Screw ON ND Filters

GraphicPlanet

GraphicPlanet

Well-known member
I'm looking to augment the two ND settings on my HVX with a set of Screw On ND filters. I want to be able to use them in a studio setting so I can use a lot of light and still get the shallowest depth of field I can using the built in lens. Any help would be appreciated.
 
have you considered a matte box with filter holders? then u can control your light better and then mix and match your filters much easier. also, the 4 x 4 filters that fit into a matte box are probably going to have higher resale value and might be a better investment. so when the next bad ass camera comes out that you have to have, you will still have the filter problem covered.
 
I agree.. There's many more options for combinations and having the ability to spin the filters is awesome.. and for exteriors.. the grad filters are sweet
 
Ok here's a counter point of view.
People on this forum are always talking about how cool their matteboxes are but i don't get it.
The only reason to buy matte box and 4x4 filters is for speed of changing filters ( not that big a deal) , to use grad's ( a big deal), or because you think it makes you look professional. You don't need 4x4's for an ND filter or a polarizer because you don't need to adjust the height of the filter

You can stack 3 (count 'em) 82mm screw in filters in front of an HVX before it will vignette. It's better to shoot with an 85 outdoors on the HVX as the camera adds noise when you balance internally. So start adding up how many filters you might ideally need.


Those 82mm filters are much cheaper than good quality (not Tiffens) filters for HD use. If you want to spend a grand on a cheap mattebox and few 4x4's go ahead. Functionally you will do fine with the screw ins.

Personally i love grad's, own a bunch of 4x5.65's and am waiting to spend $1500 on a good mattebox that will let me really have a range of movement with them. Even then I want to be able to use the 82mm screw ins before my mattebox so I if I need to stack filters the mattebox will still be available for the grad's.

My buddy has a cheaper ($8-900) Chroziel and 4x4's and he can't even adjust the filters horizontally to make one side of the frame darker. That seems pointless to me.
It looks like some of these cheaper matteboxes won't even let you adjust the filters vertically.


Of course if you do plan to buy grads and are willing to make the investment, then by all means go ahead, it is ultimately a better way to go. But for $100 @ you can by high quality 82mm ND's, pola's and 85's and call it a day.

So that's my 2 cents.

Lenny Levy
 
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Are you absolutely certain that you even need another ND? You'd need ALOT of light indoors to overwhelm the built-in 1/64 ND filter -- so much that it will probably make everyone squint.
 
I would like to reiterate what Lenny said. I'm not anti-matte box (I use one), but I think screw in filters are WAY underappreciated. Their shape makes more efficient use of the glass you're paying for and they are MUCH more robust than square filters. Drop a round filter on a hard surface and there's still a possibility it'll survive -- I've actually had square filters arrive from the dealer with chips in them.

I would also disagree with the claim that changing a square filter is faster -- I find screwing filters in easier and cleaner than removing and replacing filters from holders.

For bang for the buck it's hard to beat screw in filters.
 
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