Jump to content

Filtration: Black Magic 1/4 vs 1/8 vs Black Frost 1/4


Recommended Posts

Hello 

I work as an artist and with various cameras. So far I have used the Black Pro Mist 82mm 1/4 for a lot of digital work. But the blooming is sometimes just too much / obvious so I'm eager to try out new filtration. I originally wanted to get the Black Frost 1/4 but it wasn't available back then. Now I'm looking at it again as well as the Hollywood Black Magic 1/8 and 1/4. There is a lot of info out there about the latter but I haven't yet seen a comparison between BF and HBM.

I don't have the money to buy a whole set (e.g. different filters for different focal length as many suggest). So I'm kinda looking for one to rule them all.

I want to use the filter on most of my digital cameras (from iPhone to Blackmagic Design). I film a lot of tele stuff or extreme wide angle - and also a lot of landscape/nature/architecture things without humans Sometimes humans. So I wonder is the HBM the right choice it subjects are not the focus of my work? E.g. will The softening not often be too much because I already get that in the high tele and wide range? So that would lean towards the Black Frost 1/4. Also I can't imagine the difference between the HBM 1/8 and 1/4. 

I would hope to get some experiences and hope the info above is helpful. 

Thanks already! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

If you want less halation you should use the 1/8 instead of the 1/4, of any of those filters.

The Schneider Hollywood Black Magic is a combination of two filters — a 1/8 Black Frost base plus degrees of HD Classic Soft. So a 1/8 HBM is a 1/8 Black Frost + 1/8 HD Classic Soft.

The HD Classic Soft also creates a bit of halation but it is more of a blurred shape of the highlight instead of a misty hazy glow around the highlight, which is what the Black Frost does. So you have two types of halation in one filter with the Hollywood Black Magic.

It really comes down to whether you just want that little bit of misty glow from the 1/8 Black Frost or an additional bit of softening from the 1/8 Hollywood Black Magic.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you David. I knew about the HBM being a mix. Your description of the two types of halation is helpful. Thanks! I still wonder about the difference of the HBM 1/8 vs 1/4 - but unless there is a comparison out there which I'm not aware of I guess I just have to try it out. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Premium Member

HBM is a combo filter of a mist diffusion (1/8 Black Frost) and a softening diffusion (degrees of HD Classic Soft).

GlimmerGlass is a mist diffusion like a Black ProMist / Black Frost.

The equivalent to a Schneider HBM is the Tiffen Black Satin filter, which is also a combo filter (light GlimmerGlass for mist diffusion plus degrees of Diffusion/FX).

An interesting diffusion is the Schneider Radiant Softs. They basically use black particulates of a certain size to diffract (soften) detail but create almost no halation. Sort of like a particle version of a black net.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...