TUTORIAL: Wide-angle filtration for ARRI-S

[Bill DiPietra]

Hey everyone! This is a continuation of the thread where I was asking for some ideas on how to filter my 9mm lens since the matte box was showing in the field of view. Please see the original thread (http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=65936&hl=) as the suggestions and information contributed were quite helpful! (Thanks to Gregg, Miguel & Dennis.)

 

DISCLAIMER: I haven't shot anything using this set-up yet, but it looks like it will get the job done.

 

I am always hesitant to post any kind of tutorial, but I think this is pretty neat! So here's the solution I came up with :) ...

 

Items required:

 

-Alligator clips

-Household pull-string with tassel at end

-Gaffer's tape

 

My first concern is always keeping all of my equipment in excellent condition. It was obvious that I would need to place the filter directly in front of my 9mm Cooke lens, but I really didn't want to put any kind of tape on the filter itself. So...

 

1- Fold 2 very small pieces of gaffer's tape onto each side of the filter with the non-adhesive sides touching the filter. These pieces act as a cushion so that the alligator clips never touch the surface of the filter.

 

2- Attach the alligator clip to the upper right-hand corner of the filter.

 

3- Put the pull-string through the circular notch on the front of the camera until it reaches the tassel. Tape the beaded end of the of the pull-string to the circular end of the alligator clip. This is your first fastener.

 

4- Pull the string back so that the filter is close to the lens and the tassel falls to the bottom of the camera on the left-hand side. Repeat steps 1 & 2, then tape the tassel end of the pull-string to the second alligator clip on the lower left-hand corner of the filter. This is your second fastener.

 

5- At this point, you may need to start attaching some gaffer's tape - first to the pull-string & then to the camera - for some tension.

 

6- Repeat steps 1 & 2, and attach the third (and final) alligator clip to the lower right-hand corner of the filter. This is your third fastener and it is a "floating clip" in that it does not get attached to the pull-string. Put gaffer's tape on the circular end of the alligator clip and attach it to the right-hand side of the camera.

 

7- Adjust for tension as needed. You should still have the ability to adjust the f-ring.

 

Here are some pictures of the final product! Sorry I didn't take any step-by-step pictures, but I hope this helps for anyone with the same issue! It may not look sexy, but it seems like a pretty good rig for $5.00.

 

Thanks for reading and comments/critiques are always welcome! Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[James Jeffrey Cotter]

This is too funny! It is supposed to be funny right?

[James Jeffrey Cotter]

Chewing gum will work too just place four well chewed chunks on the edge of the lens and apply the filter.

[Bill DiPietra]

This is too funny! It is supposed to be funny right?

 

No, it was not intended to be. It's simply a solution that worked for me.

[James Jeffrey Cotter]

I can see it would and did work but at the same time its funny.

 

I thought I was the only one that did these kind of things. I am the first generation off the farm so my Dad taught me to be self sufficient and fix things with all kinds of available things. We had horses so we had baling wire and I can do a lot of stuff with baling wire and gaffer tape. My wife and son always love my quick solutions.