P series filters... to hold or not to hold?!

[matt83]

Im off to S.E asia, Indo and Oz in a few months for a years travelling. Wildlife has always been my main focus, but Id be a fool not to take advantage of some of the best landscapes going, plus Iv always fancied giving it a go!
Iv just bought the Kood light and dark grey P type ND grads and a Colkin P series NDx8 to aid in my new endevours, but Im wondering if its worth buying the holder to go with them?! Im not taking a tripod and the holder will be one extra thing to carry. Ill be using them on my Nikkor 17-55 f2.8.

Iv heard that people get equally good results buy simply holding the filter in place?!

Soooo ... do I hold? Or do I buy a holder?

I should add that the filters havnt arrived yet so I have no idea what its like to have to hold the camera steady while trying to position the filter!

The other glass Im taking are the 105VR and my 70-200VR plus 1.7 tele, but I cant imagine using them with these lenses?!

 

[markmullen]

Holding solid NDs is possible but you have less chance of light leaks with a holder. It is easier to position grads with a holder too. If you don't want to spend much you can get a compatible third party holder off ebay for a few quid.

 

[matt83]

I dont mind paying for a holder. Both the Colkin and third party P holders cost next to nothing. Its the fact that its something extra to carry around that bothers me. My Flipside 400 is already bursting at the seams !

 

[SoDoSoPa]

If getting the Cokin Holder, Try to get the wideangle one, as the normal can cause bad vignetting.