GH4 12-35 with variable ND?

tacotim

tacotim

Well-known member
I just sold my af100 and have a GH4 on order. As I gear up for the GH4 I'm trying to figure out the best way to replave the wonderful built in ND wheel of the AF100. I've never used variable NDs before and I've read they are less useful on wide lenses. Can anyone tell me how they would work on the 12-35 lens? Or should I stick with single ND filters.

Thanks
 
I typically use 58mm Hoya ProND filters mounted via Xume Adapters for both the 12-35/2.8 & 35-100/2.8. On occasion I'll mount 58mm Heliopan's VNDs using the Xume system also, but it vignettes softly at 12mm.

The Xume Adapters make switching NDs very quick but the manufacturer suggests OEM bayonet-mount lens hoods to help keep the filter from getting knocked off.

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?6403-4K-update-Hoya-ProND-Rolling-Report-Thread
 
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Another great variable nd filter is the genustech eclipse - fantastic value for money. I also have the much more expensive tiffen, and I prefer the look of the eclipse
 
Lightcraft Workshop just rebooted their variable ND filter line with the Rapid ND; it's the slimmest you can get, and without more vignetting it actually maintains the same thread diameter on the lens side as on the cap side (e.g., with their 58mm filter). Nice in that you don't need a new lens cap.

They have a coupon code [ LC-1308 ] that bumps 10% off their direct pricing that already beats dealer pricing; definitely worth checking out:

http://www.lcfilter.com/#!rapid-nd/ci9g
 
I have used the Heliopan vari ND for about three years now. Quite amazing filter, works great with all lenses, no vignetting, and very little color cast. Only downside is that it can give you green ghosting if you're not careful, but that goes with many filters.
 
Bern Caughey said:
With Xume Adapters attached to your lens your no longer able to use the OEM lens caps. My solution has been to buy 58mm screw-in lens caps & mount them to Xume filter adapters.
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The only problem with that is that requiring Xume adapter ($12) makes it a fairly expensive lens cap. By chance I found that a smaller diameter lens cap fits perfectly. It will depend on the size of the Xume adapters you use, but for example, a 67mm snaps nicely in a 77mm Xume adapter. Now I just keep a 67mm cap in my bag to use whenever I'm shooting with Xume adapters mounted.
 
I have three variable ND filters on my three most-used lenses. They are the Cokin PURE Harmonie, Genutech Eclipse, and Tiffen. They're all great. I had the Genutech first, and when I noticed that it creates some ghosting reflections then I got the other two, and so far they haven't ghosted on me.

I would highly recommend watching this Variable ND Filter Shootout video. Lots of great information here:

http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/variable-nd-filter-shootout/

ps: My favorite is the Tiffen because it doesn't turn infinitely but rather has hard stops with markings for 1ND, 2ND, 3ND, etc.
 
focuspulling said:
Your footage won't/doesn't look good staying fixed at one ND value, which leaves you to vary your shutter speed in violation of the 180-degree rule. Sure you know what you're talkin' about?
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Vari ND's don't look good when shooting outdoors and you have your camera pointed north with lots of sky, especially on wides. Not to mention color shifts and IR contamination at different values. I'm with Worzel here on using fixed ND's. I carry in a small pouch on my belt a ND2, 4, and 8, along with a seldom used but very expensive Heliopan Vari ND.

Welcome to the forums....
 
dustylense said:
Vari ND's don't look good when shooting outdoors and you have your camera pointed north with lots of sky, especially on wides. Not to mention color shifts and IR contamination at different values. I'm with Worzel here on using fixed ND's. I carry in a small pouch on my belt a ND2, 4, and 8, along with a seldom used but very expensive Heliopan Vari ND.

Welcome to the forums....
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This.

Not to mention making faces look flat and gross (polarizing effect removes highlights from skin!)

Variable NDs are great when you need to move quick, but because they inherently polarize light, they really should be used in conjunction with traditional ND filters.
 
Van said:
This.

Not to mention making faces look flat and gross (polarizing effect removes highlights from skin!)

