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Formatt filters ND standard or HD ND?

Brice Ansel

Brice Ansel

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Hello,
Since day one I only used the red one with screw on filters with lots of success.
Some coming projects pushing me to buy filters for the mattebox.
I'm a little bit ignorant with filter staff, so forgive me.
I'm planing buying formatt filters (ND'S, graduated, pola, hot mirror).
As Formatt propose two types of filters: STANDARD and HD I'm confuse with the choice to make.
I'm not using HD lens, and the red one isn't a HD camera, but still thinking the good choice is the HD filters.
While the HD filters are more pricey I'm wondering if it's worth it with the red?
Any clue will be appreciated.
Regards
Brice
 
Tiffen do a "waterwhite"version of some of their filters. It is meant to be a more optically pure version. Suspect that difference with STD and HD Formatt filters will be something similar. You do notice colour shift with nd grads a bit more when you use the "STD"version. Schneider filters are worth a look.
 
Brice Ansel said:
Hello,
Since day one I only used the red one with screw on filters with lots of success.
Some coming projects pushing me to buy filters for the mattebox.
I'm a little bit ignorant with filter staff, so forgive me.
I'm planing buying formatt filters (ND'S, graduated, pola, hot mirror).
As Formatt propose two types of filters: STANDARD and HD I'm confuse with the choice to make.
I'm not using HD lens, and the red one isn't a HD camera, but still thinking the good choice is the HD filters.
While the HD filters are more pricey I'm wondering if it's worth it with the red?
Any clue will be appreciated.
Regards
Brice
Click to expand...
I think Abelecine has what you need, I bought from them the formatt filters package for red one and they works well.
 
I will second Luca Immesi. Go with Abelcine. They have really good pricing on Formatt RED package.
 
Personally I'd be suspect of a gimmick here. If the lenses work on film and likewise on a red camera why then wouldn't the filters behave in the same way. That being said one would still want to fork out the good money for the good filters as one would with film. Generally in my experience working in kit-rooms for film cameras Schneider and Tiffen are the filters of choice for most cinematographers shooting on film with the former generally seen as better. Here Formatt are generally shunned, except for their black and white sets but I'm told they are commonly respected in stills photography.

You know how it is: If they've got the cash they want what costs most, which isn't always what is best.

There is a good test to see the quality of glass used by filter manufacturers and that is to take their optical flat and layer a few of them together, if the sum of filters gains a green cast or a cast of any other colour the glass is generally not so good; thus not truly an optical flat innit. Shcneider stands up to this test quite well but I've not had the opportunity to test Formatt.

If anyone does have access to Rosco, Formatt etc. it'd be most appreciated if a comparisson were posted here.

Ta
 
Formatt filters were not used as much (by hire companies etc) due to their earlier use of 3mm glass. They now offer a option of 4mm. For many of the basic filters I prefer Format (from limited testing they seemed to have less colour shift etc).

Interestingly 3mm makes more sense optically but in the rough and tumble world of film 4mm makes more sense.

Michael L
 
JonathanF said:
I shot with Formatt Hot Mirror ND's on a recent production in San Francisco and I was EXTREMELY happy with them.

You CAN NOT STACK THEM so you'll need non HM ND's if you need to stack ND's so keep that in mind.

I also like their grads quite a lot.
Click to expand...
Albelcine kit provides also ND's only.
 
Thank you everybody for the tips.
And by the way, from a representative of format UK, HD and Standard filters are the same price. Abelcine redkit provide Formatt HD filters, I'll go that road then.
Regards
Brice
 
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