Jack Colquitt
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THE FINAL FIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT !! :violent5:
With the amazing help of Sally Neureuther and her great team at FOTOMAYR.DE (a well known german web shop,
but also a "real" store in Dietzenbach), which provide to us most of the filters, we have the chance to test
2x vari-ND (Heliopan Vari-ND / Kenko NDX), 3x IR filters (Heliopan Digital 103 / Heliopan IR-UV 8025 / Hoya IR-UV)
and 2x protective filters (Heliopan 2020 / Hoya HD Protector).
Last thing about them, and it's not an hidden ads, but more a personal feeling... I'm unbearable !! :willy_nilly:
Until the last second of the shopping dead line, I'm never sure of what I exactly need,
and until the package take-off from the airport (and even after it landed !),
I sent maybe..... 648 mails/day (with my horrible English !) to this poor Sally !!
But, she NEVER failed, and she ALWAYS remain nice, reassuring and helpful !!
And now... I have to confess that..... she's like a mother for me !!! :001_wub:
No, seriously... they are great people, the price are nice, and they ship worldwide,
so be confident, because they will never disappoint you !!
Ok... now, I'll show you some short results of our tests between 2 of the best vari-ND, the Heliopan and the Kenko NDX,
and later if you're interested, I'll post a more complete tests with all others filters in details.
I know it's not as "clean" and "scientific" than the others great tests made by some of REDUSER experts,
but, I'm really sure it can be useful for few of us..... the lost people.... like me usually !!
THE CAMERA :
- Mysterium-X S35
- Scarlet-X with firmware V.4.0.12
- 4K / 4096x2160
- REDcode 3:1
- REDgamma3 / REDcolor3
THE LENS :
A Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 (#AF016C-700), Canon mount, always at 50mm and f/2.8.
Ok... I know, it's strange to use a $500 "cheap" lens on a $10000 "WOW" camera, but...
if you have a Cooke, Angenieux or Zeiss to give me... no problem !
More seriously, I did many personal tests between zoom-lens and this one is pretty good,
even in 4K, and I'm sure it can have nice and honorable results in theatrical projection.
The only downside is the poor plastic construction, and the toooooo-short focus range,
but that can be (almost) solved with a simple follow-focus... and lot of Zen-spirit !!
I also think it's a good idea to use a "simple" zoom-lens to do those tests, because it's a real world situation.
A vari-ND is a filter for "run & gun"... sports, war, social events, action, with a monopod, strong shoes and light zoom-lens !
And of course, we all know it's a complete nonsense to use vari-ND with a huge cinema PL-lens
on regular and "quieter" condition of shooting, when you can use instead a good "old" set of ND/IR filters...
THE LIGHTING :
To stay in "real world" condition, we used a simple garden spotlight, with a 500W halogen bulb, placed at 1,5m from the set.
THE FILTERS :
The Heliopan is heavier and bigger than the Kenko.
The Heliopan is in brass, and the Kenko is more... "shiny" !
The Kenko can turn indefinitely, and the Heliopan has physical limitations, like an aperture ring on a lens.
SAFE-ZONE :
On each of these vari-ND, you can see a "safe zone" paint in white,
with numbers (1-12) on Heliopan, and bars (1-16) on Kenko.
If necessary, you can go beyond those limitations, but in this case, you will
(if without IR filtration) have a huge dark bluehish color shift, or even the infamous black-X !
So, for those tests, I'll stay only on the safe-zone.
THE RESOLUTION :
We didn't make specials tests of resolution, because you can do that
by yourself in zooming on each downloadable R3D.
And as I saw, the 2 filters have both the same resolution.
But, I can't show you comparison with the naked lens, because.... ok, you can say that... :iamwithstupid:
I'M THE STUPID.... because I forgot to take a shot without any filter !!!
But, frankly, those are not cheap ND filters, the quality of their glass is great,
and with this kind of zoom-lenses, there won't be any difference with or without !!
MAXIMUM ND :
Heliopan at 11. (R3D)
Kenko at max. (R3D)
Heliopan at 12, its max. (R3D)
On this test, we tried to determine which filter have the highest ND.
At 11, the Heliopan is equivalent to the maximum of the Kenko.
So, at 12, its max, the Heliopan is obviously darker.
But, in case of emergency, if you go beyond the safe-zone,
both have the same ND possibilities... and the same funky problems !!
THE X-GHOOOST :
We used those filters with and adapter ring 67/82mm. Using the biggest size of filter and adapter ring is nice if you have
to change your lens, and most important it avoid the vignetting... and that's maybe why the X wasn't really noticeable here.
I can't show you now some pictures of this vignetting, but I can confirm you in most of case it's not really noticeable,
even at max ND and wide angle (except on full sky by example), and none filter are better than the other in this case.
IR POLLUTION :
Heliopan at maximum. (R3D)
Heliopan at maximum with IR filter. (R3D)
Kenko at maximum. (R3D)
Kenko at maximum with IR filter. (R3D)
As you can see, at their maximum, both have a big problem with IR,
so an IR filtration in front will be really useful and.... inevitable !
COLOR SHIFT :
Heliopan at minimum / 1600 ISO. (R3D)
Heliopan at maximum / 800 ISO. (R3D)
Kenko at minimum / 1280 ISO. (R3D)
Kenko at maximum / 800 ISO. (R3D)
On this test, we tried to determine which filter have the best color consistency,
from the lowest to the highest ND, with the (excellent) Heliopan IR-UV 8025 filter in front.
The setup was difficult, because we couldn't reproduce each time the exact same exposure
for all pictures, so I had to play with ISO in RC-X to compensate the lack of light.
But, finally, my tweakings doesn't matter because, as you can see, there's a clear winner !
(my own) CONCLUSION :
In one (and half) word.... Kenko NDX.
But, I'm sad, because I liked the Heliopan so baaaaadly !
The Heliopan is very well built, the numbers are really usefull if you want to take some notes,
or make conversion, or reproduce the exact same settings one moment to another.
It have an higher ND, and the filter ring stop just before the X, and other big color shift,
so, in the "action", if you don't pay attention and go beyond the max number,
it's not really important, because you never really enter into a dangerous zone.
But, in other way, the Kenko, even if it's more expensive, and more "common" in its build, is not bad at all !
It's a really great filter too... but, "physically", I felt less confident than with the rock-solid Heliopan.
Don't be afraid, it's not a toy, and it won't broke in your hand, but what I dislike it's its really "light" construction.
No numbers, just bars, and it can turn infinitely, so if you don't pay attention, you never know
when you don't have to go further before the X and beginning of problems !
In fact... in "real world" use, those 2 filters are really great, so it's just a question of "touch"...
a personal feeling........ RED VS. Arri....... ok, I'm kidding, but you know what I mean.... :smilewinkgrin:
So, if I'm in love with the Heliopan, why chose the Kenko ??!
Only for the incredibly low color shift... and we all know why it's so important !!
None of us want to spend thousand of hours in trying to correct 2 shoots with differents ND,
and different colors... and finally, we all know it will be impossible to fully match them !!!
So, here is my final advice :
- If your camera (and your temper) can make the white balance for each shot,
takes the Heliopan... nice, well built, more ND, and really less expensive.
- But if you're shooting in RAW and don't want to become mad during
the color grading session, you must take the Kenko NDX.
- And for both, never forget to add an IR !!
Well, thanks for reading our work, and I hope it will be helpful for you.
(And sorry again for your bleeding of eyes after reading my so bad English !! :shocked: )
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