebenefitofthisseriesisthatitallowsyoutouseCokinfilterswithheavierduty,mediumformat
cameras.FortheHasselbladsystem,adapterringsareavailableinB50,B60andB70sizeswhileforRollei,
B6ringscanbepurchased.Pseriesholderswillholduptothreefilters,againallowingyoutocreatean
endlessarrayofspecialeffects.
ItshouldbenotedthatwhereastheAsystemisessentiallylimitedtothesmaller35mmmarket,Pfilters
canalsobeusedwith35mmaswellbecausetheyallowyoutousewiderlenses(28mm).
ThePseriesalsooffersawideangleholder.Thisholderholdsonlyonefilterbutwillpermituseoflenses
widerthan20mminthe35mmformat.LiketheAseries,Pseriesfiltersarealsosquareandmadeof
CR39,butarelarger,measuring84mminwidth.

TheZProSeries
Realizingthatphotographersandvideographersrequiremorebangfromtheirfiltersystems,Cokincame
outwiththeirZPro

seriesamoresophisticatedandfinetunedsystem.TheZserieswasproducedtomeettheneedsof
bothfilmanddigitalaudienceswithparticularinterestinthedigitalSLR,mediumformatandboththe
amateurandprofessionalvideomarkets,includingtheHDformat.
AsopposedtothesimplerAandPseries,theZProseriesoffersexpandedflexibility.Thewowfactor
oftheZholderisthatitcanbedismantledandreformattedtosuitfiltersizesandthickness.Oneofthe
greatadvantagesofthisholderisitsabilitytoassistthephotographerineliminatingvignettingthecutting
offofthecornersofanimage,producingblackcurveswherethecornersshouldbe.
ZProseriesfiltershold4"(100mm)filterseitherin4x4"or4x6"sizeandarealsomadefromorganic
resin.Lenseswith96mmfiltersizescanbeusedwiththeZProseriesinadditiontoHasselbladandRollei.
WideangleshooterswillespeciallyappreciatetheflexibilityoftheZseriesbecause20mmandwider
lensescanbeused(inthe35mmformat).
However,thebiggestadvantagethatZProfiltersofferistheiravailabilitytobepurchasedin4x6"(100x
150mm)size.Thisgivesyoutheopportunitytoadjustthefilterwithintheholder,slidingitupanddownuntil
thedesiredhorizonlineisachieved.The90orsofiltersinthisseriescoverfiltertypessuchascontrast,
colorcorrectionandconversion,softfocusandneutraldensity,makingitveryattractivetothepromarket
whosemembers,normally,requirefineradjustmentstotheirimages.
TheZProholdercanaccommodatefilterswithathicknessof1.6mm,2mmor4mm.Thismeansthat
filtersfromothermanufacturerssuchasLee,Tiffen,SchneiderandHitechcanbeusedinthissystem.A
spacersystemintegratedintotheholderallowstheseotherfilterstofit.Inaddition,morethanonefilter,
includingapolarizer,canbeinsertedintotheholdertocreateadditionalspecialeffects.

TheXProSeries
AtthetopoftheCokinpyramidyouwillfindtheXPro

series.Designedfortheprophotographer,thesefilterswillserveyouwellifyouareamediumorlarge
formatphotographer.Moreover,bothprosumerandprovideomavenswillgetgoodusefromthisseries.
Wideanglelensescanbeusedfrom15mmonwards(inthe35mmformat).Lensesupto188mminsizeand
130mmwidecanbeused.AswiththeZProseries,bothHasselbladandRolleiadapterringsareavailable.
XProfiltersmeasure5.3x6.6(170x130mm)andpossessexcellentopticalquality.Theselightweightand
unbreakablefiltersrepresentthelargestfiltersonthephotomarket.AnXProholdercanevenholdtwo
filtersatonce.Thislargerholderreducesthepossibilityofvignettingevenmorewhenusingsuperwide
lenses.
TheXProsystemalsoofferssomethingcalledtheRingLockerSystem,whichensuresthattheholdercan
besecuredinacertainpositionandthatthefilteriskeptparalleltothelens.Italsocontrolstherotationof
theholderandallowsittorotatefreely.Someoftheadapterringsavailableforthisholderareavailablein
0.75and1.00pitchthreads.
OntopofalltheotheradvantagesoftheXProsystem,italsofeaturesamodularbellowsattachment
whichintegratestheholderintothebellows.Thisselfsupportingbellowsismadefromanomemory
materialand,asanyhoodwilldo,eliminatesunwantedreflectionsandflare.
TheXProholderistotallyreversible,meaningthatafilterthatfitsintheadapterring'sslotandtheadapter
ringcanbeplacedinthefirstfilterslot.Therefore,thefiltercanbepositionedveryclosetothelenswhere
theedgesoftheholderarenolongeranobstacleinthefieldofuse.

