Cokin Baby!

I received some stuff I bought and had shipped the slow boat. The delay was long enough that I was surprised when I got it.

This is all stuff that I have wanted, but now really want to take with me to Italy. I have designs towards taking landscape photos, so this gear is to aid me in that.

In short, this is some of the Cokin P filter stuff. The essential thing is that you buy filters once, then can use them on all your lenses. The round things in the middle are adapters that screw into the lens threads. You buy these adapters for each size lens. I have three: 52mm, 55mm, and 77mm threads (the lenses are behind the adapters).

The thing next to the lens is the filter holder that slips over the adapter. It holds the filters in front.

The rectangular things are graduated neutral density (ND) filters in three different strengths. They solve the problem of having a bright sky screwing up your exposure. Set the fuzzy border on the horizon, and the sky is darkened enough so that the land exposure can work.

The round thing with the ridges on the left is a circular polarizer. This alone is a good reason to go with the Cokin system. Otherwise, I'd have to buy an expensive circular polarizer for each lens. This way, I spent the money once and can use it for each lens.

In the upper right corner is a storage box and a lens cover. The existing lens covers don't work when you have the adapter ring on.

I also bought three new batteries. I bought one Canon brand, and two after market batteries. I hope to be fully charged when I hit the Italian countryside.

Yet to buy are some warming filters and a couple ND filters. Oh, and the Sigma 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 DC OS lens plus the 72mm adapter ring. I have been using only prime lenses, but I want the zoom as a walk around lens.