This will save you a bit of luggage weight flying out and you may be able to pick up a similar tripod for dollars what you would pay in pounds.
I wouldn't rule out P-sized filters though. My old sigma zoom was 77mm thread and wider view than your 17mm and it was fine. I've got a sawn off holder and rings you could try. If you do go this route look at Hitechs.
The polariser is the big cost so do some research on that and compatibility first. I went with a big 102mm? not-Lee-but-thinner-and-cheaper polariser that screws onto the front of a Lee kit. If the Cokin Z is anything like the A and P it will go in a slot at that back of the holder, which is neat but means you can't use it anyhow else. To spread the cost I bought the polariser first and then just used blu-tac to attach. You can do a lot with blu-tac.
Seems to be a lot of choice on tripods nowadays, I'm not up on all the new brands. I'd aim to buy a really good light (ie carbon) tripod which will serve you as a travel 'pod for many years. It won't be that tall but neither are you. I wouldn't bother trying to get one you think will do everything - it won't.
Whats your budget then for tripod, and filters?
Buy a single 2-stop Hitech grad, or if you can run to it a 2 and a 3 or the full set of 1-2-3. If you go for P-sizes then its a shit load cheaper so you should be able to buy all three.
Attach to lens or front of your polariser with blutack. Avoids the vignetting issue and having to tart about with cokin holder rings (although fuck it I can give you my sawnoff holder and 77mm ring, I'm never going to use it).
Won't be as light as a carbon but I never had problems flying with mine, and you can leave the centre column at home to save weight.
You can probably get all of the above for not much over a ton or even less.
Just checked and I've got Cokin rings in 52, 58, 67 & 77mm and a holder somewhere. You can certainly have em for your trip at least, I don't currently own any P sizes filters to use em with.
The Cokin 7 set is £140
Which gets you what? Sounds like Lee is out of range for you at the mo. What size polariser have you got, 77mm?
I've got a load of Cokin P stuff too which you can borrow.
I don't know how hard they are but had are generally more useful.
just spotted this, paul you will have issues with the p filters on the 17-40mm. at anything wider than about 20mm you can see the filter and holder. if you want to have a mess with some i have a nd, nd grad, warming and red filters you can borrow with the holder and some rings.
Paul, what do you have in mind using these filters for? Mostly Landscapes?
If so, from my experience of taking pics in the US you normally have clear blue skies, and very little cloud detail to worry about trying to retain (apart from the occasional fluffy little cloud, but that's only in Arizona) and you can get away with just a polariser a lot of the time. I mostly shot slide and with some accurate metering and the occasional bit of bracketing and just a polariser I usually came away with the shots I wanted.
May be worth keeping your money in your pocket for now (or cadging anything you can borrow) and buying a filter or two along the way if you feel the need after doing some reviewing of pics.
With regards to Cokins...
I'd avoid polariser with super wides if there's clear skies, you really need clouds or trees to hide that unevenness behind.
QuoteIf so, from my experience of taking pics in the US you normally have clear blue skies, and very little cloud detail to worry about trying to retain (apart from the occasional fluffy little cloud, but that's only in Arizona) and you can get away with just a polariser a lot of the time. I mostly shot slide and with some accurate metering and the occasional bit of bracketing and just a polariser I usually came away with the shots I wanted.Interesting. On which format? Here in the Peak I've ended up with some pretty bad polariser effects at 17mm which I'm told gets worse with altitude?
at altitude I've been shown examples with an almost black triangle in one part of the sky going through to light blue in others. I think you're pretty much OK for this above 24mm?
again, you sure?
I take it the Cokin P and Hitech filters / holders are fairly interchangeable etc.
shot at 19mm with a cokin filter. i think you will struggle to file that off hahaha. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151531347840149&l=1ca5fe6dc9
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