Accessories

Regardlessofwhichsystemyouchoose,Cokinhasaplethoraofaddonsthatyoushouldconsider.TheA
andPsystemsofferlenshoods,capsandstorageboxes.ThePsystemoffersanadditionalaccessory
calledanA/PAdapterthatallowsyoutouseAsystemfiltersinyourPsystemholder.TheZPro
systemalsohasagreatfilterwalletthatwillholduptofivefilters.TheXProsystem,aspreviously
mentioned,hasafabulousmodularbellows.Allsystemsofferacompletelineofadapterrings.ThePfilter
toZholderadaptersavesyoutheexpenseofbuyinganentirenewsetoffilters.

Filters
TheavailabilityofPhotoshopandotherimagemanipulationprogramsgivesyoutheluxuryofdoingpost
productionwork.Asgoodastheseprogramsare,thereissomethingrewardingaboutbeingabletodesign
yourimageatthetimeitisbeingcaptured.Thiskindofprevisualizationstartstheprocess,whilePhotoshop
allowsyoutomakefurtheradjustments.
Aswithanyfiltersystem,theCokinspreadoffilterscoversthegamutfromAtoZ(sotospeak).Whetheritis
asimpleblackandwhitecontrastfilteroramorecomplicatedthreefilterarrangementforanXProholder,
Cokingivesthecreativefreedomtocreatetheimageyouhaveinyourmindseye.

Ifyouenjoynaturephotography,Cokinprovidesawidevarietyoffilters,graduatedandnongraduated,that

allowyoutoaddcolororaccentwhatyoualreadysee.Graduatedfiltersrunfroma153GraduatedNeutral
Densitytoallmakesofcoloredgradssuchas129GraduatedPink,131GraduatedEmerald,133Graduated
Yellowor125GraduatedTobacco.Or,takeittoadeparturefromrealitystagewithaCokin185Radial
Zoomfilter.
Cokinspecializesinspecialeffectsfilters.ThingsyoucantseeinnaturecanbecreatedthroughCokin.A
092DreamfiltertakesyoutotheworldofMorpheus,andyes,youcangetstars(057and058)andprism
effects(201and203)fromCokin.Cantgetarealsunsetoutofthatsky?Trya197or198Sunsetfilterand
suddenlythingschange!Theyevenmakea081ColorVaselinesetwhichcomeswithasetoffourtubesof
colortobesmearedonafiltertoletyoucreateyourownabstractfilter.
Forthoseofyouwhoenjoymakingportraits,CokinofferstheCenterSpotseries(060and061),whichsets
theclearcenteroftheimageapartfromtherestofthediffusedimage.Needlesstosay,thereisawide
varietyofdiffusers(083,084,086,087,088and089)toenhanceportraits.Therearefluorescentfilters,
colorconversionfiltersandmanyotherstomeettheneedofanyshootingscenario.Cokinevenmakes
filterstoimitateorenhancethewondersofnature:a186Rainspotfiltercreatesanimagesimilartorainon
yourlens.
Neutraldensityfiltersandpolarizersareinvaluableassetstotheoutdoorshooter.Needaspecialeffect?A
CenterSpotfiltergivesyouaclearcentralportionoftheimagewhiletheouteredgescanbeeithersoftor
colored,dependingonwhichvarietyofthisfilteryouchoose.
Fortheportraitphotographer,thereareanynumberofsofteffectsavailablewhichcanhelpcoverunwanted
blemishesandimperfections:multipleimagefiltersfordeparturefromrealityshots,splitfieldfiltersfor
accentuatingtheforegroundfromthebackgroundandcloseupfiltersforcapturingthedelicatepetalsofa
flower.
Cokinalsoprovidesmanyofitsfiltersindifferentgrades.Forexample,thereisaDiffuser1,2and3Sunset
197and198.Graduatedfiltersareavailableindifferentstopsjustastraditionalscrewonfiltersare.Manyof
thesefiltersarealsoavailableinhardorsoftformat,meaningthatthegraduationbetweenoneareaandthe
otherissubtle.
Forthearchitecturalphotographer,ColorConversion(CC)filtersareplentiful.Coloredfiltersinjustabout
everyshadearereadyforyouruse,includinginfraredandwarmingfilters,too.

Kits
Cokinsavesyouthetroubleoftryingtoselectyourfiltersbyofferinganyoneofanumberofkits.Portraits,
Landscapes,Weddings,SoftandGraduatedNeutralDensitykitsareallprepackagedforyourconvenience.
Thesekitswillincludethreefiltersandaholder.Pleasenotethat,generallyspeaking,noadapterringsare
includedinthesekitssinceCokindoesnotknowwhichlensyouareusing.

WhyCokin?

Atareasonablecost,Cokinoffersyouaselectionoffiltersthatfewothercompaniesdo.Cokindoesnot
tailoritssystemstoaspecificlevelofphotographer.Prooramateur,itmakesnodifferencethereisa
Cokinsystemtomeetyourneeds.Butitdoesnotstopthere.Cokinisconstantlytryingtodevelopnewideas
toanswerthedemandsofthegrowingphoto/videomarket.Withitssimplicityandeaseofuse,Cokin
simplifiesthephotographerstasksbyallowingthemtocreatetheimagebeforeithitsthecomputer
therebysavingtimeandmoney.