Komodo IR pollution?

[scorsesefan]

I was filming the bay with my Komodo/sigma 18-35/Polar pro VND @5 stops and the water came out looking very ruddy. To my eye it looked sort of dark gray. Other colors in frame look OK. Am I right in thinking this is IR pollution? Does the Komodo need an IR cut filter?
Thanks.

IR pollution Komodo

This is "IR pollution Komodo" by Left Turn Productions on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

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[Phil Holland]

VND and maybe polarization outside of contamination.

The Komodo and all DSMC3 cameras have IR Cut already, the filter is the issue here.

If you are looking for the best image quality use a good modern full spectrum ND glass filter.

 

[scorsesefan]

Thanks, Phil. I thought The Peter Mckinnon Polar Pro was a decent filter but I guess not. Can you recommend a good one? Are the NISI's OK?

 

[Alex Zeder]

All VND filters I've found so far are fully transparent in the IR range. The more you stop down with the VND, the higher the IR impact will be in relation to the visible light. If you need to stop down heavily outside, either don't use a VND at all or combine it with an IRND filter to minimize its impact.

 

[scorsesefan]

All VND filters I've found so far are fully transparent in the IR range. The more you stop down with the VND, the higher the IR impact will be in relation to the visible light. If you need to stop down heavily outside, either don't use a VND at all or combine it with an IRND filter to minimize its impact.

NISI sells an IRND filter. I usually use VND but a six stop solid ND should be OK in bright sunlight?

 

[Alex Zeder]

NISI sells an IRND filter. I usually use VND but a six stop solid ND should be OK in bright sunlight?

Completely depends on your frame rate, shutter speed, aperture, etc. I usually take 0.9 to 2.1 with me for outside sunlight shots.

 

[Phil Holland]

I don't mind saying VND is a useful tool, but to understand the concept of all current existing solutions, all VND's are not the best ND solution. A lot of this is a dance between compromises as that's part of the craft really. We aren't even handling the concept of ND in the best way industry-wide currently.

But for now, nothing is better than a quality glass filter in front or behind the lens. Be wary though as some of the behind the lens solutions cause issues. Reflections, weird flare artifacts, lens compatibility, etc.. With that said, in front of the lens ND is really still the "best" as far as all currently available technology in our field. Other industries have found novel solutions worth-while, but likely too expensive for us to explore. Use VND and e-ND in the range it performs well and with the glass it does the best with.

The complicated bit is the lenses themselves. How they perform both with unique camera systems and even focal lengths. Example, wider angles may not work very well with something like a VND. VND is convenient, but honestly it's the lowest quality solution. However, it is cost effective.

 

[scorsesefan]

I did some additional testing on the East River but was not able to reproduce the weird reddish color cast that appeared on the bay. Used the same Peter Mckinnon Polar Pro VND V1 and introduced a 6 stop Nisi IRND filter that I picked up from BH. Probably common knowledge, but the VND did introduced a really strong blue color shift to the footage which the IRND did not. Still a mystery to me how the bay footage looked like a ruddy splotchy mess. The only difference weather-wise was that the bay footage was recorded on a hazy day (caused by Canadian wildfires). Oh well...

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

All VND's work by stacking two polarizers, so we don't have actual tinted ND glass or coatings or the ability to cut IR. So with high ND values on a VND, you will want to stack with an IR cut filter. Also [many] VNDs will introduce a blue/violet color cast at high ND levels as a byproduct of the stacked polarization and this is not actual IR contamination of the image. VNDs are useful in moderation. I try to minimize using them, but sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze.

 

[scorsesefan]

All VND's work by stacking two polarizers, so we don't have actual tinted ND glass or coatings or the ability to cut IR. So with high ND values on a VND, you will want to stack with an IR cut filter. Also [many] VNDs will introduce a blue/violet color cast at high ND levels as a byproduct of the stacked polarization and this is not actual IR contamination of the image. VNDs are useful in moderation. I try to minimize using them, but sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze.

Thanks, Jeff. I picked up a quality IRND and that seems to have solved the issue.

 

[Brian Timmons]

Thanks, Jeff. I picked up a quality IRND and that seems to have solved the issue.

Curious as to which IRND you’re using.

I have one but it’s a 4x4.56 and need to use my matte box for it which would defeat the purpose of a lightweight Vari ND.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA

 

[scorsesefan]

Curious as to which IRND you’re using.

I have one but it’s a 4x4.56 and need to use my matte box for it which would defeat the purpose of a lightweight Vari ND.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1536085-REG/nisi_nir_nd1_8_77_77mm_huc_ir_neutral.html

 

[Patrick Tresch]

Strangely Komodo-X has IR pollution when stopping down a VND so I bought Nisi fullspectrum ND filters wich are as of today perfect.

 

[scorsesefan]

I've kind of given up on VND. Whether on the Komodo or other cameras there's just too much color shift at higher strengths. Only solid ND for me from now on...

 

[Patrick Tresch]

I've kind of given up on VND. Whether on the Komodo or other cameras there's just too much color shift at higher strengths. Only solid ND for me from now on...

I actually use the IR pollution on the KomodoX to get some weird nature pictures (close to 650 IR) leaves get pink and the rest gets blue.