Pro Mist reflections

scorsesefan

scorsesefan

Veteran
At this point my Pro Mist Black 1/8 filters never leave my lenses. I love the way they soften skin and minimize the overly sharp digital look of modern sensors. The only issue is that I often get reflections from the backsides of the filter in my images. Often with very minimal backlighting. Does anyone have any techniques for cutting down on reflections? Or another recommendation besides Tiffen? Are the Tiffens even coated? Thanks
 
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Filter tilt tray if you can find or make one. That way if you experience reflections, just tilt them away. Helps with candles anyway
 
When I'm going for a diffused look I prefer using a Schneider 1/8 Black Frost filter as my base look.
I can then switch to Hollywood Black Magic filters if needed, which are a combination of 1/8 Black Frost, along with their HD Classic Soft filter.
I have them in 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 depending on the look I'm after.

I have had the issue you speak of using some filters, which required adjusting the mattbox flags, or even adding a flag on an adjustable arm.
Also make sure the matte box is not leaking in light at the rear near the lens.

Best!

Dave
 
Thanks for the advice. I don't use a matte box or filter box (screw on filters). I'll just have to be mindful of harsh back light which is kind of tough in R and G situations.
 
This is something I've also struggled with, but mostly (or just with the worst results) when I was stacking multiple filters. Are you seeing it with images in frame? Like an echo of the outline of a window in frame? If so, then I wouldn't think that a mattebox would help anyway
 
ahalpert said:
This is something I've also struggled with, but mostly (or just with the worst results) when I was stacking multiple filters. Are you seeing it with images in frame? Like an echo of the outline of a window in frame? If so, then I wouldn't think that a mattebox would help anyway
Click to expand...

No, I believe it's the reflection of the back side of the filter. I'll post an image later. Thanks
 
You can't do anything about it besides trying to avoid it (different angles)...light bounces off of, between, around glass.
 
ahalpert said:
does it happen as much with all of your lenses?
Click to expand...

The first image (the guy with the Knicks hat) was with my Tamron 28-75 and the 2nd was the 24-105.
 

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Am I blind? I don't really see the problem here. Maybe over the lower right of the white guy's sweater? And possibly on top of the skyscraper to the left of his head?
 
Yeah, the reflection is over his sweater. I don't believe the flare over the Empire State building has anything to do with the filter. The reflection is less noticeable over the guy with the cap's right shoulder, but I can still see it (especially in ungraded footage)...
 
OK so it seems a little funny to have a thread started by scorcesefan about ProMists and NOT talk about Bob Richardson's use of them on Scorcese's movies?! C'MON now!

Bob really pushed the look hard in movies like "Casino" with a 1/4 or 1/2 ProMist and a screaming hot backlight (5 stops or more over). Really shows what that filter will do when you drive it hard. I was talking with his longtime 1st AC Gregor about this recently and he told me that for a scene in "Nixon", he used a 6k HMI PAR overhead pointed straight down at a table. The gaffer told him that those lights weren't meant to be operated that way and they would overheat. Bob's response was "how many do you have? As long as we can get a take out of each one!"
 
scorsesefan said:
Yeah, the reflection is over his sweater. I don't believe the flare over the Empire State building has anything to do with the filter. The reflection is less noticeable over the guy with the cap's right shoulder, but I can still see it (especially in ungraded footage)...
Click to expand...

I don't personally see a problem in the shot of the guy with the cap. The business around his shoulders looks like regular filter halation, no? Since it's a bright area reflecting sun?

The issue with the other shot seems a little odd. When I've experienced filter reflections, it would create an entire outline of the window behind him slightly offset. And if there were candles or light sources in frame, you would see a ghost of the source offset from the original.

So, what is creating that spot over his sweater? Is there a hot spot from something reflecting off glass or metal on the table? Is there something brighter off-frame than the window itself?

Was the filter clean? Is it possible that it had a smudge or some schmutz on it?
 
I'm going to have to take another look at Casino (which btw I feel is a very underrated MS film)... The guy with that hat may be halation, but the other one I strongly believe is internal reflection from the filter. I guess I'm sort of over-obsessing because if other filmmakers aren't finding it distracting then I guess the audience won't. It's more pronounced in the uncorrected footage, which I'll post shortly. Thanks
 
Typical reflections from regular use or stacking filters in certain lighting circumstances.

If you see them on your monitor, just shift the camera a bit in a different direction(s) to see what helps.

Only perfectionists who know better will care. Normal people will think it's "part of the look".
 
NorBro said:
Typical reflections from regular use or stacking filters in certain lighting circumstances.

If you see them on your monitor, just shift the camera a bit in a different direction(s) to see what helps.

Only perfectionists who know better will care. Normal people will think it's "part of the look".
Click to expand...

Thanks, Norbro. Per usual I one man banded this shoot and I didn't pick it up in the fx6 monitor ( which isn't great anyway)
 
You always want to use larger monitors for interviews (even while R&Ging by yourself) because interviews are usually more important than anything else you shoot besides once in a lifetime b-roll.

Most of the time you can go back and recapture some interiors and exteriors and general humans - but, IMO, most people would rather not do an interview over, or don't always have the time, so you really want to make sure all is good because it's usually not good when an interviewee is inconvenienced.

Fortunately, you likely don't have anyone to report to but yourself (so just saying).

With that said, I think yours will be OKAY because it's not overly noticeable and maybe b-roll can cover most of it (unless it's like a 45-minute video, as is, which wouldn't be ideal).
But with that said, again, I do have a nice 7" super bright 12 ounce Feelworld for sale. :grin:
 
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