Should I put filters in front of the lens or behind?

[Evan Ferrario]

I have just gotten a good deal on Fuji 500T short ends.

 

My issue is I want to use the film in my acl to shoot a short outdoors in some bright sunlight areas.

 

I need a 85 filter to correct the Tungsten to daylight and I also need ND filters to shoot the 500t in daylight. What I wasn't sure about is if I should put both filters in the filter holder behind the lens. Or if I should put the filters infront of the lens.

 

I know focal length makes a difference in filter placement and I wanted to use the wide 12mm most of the shoot.

 

I'd like to use the filter holder built in unless there is a disadvantage to it. Also if someone could point me towards a website for buying filters, it would be appreciated.

[Jason Hinkle RIP]

I'd like to use the filter holder built in unless there is a disadvantage to it. Also if someone could point me towards a website for buying filters, it would be appreciated.

 

i'm curious about this too, i heard somewhere (can't remember where) that it is not really advisable to use that filter holder because it can slip out of place and get wedged into the moving parts, possibly causing damage to the camera.

 

i've also heard things like a little smudge or something would be amplified there at that level.

 

these are just things i've "heard" i would be interested to know if they are myths or not?

[Tom Jensen]

You can do both. You just have to be careful. In holders, they can slip or fall out. Hairs can get in there. With the filters in front, you can see anything that gets on there. Behind the lens, they get sharper as you stop down. Less glass is better. In front, use hard mattes or a french flag or a cutter to keep light off the glass. You can use whatever you want. Personally, I would just put it on the front.

[Saul Rodgar]

Yeah, ultimately front of lens filtering (matte box) is more convenient. Behind the lens filtering can and will work but it will be a little more high maintenance for the reasons stated above. However, the chances of a properly placed filter slipping out are very very low, as it is sandwiched between to pieces of metal, which are pressed flat as the holder slides in. There is more chance of the actual filter holder stop-piece directly underneath to become lose and fall in the mechanism, which could spell disaster if the camera was running. Once, as I was filming with an ACL, I could hear a faint rattling I had never heard before inside the camera s it ran. The filter holder stop-piece had become loose by rather heavy vibrations encountered during filming earlier. So I had to send the camera to the shop, where it had to be completely taken apart in order for the tech to tighten the piece up. But even then, the chances of that actually happening are incredibly low under normal circumstances.

[Bernie O'Doherty]

One of the main reasons for using front lens filters instead of behind-the -lens gels is that the gels change the lens focal point. So you're focused perfectly in the viewfinder but your film sees something slightly different. Disconcerting, to say the least.

Gels bring the focal point a little further back past the point of focus. The camera flange focal depth can be adjusted for this ( made longer), but then you always need to keep a gel filter (clear or otherwise) in the filter holder.

When I do a super 16 conversion I normally glue down the filter holder and beg the client to use front glass filters. At that point, he really doesn't have much of a choice !

[Evan Ferrario]

thanks for all the replies, it is very helpful. I will not use the behind the lens filter, Bernie is one person I trust to know the acl in and out.