ARRRGGGGGG! No one, anywhere, has filters in stock!!!

[donoreo]

I did get a Cokin P ND-Grad kit for Christmas, but since I plan to get a wide angle lens I want to get a Z size. No one has the Cokin kit in stock. I have been in contact with the Canadian distributor this morning and they have none and have not shipped any to anyone in quite some time. I cannot find them anywhere in stock.

I broke down and started looking at Lee kits, no one has them in stock either!

I have searched Canadian and US and UK (that I know of - please direct me) camera sites and stores. No one has anything like the Cokin Z kit in stock.

I put this in off topic because it is really a rant, but any help would be appreciated.

I want a Z size holder and 3 ND Grad soft edge filters. My wife has said I can spend more than the P kit

[silversnapper1]

Hi Don,

I understand that Cokin are in administration and this is probably why you can't get hold of their filters anywhere. Lee have lead times on most of their filters of 18/22 weeks.

Try Formatt Filters at http://www.formatt.co.uk/stills-filters/products.aspx

I know these guys as they are based locally to me and I know that they have outlets in Canada. They make the filters to order and they can supply the hardware too. I have recently had a set of ND Grads, a set of Standard Grads, a set of Coral Grads and a 105mm Circular Polariser from them. I haven't used all of them but the quality really does seem good and their prices are quite reasonable.

[donoreo]

I should have mentioned, I had looked at them and they do ship to Canada directly. I cannot find anyone that has them locally (meaning in the country) with a decent selection. They have the DG grad kit, but not with the hardware and carry case, but I can piece it together.

Z-pro equiv ND grads would be 100x150mm?

[silversnapper1]

No problem. It is the 100x150 nd grads that I have from Formatt.

[silversnapper1]

Just a quick thought. The only other 'square' filters that I have been able to find are Kood.

[James Blonde]

Formatt = Hitech filters and from what I've read elsewhere (and it might be wrong) = ex Lee Filters staff.

I'm looking at getting a Lee holder (over a Cokin Z Pro) possibly from Teamworkphoto.com, and then Hitech filters (a fraction of the cost of lee), and Heliopan for the screw ins.

[Cathus]

try Speedgraphic, I got a Lee filter kit from them just last week. They didn't have any Lee ND grads but they did have Cokin Z-Pro ND Grads as I got one of those in the meantime.

[donoreo]

I am suffering from holidayitis and cannot figure out the holder and rings (normally I am much smarter than this). I currently have 58 mm and 52mm lenses and plan to get a 77 mm. Formatt's "wide angle adapters" seem pricey at almost 27! Do we know if anyone else's ring adapters work?

[donoreo]

Originally Posted by Cathus

try Speedgraphic, I got a Lee filter kit from them just last week. They didn't have any Lee ND grads but they did have Cokin Z-Pro ND Grads as I got one of those in the meantime.

You mean the kit with the holder or just the grads?

[KeithT]

A mate of mine placed an order for some Lee grads plus a holder and was quoted 12 weeks. He decided to order a set of Hitech instead and recieved them within five days. He looked at them and immediately repackaged them for return. He told me that the holder was badly made and the filters were beyond a tight fit. He said even a 20 week wait and an extra £60 was worth it up against any other make. I have to agree with him. Lee might take a long while to deliver the goods, but they are for life once you have them.