filter newb

[Brandon Fraley]

I've been following all the matte box news and have room in my budget, but just now realized i didn't bother to research the filters!

What, why, how much, how many, where to get, etc.

THANKS!

 

[Chris Burket]

Wow, that's a big can of worms you just opened. The answer is anywhere from $700 for a set of ND's to $40,000 for every filter out there. Start with a set of ND's and maybe a pola, and also get a schneider brochure and look through it. See what they have that may work for you. I would suggest BJ at Custom Supply for your filter purchase. Great guy.

 

[Jason Sturgis]

I would second what Chris said. I got a filter kit from Custom supply and couldn't have been happier. BJ is a great guy and will spend plenty of time talking about filters or whatever it is you are after. I got a ND set: .3. .6, .9, 1.2, 1.8 and ND soft grads from .3 to 1.2. Also a polarizer, all from Schneider.

 

[Alexis Hanawalt]

I think there's very little reason to use any coloring filters with the Red - you'd just be tampering with the pure image you get to play with later in post. As the others said, ND's, Polarizer, and I'd add - IF you think it's important - any filters that affect the optical path in ways that can't be replicated in post including star filters and low-contrast filters.

 

[Andrew Benz]

Hi Brandon, all good advice from everyone here, but here is the latest caveat--IR,NDs and Red. Please read from post #119 and read the rest of the posts. This will contain very important info and another reason that I am cooling my jets on third part accessories until after NAB as things congeal .

Here is the link from Mike Prevette's excellent thread "Red and the infraRED"...http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9412&page=12

This could save you from investing twice in nd's if you can avoid it.

 

[Brandon Fraley]

thanks guys! and keep it coming!

Can u tell me how much ur ND set cost you?

 

[Michael Morlan]

I bought my Schneider 4x5.65 ND's (.3, .6, .9, 1.2, and 1.8) and 4x4 pola at filmtools.com. Check their current prices as the 1.8 went up slightly.

There is some discussion on other threads about adding warming filters in very cloudy (read blue) days and cooling filters with tungsten lighting to balance towards the camera's native daylight balanced chip. The jury is out on that once personal testing is in order.

Creative filters might include some soft FX choices. Even though many are advocating for applying such effects in post, some D.P.'s careers could hinge on how pretty they make that aging starlet in the on-set monitor. :blink:

Finally, an infra-red cut filter, as noted by Andrew, is vital. CMOS sensors are all sensitive to IR and current ND's only cut visible light. Apparently, Tiffen has introduced a set of ND's with IR cut coatings.