GH3 Good ND Filter?

The brand is good, Shane Hurlbut uses and recommends Tiffen filters, I've had excellent luck with them.

But that kit is not the best idea. When you need ND you need "strength" and that 0.6ND is only 2 stops reduction. I use a Tiffen ND 1.2 (4 stop reduction) more than anything else and I need to order an ND 1.5 (5 stops) when I get over the holiday season bills.

My basic ND kit right now is 0.6 (2 stops - rarely used), 0.9 (3 stops), and 1.2 (4 stops). I have 46mm and 52mm Polaroid variable ND but you really have to watch them. They use 2 layers of glass and you then have 4 reflective surfaces in front of your lens. So on serious projects I stay with the single strength filters.

Hope this info helps.
 
Bruce Foreman said:
The brand is good, Shane Hurlbut uses and recommends Tiffen filters, I've had excellent luck with them.

But that kit is not the best idea. When you need ND you need "strength" and that 0.6ND is only 2 stops reduction. I use a Tiffen ND 1.2 (4 stop reduction) more than anything else and I need to order an ND 1.5 (5 stops) when I get over the holiday season bills.

My basic ND kit right now is 0.6 (2 stops - rarely used), 0.9 (3 stops), and 1.2 (4 stops). I have 46mm and 52mm Polaroid variable ND but you really have to watch them. They use 2 layers of glass and you then have 4 reflective surfaces in front of your lens. So on serious projects I stay with the single strength filters.

Hope this info helps.
Click to expand...

Awesome feedback, Bruce! Thank you !!!

Any recommendations on a good (light) video light?
 
Ianscreations said:
Awesome feedback, Bruce! Thank you !!!

Any recommendations on a good (light) video light?
Click to expand...

312LED light or Switronix Torch LED Bolt.

Also, you got to be careful when using ND filters because sometimes they cause this weird reflection to show in your image. See my thread here:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?291045-Problem-with-Panasonic-Leica-lenses&highlight=
 
If it was me, I'd get a larger filter and some step rings so it can be usee on other lenses too. And get a lens cap for whatever size you end up getting, so you can keep it the filter on camera when moving between locations.
 
If you're set on getting a vari ND, get the genus eclipse. It's probably the best vari out there, some reviewers have even put it above the heliopan in terms of color cast / sharpness and maintaining overall image fidelity. Just don't get the original genus... that was probably one of the worst vari NDs ever made.
 
Note that if you want a 58mm 1.8 ND or stronger there aren't a lot of options.

As far as I know B+H, Heliopan, & Formatt, are the only manufacturers who typically build these strengths, though Tiffen & others likely do so via special order.
 
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