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Filter recomendations for SDX?


Neil Randall

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Ok, so after all my questions, we got a sweet deal from the hire company (albeit 120 miles away).

 

Some people have recommended using a Tiffen Promist Black 1/4 to take the 'video' edge off the footage. Having glanced at the literature for the filter, I think it looks like a soft-focus filter and noticeably so.

 

Again, I'd rather leave the footage neutral/flat then soften in post.

 

We're shooting in June with int/ext locartions, all natural. We'll have redheads, blondes, 330w unknowns and (if we're lucky) a Fresnel. There will be tungsten and flourescent on the sets. There's no water, but grass, glass, wood and carpet, so a variety of reflective qualities.

 

Anybody like to recommend what we should have in our kit (UV, ND, Pola, Skylight) ? Any advice is gratefully received.

 

Thanks again,

 

NR.

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There's no law saying that you have to soften video; it may only be a good idea for close-ups of women basically, and even then, if you want, turning down the edge enhancement /Detail may be a better idea for those shots. But if you are planning on shooting close-ups of women, particularly older women, it wouldn't hurt to carry something.

 

Most glass filters come in strengths and the lightest grades are pretty subtle. For example, a 1/2 Black Diffusion-FX is one of the most subtle filters you'll ever use. Or a 1/4 Classic Soft, 1/2 Soft-FX, 1/8 Black ProMist, etc.

 

But I'd say that a Pola is really important for day exterior work to reduce glare. The camera comes with its own internal ND filters. Hopefully that wheel is separate from the color-correction wheel.

 

ND grad filters are a good idea, but you generally need a bigger mattebox for those if you want flexibility in moving the grad line around. If you're in higher elevations, maybe a UV or Skylight, although all glass filters have some degree of UV blocking. If you're using the Pola, I wouldn't necessarily stack a UV with it unless really necessary.

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There's no law saying that you have to soften video; it may only be a good idea for close-ups of women basically, and even then, if you want, turning down the edge enhancement /Detail may be a better idea for those shots. But if you are planning on shooting close-ups of women, particularly older women, it wouldn't hurt to carry something.

 

Most glass filters come in strengths and the lightest grades are pretty subtle. For example, a 1/2 Black Diffusion-FX is one of the most subtle filters you'll ever use. Or a 1/4 Classic Soft, 1/2 Soft-FX, 1/8 Black ProMist, etc.

 

But I'd say that a Pola is really important for day exterior work to reduce glare. The camera comes with its own internal ND filters. Hopefully that wheel is separate from the color-correction wheel.

 

ND grad filters are a good idea, but you generally need a bigger mattebox for those if you want flexibility in moving the grad line around. If you're in higher elevations, maybe a UV or Skylight, although all glass filters have some degree of UV blocking. If you're using the Pola, I wouldn't necessarily stack a UV with it unless really necessary.

 

Thanks again Dave. We've got CUs of a woman, but of a 21-year-old with pretty-much flawless skin.

 

Polariser - yep, that makes sense. Don't think we'll need a colour grad.

 

I'll research detail and edge-enhancement and maybe look at a 1/8 Black Promist. But at a hundred notes a pop, something tells me we'll be using Cokins not Tiffens!

 

Cheers, mate,

 

NR.

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I didn't say colored grads, I said ND grads. Helpful for darkening a bright part of a frame in a static shot, like hot sky or ground, etc.

 

You won't find any diffusion filters subtle enough in the Cokin line, so you might as well not use anything.

 

Besides, if you're renting the SDX900, why aren't you renting a mattebox and filters? Why do you have to buy the filters?

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I didn't say colored grads, I said ND grads. Helpful for darkening a bright part of a frame in a static shot, like hot sky or ground, etc.

 

You won't find any diffusion filters subtle enough in the Cokin line, so you might as well not use anything.

 

Besides, if you're renting the SDX900, why aren't you renting a mattebox and filters? Why do you have to buy the filters?

 

Bloody hell, you did didn't you? I'll find out about ND grads. And avoid cokins. What's the deal with Hoya?

 

It does come with a mattebox, but there's been no mention of filters. That said, being new to this renting malarkey, it could be filters are an unspoken extra, hence there being no mention of them. But I had to hire the batteries, charger and AC unit separately, so I just assumed we'd provide our own 'consumables' - stock, filters, lens cloth, cleaning casette, etc.

 

Don't forget - this is rip-off Britain we're talking about!

 

Ta,

 

NR.

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...so even if they're not included, the rental house should have them, I suppose.

 

Got a polariser, set of NDs, ND Grads, and Promists. 12 filters, £7 each per day. About $13. Soon adds up on a student budget!

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