Filters and adaptor

[ljosaa]

I just bought a DVX100AE second hand from an auction. I haven't received it yet though but looking forward to it.

I've been thinking about buying a 72mm filterset with UV FDL and PL and maybe even an AG-LA7200G Anamorphic Lens adaptor. My question is if I can even use these filters with the adaptor? Do you put it underneath? And is it difficult to attach the adaptor?

Also another quick one. Is the only difference between Wide angle converters and the anamorphic? Just the anamorphic and that the resolution is changed and not just stretched.

Thanks.

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

quick answers and then my opinions... the 72mm filters will not work with any other lens attachment. the adaptor is is easy to put on, just follow the directions. the anamorphic adaptor squeezes the image on the 4:3 chips so when your import settings are set to anamorphic, it takes that distortion out to a nice 16:9 image. if you are talking about the century optics wide angle or similar, that adaptor just widens the angle of view of the lens. it will not import a 16:9 image. i have both and love them, but i do have a dvx100b so i use the anamorphic with a normal aspect and when i use the wide angle, i have to change to squeeze mode. now my opinion about the anamorphic lens. i love it and it looks way better than the squeeze mode. the drawback is it takes more attention on set to make sure you have a crisp image. i had to get a focus chart, and mark on tape next to the focus ring all the distances ie. 3ft, 6ft, 8ft, 10ft etc. if you do this, use a very fine point sharpie, the width of a regular sharpie can be a difference of feet. and this only works if you measure every shot before you roll tape too. the reward is great though... just my opinion.

[ljosaa]

With the adaptor do you only film in the 2:35 aspect ratio? Can't you do regular 16:9, 1:85?

Also the other wide angle lenses that I'm talking about are for example one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/72mm-Wide-Angle-Lens-for-Panasonic-AG-DVX100-AG-DVC80_W0QQitemZ300116374210QQihZ020QQcategoryZ6432 5QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

But this is 105 mm on the front does this mean that I need 105 mm filter like UV and such to put on it?

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

the anamorphic is 16:9 only... if you want a 1.85 or a 2.53 you have to crop it or add some bars in post. that wide angle you are looking at... for a hundred bucks, i am not too sure how good the glass is. i have found you get exactly what you pay for so i believe a .5 wide angle for 100 bucks is lacking quality of glass, workmanship or image quality compared to something Century Optics would make. just my opinion.

[ljosaa]

Hey slickrizzo I saw you replied to someone about filters and wide angle adaptors. You told him that a mattebox would be cool to use instead of not beeing able to use his circular filters he would have 4x4 filters. I just guess that the square filters are much more expensive? Where would I buy those kind of filters. Haven't seen them anywhere.

It's just that I also want to have the ability to use the filters AND the wide angle lens (not the anamorphic) I just want the image a bit wider and I'll use stretch.

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

i have the cetury optics .6 wide angle and it has a circular filter thread on it, i just cant remember the size. the wide angle takes circle filters unless you have a matte box that fits. the anamorphic adaptor only takes a matte box. hope that clears things up better.

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

just remembered... 102mm for the century wide angle.

[ljosaa]

I'm sorry does that mean that there's a special slot for 72mm circular filters with the century optics wide angle lens that you have? I just want to be able to use some regular 72mm filters with a wide angle lens. I found a seller who sells both a filter set and a wide angle lens and he said that they work together. That the filters go under the wide angle lens.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290123628206&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=019&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=290121821658&rd=1&rd=1

The only concern I have is the polarizing filter. Will I be able to adjust that when the wideangle is attached to it?

Is this a century optics lens that you were talking about?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/72MM-CENTURY-OPTICS-HD-0-8X-COMPACT-WIDE-ANGLE-LENS_W0QQitemZ160122930023QQihZ006QQcategoryZ29964 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

after further review, finding 102mm filters is just impossible. looks like a matte box is the solution for the century optics adaptor.

[slickrizzo@mac.com]

that century optics ad in ebay is a .8x, i have a .6x. you can get smaller wide angle adaptors, but century optics makes really good glass. you can run into distortion and other artifacts with cheap glass... gotta make the call on whats more important, quality or price.

[tav7623]

Hey ljosaa, you might want to check out Tiffen filters (www.tiffen.com) if your looking for 4x4 filters (they also do the circular filters for dv cameras), another site you might want to check out is this link for the ASC online store (http://www.theasc.com/cgibin/store/acsstore.cgi?user_action=list&category=Set%20Essentials%3BProduction%20Gear&start=0)
they sell all kinds of good stuff (they sell Formatt and Tiffen filter kits, slates, production bags, director's viewfinders, charts,etc) hope this helps.

[ljosaa]

Thanks I'll look at it.