I've been thinking about getting this lens for some time now, primarily for landscapes, and as such would like to use filters with it as well. I have a set of Singh-Ray ND grads and polarizers for Cokin P that work well with my 17-40 on FF, no vignetting at 24mm. As far as I am to understand, the Cokin P-holder is supposed to work with lenses with a filter size up to 82mm and focal length of 24mm without any issues, but that there's still some variation from lens to lens.
If anyone has tried to use Cokin P-size filters with this lens, how bad (if any) was the vignetting without any tilt/shift? How much could you tilt/shift before vignetting from the holder was introduced? How about sprocket polarizers, like the LB Warming from Singh-Ray - do they present any increased vignetting?
It is possible to hand hold P size filters against the hood of a 24 TSE II and not see any mechanical vignetting. hand holding eliminates the depth issues with the holder by getting the filter very close to the lens and eliminates the shading of filter holder slots. However, the small size of the P filters does not provide much room for your fingers.
I did some tests with a Cokin P holder which was cut down to just one slot for minimum depth. I didn't have a step down adapter, so the P holder was hand held in approximate position. With no t/s there was no vignetting. Tilt was fine, as the filters move with the lens, and the GND filter can be adjusted in the direction of the lens tilt to keep up with the lens POV. However if you need to place the GND transition near the edge of the image, the P filters may not be tall enough. For solid ND filters this application will be fine.
Using the cut down Cokin P with shift is much more problematic and you will certainly see additional vignetting as you shift the lens towards the direction of the slot holders. Unlike the hand holding option, one cannot move the edges of the filter holder about as one shifts the lens orthogonally to the holder direction.
If you add a step down for a 24 TSE II to mount a circular 77mm CP, you will certainly see vignetting in shift, perhaps the vignetting will be marginal in tilt. I would recommend considering an 82mm CP, the hand held P size GND can be used over it. Marumi makes a mid priced CP that works quite well.
Mike K
koffikapp wrote:
If anyone has tried to use Cokin P-size filters with this lens, how bad (if any) was the vignetting without any tilt/shift? How much could you tilt/shift before vignetting from the holder was introduced? How about sprocket polarizers, like the LB Warming from Singh-Ray - do they present any increased vignetting?
Thanks.
On my TSE 24 II with Cokin P Wide holder -
1. No vignetting when no tilt or shift is applied
2. Vignetting starts at about 8 mm of shift (rise) in horizontal orientation
3. Vignetting starts at about 8 mm of shift (rise) in vertical orientation, and it's heavier than in horizontal
4. No vignetting noticed from tilt
5. No increased vignetting from my S-R sprocket polarizer, meaning it works like other filters as indicated #2-3 above
The problem arises, I believe, from the fact that the opening of the holder is about 78mm wide versus the 82mm front end of the 24 TSE, effectively a stepdown. Despite what Cokin says about fitting an 82mm, its system really tops out at 77mm due to the design of the holder.
Wish I'd listened to the Lee crowd back when I bought into the Cokin P system ...
I went ahead and bought a used copy of the lens, couldn't resist. Just waiting on it to arrive so I can try it out, and I'll figure out what to do regarding filters next!
Vignetting at 8mm of shift doesn't sound as bad as I had expected anyway. I'll try using elastic rubber bands to keep the holder as close to the lens as possible and see how that works out, completely disregarding the adapter ring. With this (admittedly rather ghetto) technique, I only get vignetting up to 20mm with my 17-40 and the standard holder, while normally it vignettes at 24mm. Maybe try cutting off a slot as well. Now, what I'm gonna do with my 77mm 10-stop is another question...
Hi, I have used the Cokin P system quite extensively with both the old 24 TSE and now with the new II model and it has worked great. At full shift it does vignette a tad but I never found it an issue specially with the single filter holder.
Sneakyracer wrote:
Hi, I have used the Cokin P system quite extensively with both the old 24 TSE and now with the new II model and it has worked great. At full shift it does vignette a tad but I never found it an issue specially with the single filter holder.
Interesting. I'm curious if the sprocket polarizers will introduce corner vignette even when the holder doesn't show, at least this is the case when using them with my 17-40. Guess I'll find out when the lens arrives.
koffikapp wrote:
Interesting. I'm curious if the sprocket polarizers will introduce corner vignette even when the holder doesn't show, at least this is the case when using them with my 17-40. Guess I'll find out when the lens arrives.
I believe it will - mine does. Don't most/all polarizers produce a certain amount of vignetting, regardless how they're mounted? I've used both types - sprocket and screw-in CPs - and noticed vignetting with all of them.
Alright, received the TS-E and tested out the P holder with the Singh-Ray sprocket LB warming polarizer. As expected, no vignetting with no tilt/shift applied, but after about 6-7mm of shift in either direction the polarizer does indeed start to show, and if combining tilt/shift it's even worse. I've barely started exploring the possibilities of this lens, but I'd probably want to use a combination of tilt/shift/polarizer for most landscape shots, so this could prove problematic.
Maybe I finally have to swallow my pride, bite the bullet, admit defeat etc., and get the 4x6 system, should have just done that from the start. Hindsight's a bitch!
I realize that, but a larger system will still offer more flexibility. Don't know how often a combination of both full tilt and shift will be used either, but hey, no system is perfect anyway.