Variable NDs are great when you need to move quick, but because they inherently polarize light, they really should be used in conjunction with traditional ND filters.
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Exactly. If Vari ND's were so good, why don't the big Hollywood boys use them. Fixed ND is the surest and safest way to go. Takes like 10 secs to switch a screw on ND. Takes less time if you are using 4x4's or larger. Vari ND's blow. I would rather change the shutter angle.
 
focuspulling said:
Your footage won't/doesn't look good staying fixed at one ND value, which leaves you to vary your shutter speed in violation of the 180-degree rule. Sure you know what you're talkin' about?
Click to expand...

You would also adjust the aperture to reduce brightness outdoors and not the shutter speed. This allows you to adjust the exposure without touching the shutter speed which should not change when shooting video. With a fixed ND you may just have to adjust your aperture slightly to compensate for changes in sunlight. A bit more work and not as flexible of course but overall better quality.
 
dustylense said:
Exactly. If Vari ND's were so good, why don't the big Hollywood boys use them. Fixed ND is the surest and safest way to go. Takes like 10 secs to switch a screw on ND. Takes less time if you are using 4x4's or larger. Vari ND's blow. I would rather change the shutter angle.
Click to expand...
This is the essence of what I was getting at. I see it in so much work, fiddling with the shutter speed and violating the 180-degree rule, because of the practical reality that shooters who move quickly (e.g., documentaries, tight schedules, etc.) don't keep screwing in and unscrewing a dozen ND filters for "different" shots -- and there's where fixed NDs also fail, when you need to vary the attenuation in the midst of a single shot.

I'm aware of the various variable ND filter shortcomings and I work around them for practical reasons. Pixel peeping has its limits when it's marginal, and you'll miss your shot in the meantime.
 
focuspulling said:
This is the essence of what I was getting at. I see it in so much work, fiddling with the shutter speed and violating the 180-degree rule, because of the practical reality that shooters who move quickly (e.g., documentaries, tight schedules, etc.) don't keep screwing in and unscrewing a dozen ND filters for "different" shots -- and there's where fixed NDs also fail, when you need to vary the attenuation in the midst of a single shot.

I'm aware of the various variable ND filter shortcomings and I work around them for practical reasons. Pixel peeping has its limits when it's marginal, and you'll miss your shot in the meantime.
Click to expand...

Why do you keep going to the shutter speed adjustment with fixed ND? The camera has GAIN and IRIS too. If I'm outdoors working, I take a meter reading and think about the F-stop I want to work with. I also set the ISO at about 640 or so. Meter reading says to me "pull out a .9 ND". Now if I need to adjust the exposure I use either the iris or the iso cushion I left me. It's really really not that hard. But I will tell you where I greatly benefit with the fixed ND. COLOR! Also, sharpness and detail. Also, what if you mess up a shot and have to go back? Are you writing down which level of vari-ND you are using on each shot. For me, my ND setting would be written on the slate.

You use what you want to use man. I have a vari-ND. Its a good one too. But it's no match for the quality my fixed ND's give me.
 
dustylense said:
Vari ND's don't look good when shooting outdoors and you have your camera pointed north with lots of sky, especially on wides. Not to mention color shifts and IR contamination at different values. I'm with Worzel here on using fixed ND's. I carry in a small pouch on my belt a ND2, 4, and 8, along with a seldom used but very expensive Heliopan Vari ND.

Welcome to the forums....
Click to expand...

I dunno, I do a TON of outdoor shooting and I've used variable NDs without too many issues.
I also spent top dollar to get high quality variable NDs. You will notice things every once in awhile
like you say, in the sky on a WS. I have found that with the Xume adapters, if you just
rotate the whole ring, (and hence the filter) you can see where the 'polarization effect' kicks in
and if you rotate it about 90 degrees, the effect is gone. I haven't noticed any 'grossness' on
faces on interviews at all. Maybe I just don't have the eye for it. But I certainly prefer having
the built in NDs on my FS700 to using DSLRs and screwing around with NDs on the front of a
lens. Big benefit of the C300/100 and FS700 in my book.
 
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