Which filters should I use for video ? (ND variable or not, polarizing...)

Started by Tao, June 11, 2015, 12:36:31 AM

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Tao

Hi,

I'm working on my next DSLR photo/video equipment. I have a 5D3 and sharp prime lenses (Sigma Art), using ML RAW. Controlling light is important to a photographer and cinematographer so the question of filters is one I ask myself.

I have two questions but feel free to tell more about your own experience with filters.

1. In order to maintain a shutter speed close to 1/50s and/or a wide aperture when there's a lot of light (for instance a sunny summer day), I need to use a ND filter. But I have a limited budget and I can't carry too much filters.

  • Should I get a variable ND filter ? (but it drops the quality)
  • Should I get one or two ND filters not variable ? Which ones ? (less flexible)

2. Also, should I use a good polarizing filter for better colors or is useless ? Can I or should I use it with a ND filter


Thank you guys,
5D Mark III w/ Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 + Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 + Canon L 70-200 f/4.0

reddeercity

For Video get a Good Glass Variable ND, Thinner the better. I personally wouldn't use polarizing filter (can & dose cause Banding etc.... in video)
yes 1/50th, & I like to keep the F-stop around F4-F8 for outdoor work with Var.ND , give's less deep of field more objects in focus .
Very close to 35mm film d.o.f.  Unless you what deep d.o.f. then open it up and Stop it down with the Var.ND.
My two cents.

Levas

Do you only use the sigma lens ?
For budget, buy only one ND filter that fits your biggest lens thread size, buy step down rings for other lenses.
Don't buy a cheap(plastic) variable ND filter, with the cheap ones, your better of with one normal glass ND filter.

And think about how much stops ND do you need.
Which aperture do you use most and do you use it in bright daylight ?
You can use ML raw histogram function to perfectly see how much stops you need.

I recently bought a 6 stops ND filter, for use on a f2,0 lens in bright daylight, for f2,0 I need ISO100.
If I want to shoot more depth of field, I raise ISO to 400 or 800 to be able to use f4,0 or f5,6

For a wide angle lens, which I use most to shoot at f11 or f8 I bought a 3 stops ND filter.

KelvinK

Zomei Var ND filters have glass, thin, good build quailty and not that expensive. 80-100$ for 82mm.
6D - 5D - NEX - M50!

DFM

Variable ND filters are polarizers - just two stacked into one unit. You cannot stack another polarizer on top, it'd just give you a dark blue/purple mess.

VNDs are simpler to work with for video as you can dial in any value, and if you only use them at the low range then they work OK, but at the maximum attenuation you'll get the classic X-pattern interference problem on wide shots - doesn't matter how much you pay, it's just how they work. The color casts can change as you adjust them, making CC in post an utter nightmare. VNDs are OK for run-and-gun shots where the lighting is constantly changing, but it's a trade-off.

Fixed NDs don't use polarizers so they have no patterning on wide shots and the color casts never change (even if you have a cheap set with pronounced casts it's easy to correct for using a reference photo of a Macbeth chart). Yes you have to carry a set or 3 or more, you can't dial in exactly 3.729 stops, and without a matte box they're fiddly to change, but their reliability and consistency is why professional DPs always use them. A set of three 77mm fixed NDs from Tiffen runs around $100 including a bag.

Tao

@Levas : I also have a 70-200 2.8 lens, which has a 70mm diameter too.

I don't know exactly what weather conditions I'll have. This is my itinerary, I don't know if this'll help you :

I'm travelling in August from Saint Petersburg in Russia (visiting at least 3 big cities or places, other time in the train) to Mongolia (biggest city+hike in steppes) then a little bit of China (Beijing->Shanghai), where I'll stay for one year.

The Sigma are sharp enough and don't vignette around 2.0 or 2.8/4.0 so I guess I'll use them at this aperture when I can and if I don't need a wider depth of field (for instance I guess I'll need wider apertures for landscapes shots with the 24mm)

@DFM : Oh I didn't know VNDs were polarizers.

