The Alexa does not have a diffusion filter in the OLPF. It does flare just a little around a bright point of light like a candle flame. Mostly what you are sensing is how the Alexa gracefully rolls-off overexposure information and color saturation into the clip point, which is more due to its extended dynamic range in the highlights. If you want to use a mild filter for softening the image from a Red camera, that's fine, but there isn't specifically a filter that will emulate an Alexa look, and if there were something close, it would have to be incredibly subtle like a 1/8 Black Frost.
Some filters are "mistier" and are designed to cause some halation, which has some effect on lowering contrast (but contrast and black level can be adjusted, it's a digital image after all) and some are designed to soften detail with less of a misty look. Everyone has a different taste on which effect they want more of, hence why there are dozens of diffusion filters on the market. The Tiffen Black Diffusion/FX and the Schneider Radiant Softs are designed to soften with minimal halation, if that's what you want. A Schneider HD Classic Soft also softens with just a bit of a blurry glow to bright areas (the halation is less of a misty glow but is more due to that bright area being blurred and overlaid back on the sharp image). Most of the other diffusions have a more pronounced halation, and in fact, many are compound filters with an element to create a misty glow (such as the 1/8 Black Frost that is part of the Schneider Hollywood Black Magics, or the GlimmerGlass that is part of the Tiffen Black Satins.)
Take a look at the Black Diffusion/FX filter (the 1/2 is the lightest).
If this topic is still open I’d love to hear more from different peoples experiences and preferences, I like Tiffen Digital Diffusion (1/2) but I would like to try 1 or heavier and I’ve gone with a 1 Tiffen Black Gimmer glass but I was wondering has anyone used the Kippertie carbon OPLF on a RED DSMC2 camera?I have the RED skin tone OPLF which is very nice.
I suppose can you really remove as much fine detail from skin without blooming out all the highlights or sources ?
Filter for "Alexa Look"/Film Look: Tiffen Digital Diffusion FX?
in Lenses & Lens Accessories
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If this topic is still open I’d love to hear more from different peoples experiences and preferences, I like Tiffen Digital Diffusion (1/2) but I would like to try 1 or heavier and I’ve gone with a 1 Tiffen Black Gimmer glass but I was wondering has anyone used the Kippertie carbon OPLF on a RED DSMC2 camera?I have the RED skin tone OPLF which is very nice.
I suppose can you really remove as much fine detail from skin without blooming out all the highlights or sources ?