Why not to stack a CPL and Cokin P... holiday error!
Discussion
To set the scene:
It's the first real day of holiday and I'm in Kefalonia - a beautiful Greek Island. Knowing I'll have lots of sun, sand and sea to shoot as well as glorious landscapes I purchased a new Tiffen 77mm CPL and a Cokin P system with 2 ND grad filters to help with exposure while using my Sigma 10-20mm. We've decided to take a bus tour around the Island before renting a car so we could learn about the area and decide where we'd like to revisit.
The second stop was a small town around a bay called Assos.
I spy a nice shot... If I shoot at the waters edge on what's essentially a pier I can get a lovely looking shot covering the town, the water and the castle.
I put my tripod down at the edge of the pier about half way along and start composing. The first thing to change is the CPL, to get the best transparency on the waters surface. As I start to twist the CPL while looking through the view finder my finger catches the attached Cokin P system and I hear a funny ping. Suddenly my viewfinder is a little brighter... Ah crap.
Looking down I see the thick dark glass from the CPL bouncing on the hard concrete and the Cokin P system, adaptor ring, CPL outer ring and the 2 stop ND grad go splashing into the sea. Oh b
ks.
This is literally my 10th shot of what's essentially a landscape photography holiday and all the key kit has just gone into the drink.
To add insult to injury the bus is due to leave in 30 minutes.
I could just about see the Cokin system on the bed of the sea about 12 foot down so I did what any true photographer would do, I stripped down to my boxers and jumped in to save it!
Fortunately there was no damage (I'm not sure how the CPL glass survived the fall) and I spent the remaining 25 minutes trying to put the CPL back together and drying myself off with paper towels stolen from a near by restaurant.
I guess the real irony is 300 shots later and still not a single decent landscape photo. I'm officially the worlds worst landscape photographer. At least the water looks nice
It's the first real day of holiday and I'm in Kefalonia - a beautiful Greek Island. Knowing I'll have lots of sun, sand and sea to shoot as well as glorious landscapes I purchased a new Tiffen 77mm CPL and a Cokin P system with 2 ND grad filters to help with exposure while using my Sigma 10-20mm. We've decided to take a bus tour around the Island before renting a car so we could learn about the area and decide where we'd like to revisit.
The second stop was a small town around a bay called Assos.
I spy a nice shot... If I shoot at the waters edge on what's essentially a pier I can get a lovely looking shot covering the town, the water and the castle.
I put my tripod down at the edge of the pier about half way along and start composing. The first thing to change is the CPL, to get the best transparency on the waters surface. As I start to twist the CPL while looking through the view finder my finger catches the attached Cokin P system and I hear a funny ping. Suddenly my viewfinder is a little brighter... Ah crap.
Looking down I see the thick dark glass from the CPL bouncing on the hard concrete and the Cokin P system, adaptor ring, CPL outer ring and the 2 stop ND grad go splashing into the sea. Oh b
ks.This is literally my 10th shot of what's essentially a landscape photography holiday and all the key kit has just gone into the drink.
To add insult to injury the bus is due to leave in 30 minutes.
I could just about see the Cokin system on the bed of the sea about 12 foot down so I did what any true photographer would do, I stripped down to my boxers and jumped in to save it!
Fortunately there was no damage (I'm not sure how the CPL glass survived the fall) and I spent the remaining 25 minutes trying to put the CPL back together and drying myself off with paper towels stolen from a near by restaurant.
I guess the real irony is 300 shots later and still not a single decent landscape photo. I'm officially the worlds worst landscape photographer. At least the water looks nice
SamHH said:
So what happened, you just didn't screw the polariser on properly?
CPLs are 2 part filters so you can rotate the glass independently of the lens. On this CPL (and most I believe) the 2 parts are held together by a wire clip system.These wireclips didn't like me that day and the CPL popped apart. The part screwed to the lens was still there just fine, but largely useless being just a metal ring with a lip
CivicMan said:
To the OP, do you not get vignetting using a CPL AND Cokin P system grads on a 10-20mm??
None with just the CPL, and tiny bit at 10 & 11 with the Cokin stacked on. I'm using the UWA Cokin mount (which only allows 1 filter.) I'm fairly surprised at the lack of vignetting actually.oh god, I hope I'm wrong, but.....
I have a Circular Polariser that screws directly into the lens housing on my 10-20, had to be a special (£100) one apparently to avoid the vignetting you speak of, anyway.... for the dumb question
I have always been curious as to why you can spin the filter once its attached, tell me its not because you have to adjust it according to sunlight direction this could be a cause of varying results in my landscape shots I am new to this by the way 
I have a Circular Polariser that screws directly into the lens housing on my 10-20, had to be a special (£100) one apparently to avoid the vignetting you speak of, anyway.... for the dumb question
I have always been curious as to why you can spin the filter once its attached, tell me its not because you have to adjust it according to sunlight direction this could be a cause of varying results in my landscape shots I am new to this by the way it was a pro 1 hoya which are quite expensive apparently.
so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
Pvapour said:
it was a pro 1 hoya which are quite expensive apparently.
so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
It's nothing so specific - just rotate the filter until you get an effect you like, then press the shutter.so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
Experiment on a sunny day and stand somewhere relatively open with clear skies - a field or somewhere like that. Then starting at one point, rotate the polariser and see what the effects are, then turn through about 45 degrees and do it again, etc., etc.
You should see the biggest effect of the polariser when at about 90 degrees to the sun and less when looking directly at, or away from, it.
Nick M said:
Pvapour said:
it was a pro 1 hoya which are quite expensive apparently.
so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
It's nothing so specific - just rotate the filter until you get an effect you like, then press the shutter.so i'm guessing the two white marks (one is a triangle) need to be aligned for normal upright usage irrespective of light direction? then if the camera is turned 90 degrees ie portrait, either cw or ccw, then the filter needs to be turned accordingly?
Experiment on a sunny day and stand somewhere relatively open with clear skies - a field or somewhere like that. Then starting at one point, rotate the polariser and see what the effects are, then turn through about 45 degrees and do it again, etc., etc.
You should see the biggest effect of the polariser when at about 90 degrees to the sun and less when looking directly at, or away from, it.
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