The Tiffen ND circular kits with 3 filters I found only block 2,3 and 4 stops. Do you think it's multipurpose or I need for example ND8+ND32+ND100 ? (+ the polarizing)
5D Mark III w/ Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 + Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 + Canon L 70-200 f/4.0

Levas

I see you're having a 5d3, so fullframe.
I have a 6d.
I need a ND64 For 1/50 shuttertimes at iso 100 and f2.8 in bright daylight( I live in the Netherlands).
For variations in the weather I crank up the iso. Even iso 1600 looks good on these full frame cameras.
Variable ND filter is much more usefull if you don't want to crank up the iso or alter it(like the native iso 800 on blackmagic cams).
But with a 5d3, you don't have to worry about iso ;)
For landscape shots with lot depth of field you can take off the filter and use f16, I doubt if you loose some sharpness, cause HD resolution is only 2 megapixel...

KelvinK

if u're talking about solid filters, ND16 is universal for video. you can use f4 1/50 at iso100 at daylight
nd32 - f3.2
nd64 - f2.8
6D - 5D - NEX - M50!

Tao

So ND16+32+64 or a pair of 16/32 is the right choice. I'll take a ND1000 for photos only.

Thank you for your answers.
5D Mark III w/ Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 + Sigma Art 24mm f/1.4 + Canon L 70-200 f/4.0

arrinkiiii

Hi guys, if anyone can help me on this:

If 1/50 at iso 100 on bright sun

ND16 - f4
ND32 - f3.2
ND64 - f2.8

and for,

? - f1.4  and f1.8


Thanks:))

IDA_ML

I use variable ND-filters of the 2-400 type.  Cheap ones will not degrade sharpness up to about 50 mm focal length - perfect for wide angle to normal focal length shots.  For larger focal lengths you will need very expensive filters since cheap ones degrade sharpness progressively with increased focal length.  VND filters are very convenient to work with as they allow quick and precise exposure adjustment at a desired aperture without the hassle of swapping fixed ND-filters.

50mm1200s

Quote from: reddeercity on June 11, 2015, 01:10:54 AM
(can & dose cause Banding etc.... in video)

From what I know, optics don't cause banding. A Polarizer can cause many optical issues (chromatic aberration, distortion, etc), but I don't think it causes banding. If you have any document proving me wrong, just link it here, please.

Tony Weller

I have some K&F concept filters (polarizer) and find them very good for the price.
700D 1.1.5, EOSM 202, 4k_crop_rec 160MHz UHS-1 overclock

garry23


Kharak

For ML Raw, I recommend a Variable ND. With a Vary ND you so much more easily ETTR, for perfect exposure. And also if you spend some cheddar on a vary nd, the quality loss is negligible.. And you will catch a lot more shots instead of fiddling with 3 different ND's, forcing you to set the fstop accordingly.

Vary ND sets you free to use any fstop you like and ETTR every time.

Heliopan have really good quality Variable ND's.
once you go raw you never go back

togg

Heliopan looks very nice, I didn't know about them. At the moment I only have a single 82mm Breakthrough Photography filter that really satisfied me, no color shift or resolution loss *at all*.

ibrahim

Quote from: Kharak on June 23, 2018, 02:08:52 PM
For ML Raw, I recommend a Variable ND. With a Vary ND you so much more easily ETTR, for perfect exposure. And also if you spend some cheddar on a vary nd, the quality loss is negligible.. And you will catch a lot more shots instead of fiddling with 3 different ND's, forcing you to set the fstop accordingly.

Vary ND sets you free to use any fstop you like and ETTR every time.

Heliopan have really good quality Variable ND's.

Could you explain how to use the ETTR with a variable ND filter?
Canon 5D Mark IIIs | Ronin-M | Zeiss 50mm 1.4 planar | Zeiss 35mm 1.4 distagon  | Zeiss 24mm f2 distagon | Zeiss 85mm f1.4 planar
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