FS7: ND Filters: What are you using.

Liam Hall said:
Aren't the F55/F5 going to be replaced this year? Can you see it in a high end camera from Sony?
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According to Sony the new FF camera wont be replacing anything .. not even the old F65.. remains to be seen I guess.. Im sure they will have this Variable ND in every camera they put out now.. from the fs5 to what ever this new camera will be..

I wonder if they have some patent on its design .. haven't seen it in the new Canon or Pana.. personally I think its quite a big step forward .. as much as the dual ISO thing.. Ive used the Varicam LT and that ISO thing does really work well
 
Liam Hall said:
Yeah, but that's like saying the F5 didn't replace the F3.
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Well they say will continue making them all.. ?.. but I agree in an already crowded line up.. some thing has to give I would think.. but seems more likely to be the F65.. than the F5/55.. or more than one version of the new camera being made ,well one being hobbled more than the other..or a license set up like Arri.. ?
 
Good read here, thanks fellas.

I've been putting off buying ND for a while now, relying on the internal ND of the fs7 alone though isn't always ideal. I've got a 4x4 mattebox for the fs7, and wouldn't mind some 4x4 ND and a little wooden camera zip box for the a7s on the ronin. I had been leaning towards a tiffen set, to use with the rokinon dslr cine primes and (for now) the canon zooms I use, but probably to be replaced in 2017 by the MK fujinon zooms
 
Do people here think there is any need for IR ND's with the FS7. I don't see much of an IR problem with mine but I never have tested with high ND's, I usually just combine the internal ND's with external screw on B+W's
 
Donny 123 said:
I wonder if they have some patent on its design .. haven't seen it in the new Canon or Pana.. personally I think its quite a big step forward .. as much as the dual ISO thing.. Ive used the Varicam LT and that ISO thing does really work well
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Haven't used the vari ND either yet... but if Sony could combine that with the dual (or multi) ISO of Panny.... now that would be a real game changer
 
markfpv said:
Haven't used the vari ND either yet... but if Sony could combine that with the dual (or multi) ISO of Panny.... now that would be a real game changer
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Yes agreed !,, wonder if Pana have a patent on that magic too.. ? but in general I would think for everyday use the variable ND is the one I would choose.. the ISO on the pana is in reality, only good for night shooting, very dark int.. or high speed.. when you want to bump it up with out noise.. the "regular" setting is not helping to give you SDF in day ext.. nice to have but the variable ND is much more useful IMHO.. I only played with it at a showroom on an Fs7II.. but wanted it straight away.. !! and would definitely be the decider if i was in the market, between an Fs7 and any other similar cameras ..
 
Donny 123 said:
Liam check out this article

https://www.provideocoalition.com/a-weekend-with-rhodium-fsnd-filters-by-schneider-review/
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That's using the BMCC which suffers terribly from IR contamination. I used it once in the Middle East, (it was the agency's camera). The Mid-East must be the worst place on Earth to use a BMCC. But, who knows whether they are a good choice for the FS7, as I said earlier, what works with one combination of camera and lens, might not work with another.
 
Yes I think he chose that camera as "its about as bad as it gets" and so anything else must be better .. sort of plan..
 
Ben Scott said:
Nisi if you want good and inexpensive... I have a mix of firecrest (screw in) and Nisi (4x5.65) at the mo and get good results.
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Hey Ben, I am looking at either the Nisi or Firecrest now and it seems like you you two in combination, correct? Do you have a preference between the two? When looking at a Nisi kits it appears that they are IR ND filters - does that matter either way with FS7? I apologize for what may be stupid questions; I am just beginning to start using external filters and want to start a solid kit.
 
Not really using them in combination but rather I will use either depending on if it is a mattebox job or a go super light job.


Right now the names of all these things are completely silly and what was an IRND 3 years ago is not what is being called an IRND now. It seems to be a shorthand now for 'no strong colour cast'.

Nisi are simply cheaper for 4x5.65". I'd be using the RHOdiums or similar if I could justify the outlay. Firecrests in this size are bonded and so will last longer than the Nisis but the Nisis are a genuine solid choice being used by a ton of people who can afford more.

Screw-in Firecrests seem to constantly be on sale on Amazon and i built an 82mm kit very inexpensively.
 
OK great. I always appreciate actual firsthand experience when I'm comparing "unknowns" - sometimes the specs don't tell the whole story. Thank you.
 
CharlesPapert said:
My go-to IRND's for the past few years have been the Mitomo True ND's, which for a long time were the only ones that maintained consistent color temperature across the range
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These are pretty darn nice, and I have been Jonesing for a set.

I ordered a couple more low cost Skier filters to give me a .3 .6 .9 1.2 set in 4 x 5.65. To date I have been pleased with the .6 and .9 I have been using.

I'll let you know how well the .3 and 1.2 match once they arrive.
 
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Quick follow-up question: when looking at a graduated filter what is the general consensus here as to what the best strength to start with? 2-stop? 3-stop? I know there are various situations that would call for more or less but I'm looking for a good starting point since I won't be able to purchase a full range of graduated filters to begin with. Thanks for your input!
 
I recently ended up going with firecrest for 4x4's and am very happy with their neutrality. I had available an inexpensive older se of tiffen's and they just didn't cut it.
I've been using B+W s for 82mm screw ins forever and was reasonably happy until I looked at them carefully recently and my N6 didn't match the N3 & N9 at all - much warmer. So I tried another B+W and a Heliopan. I've always thought of B+W and Heliopan as top brands but they were all very similar - too warm. So I bought a Firecrest and its fine. Now I have to decide if I want to buy a 4x5.6 soft grad from Firecrest or just live with my Tiffens which are not all the same - again the N6 is the bad one though I assume that's just coincidence.
 
If its a soft grad I would go with an N6 first then an N9 . N3 is often too light to be do much on a soft grad . On a hard grad - very useful for long lenses then I'd probably go with a 6 first then a an N3 and and N9 last though all are valuable.
 
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