Cheap Cheap 4x4 ND filters?

I

IronFilm

Veteran
What 4x4 ND filters are recommended? (especially any more affordable ones!) Also interested in graduated ND 4x4 filters, and polariser 4x4 filters.

I know the cheaper ND filters often have issues, but I'm hopeful there are some options out there which can give at least "acceptable" results relevant to the no budget indie level. I'll be using this on a Fotga DP3000 M3 matte box with Rokinon DS lenses and a Sony F3.

These are the possible ones I'm looking at for now (open of course to other suggestions):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100x100mm-N...D2-ND4-ND8-filter-Kit-matte-box-/191191576133
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOTGA-4-X4-...filter-kit-for-Matte-box-Holder-/261153861690
http://www.ebay.com/itm/XCsource-4-...-ND8-Filter-For-Matte-Box-LF350-/310953307707
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOTGA-4-X4-...-for-Matte-box-Holder-FF-system-/261153856545
http://www.personal-view.com/deals/filters/other-filters-holders
 
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No idea about those, but I've bought cheap resin filters from ebay and they were awful. Very happy with my current Hoya ProND screw-in set, even if it means I have to screw-unscrew a lot more than I'd like to.
 
I've known some folks who used a bunch of cheaper 4x4 filters and what they learned was this: Get the cheap line of filters made by the companies that make expensive ones. Like Tiffen etc., and pay at least $40 per individual filter.
Now this is still not the great stuff you'd ideally want to be putting in front of your whole entire optical system, but they'll basically work.
All the eBay stuff is likely to be really an impairment to your image quality.

Start here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/683419-REG/Cavision_FTG4X4ND06_4_x_4_Neutral.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/868770-REG/cavision_ftg4x4nd1_8_4x4_solid_neutral_density.html

At about $59 each, these are more expensive than what you posted.
But really, if you can't at least get these then you probably should hold off on getting anything until funds show up.
Poor quality filters just kill the whole thing.
 
Cavision pricing is fine with me, and they are actual glass filters rather than resin, but googling them turns up a real mix bag of opinions. With many hating them, and some liking them.
 
How it ended up is I got on eBay a Tiffen 4x4 ND1.2 (four stops) for a hundred bucks, which I expect will be the most often used filter by me initially. (for when the internal ND filters on the F3 simply are not enough while shooting outdoors in summer time)



But also got three graduated ND filters of different strengths and one ND8 (three stops) filter, for the ridiculously low low price of only six bucks each!! I thought "why not?", it will at least allow me to muck about and compare them. And maybe operate as a back up set in a pinch. Curious to see just how bad these $6 4x4 filters will be!
 
I've mostly read about filters for Cokin systems, but some people seem to like Lee filters, Kood, and Formatt Hitech. I think those companies make 4x4 filters in addition to small ones. I just received a Kood 0.9 ND grad, but I haven't had a chance to test it yet. I agree if you have the money, get the expensive pro glass filters.
 
You'd be better off getting big screw in glass filters. A good Tiffen set of 3 is $100 - $150. Use them on the lens or get the adapter for 4x4 frames
 
forbyfiev said:
You'd be better off getting big screw in glass filters. A good Tiffen set of 3 is $100 - $150. Use them on the lens or get the adapter for 4x4 frames
Click to expand...


Unless you use a matte box or don't want to mess with screwing filters on and off, and step-up rings, etc...

I've owned Tiffens and Lees and Cavisions and Formatts… I've tested everything with charts. What I've found is even cheap resin filters had no effect on sharpness, but at .9 and up you can start to get color shifts, so you need to watch your white balance if you're going cheap.

The shifts I've seen were subtle, and nothing like the horror of a cheap variable ND (which is usually two polarizers…)

I'd rather re-hit my white balance for the convenience of sliding filters in, though the color shifts I saw with cheap resin 4x4's were subtle enough I'd often just warm it up in post a hair.

But TEST anything you get. If you have a DSLR, testing with raw stills is a good idea, since you can double check exposure settings and really zoom in, and you can eyedropper your grays and see which way the wind is blowing color-wise. Use a focus chart or some kind of packaging or printed card with fine details and clean whites.
 
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Bern Caughey said:
"Penny wise and pound foolish"

http://blog.abelcine.com/2012/12/10/abelcine-expo-highlight-filters-for-digital-cinema/
Click to expand...


When I started with DSLRs, I got some chinese 52mm NDs and a pola. Got me out making money with the thing!

When I got a matte box, I found a couple used tiffens but rounded out my setup with resin NDs. Still haven't bothered replacing them, they do the job.

Finding pricey 4x4's is so easy it doesn't much call for a forum thread - finding cheap ones that will work for you takes some more chatter and test results.

Far as the Able video goes, it's a great resource when you get into camera with IR issues, something that hasn't affected me (yet). Though if I ever buy something that's 4 or 5 or ten stops, indeed, I'll bite the bullet for an IR filter. But when I've stacked my .6 and .9, I've had good color. Seems like this really became an issue with BMD cameras...
 
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