Which GND Factor and Edge for landscapes?

I'm looking to buy a Cokin P-series holder and GND filters. I'd like to take some landscape shots while I'm on vacation. The horizon will have mountains of one shape or another but I'm not looking to do mountain shots, just wide vistas.

So... What's my best options:
ND factors: 0.3, 0.6, 0.9
GND factor: Hard or Soft Edge

I hear that the hard edge is good because it gives you a better indication of where it is when you look through the lens. It's just that the irregular shape of the horizon may (I don't know) require a softer edge on the filter.

I was thinking about getting the 0.6 and 0.9 ND factors, but I'm unsure if the difference is all that great. I think I'll have some shots with sunsets so I'm sure I'll need the 0.9, but will I be better off with the 0.6 or the 0.3 as the companion filter?

Yes, I'd love to get a Reverse-GND. However, having never used any of this before, I may be better off working up to that expense.

I'm also looking to get Star and Gradual Fog filters to get myself kicked off in that arena.

I have the Cokin P 121L, (1 stop), 121M (2 stop) and 121 (3 stop) soft grads and find I use the 121L much less than the others. Through the viewfinder it is impossible to see the edge, but thats not an issue because I'm looking at its effect on the scene. In theory it is possible to stack them, but I've never tried it.

Whats a reverse grad?

Richard

BillsBayou wrote in post #5753998
I'm looking to buy a Cokin P-series holder and GND filters. I'd like to take some landscape shots while I'm on vacation. The horizon will have mountains of one shape or another but I'm not looking to do mountain shots, just wide vistas.

So... What's my best options:
ND factors: 0.3, 0.6, 0.9
GND factor: Hard or Soft Edge

I hear that the hard edge is good because it gives you a better indication of where it is when you look through the lens. It's just that the irregular shape of the horizon may (I don't know) require a softer edge on the filter.

I was thinking about getting the 0.6 and 0.9 ND factors, but I'm unsure if the difference is all that great. I think I'll have some shots with sunsets so I'm sure I'll need the 0.9, but will I be better off with the 0.6 or the 0.3 as the companion filter?

Yes, I'd love to get a Reverse-GND. However, having never used any of this before, I may be better off working up to that expense.

I'm also looking to get Star and Gradual Fog filters to get myself kicked off in that arena.

Ideally, you'd like to have 2- and 3-stop filters in both hard and soft gradients. Typically though, when just starting out, a 2-soft and a 3-hard would be a good starting point. The "usual" recommendation for GND's is to use a soft edge for uneven horizons (tree lines, cliffs, etc) and a hard edge for horizons that are more consistent (seascapes, flat land vistas, etc). This isn't a hard and fast rule, however. Also, if you're using a long focal length (~200mm and longer), the graduation line will become more difficult to see in the viewfinder due to DOF blur...sometimes a hard filter in these cases will help where you'd typically use a soft edge. I'd recommend Hitech graduated filters over Cokin graduals. The Hitechs are very good filters, don't leave a colorcast as some Cokins do, and are very moderately priced. I wouldn't bother with a 1-stop filter...

Lowner wrote in post #5754089
...Whats a reverse grad?

Richard

A "normal" GND filter is darker at the top and gradually fades towards the center at the demarcation line; a reverse GND is darker at the center and gradually fades towards the top of the filter.

I have 2-soft, and 3-hard Galen Rowell filters and they're great. It's a very versatile combination.

I bought a 1-stop GND and a few months later the 3-stop. I never use the 1-stop anymore. Don't waste your time on it because it provides almost no effect.