AC90: Question about ND filters...

K

keinan

Member
Hi people!
I read a lot that ac90 havent any ND filter and most people are talking about buying someone. This camera has its Nd filter built-in and i dont understand why i have to buy it.
Whats the purpose?
 
The AC90's built-in filter is not very strong. If you are shooting in bright daylight, and you want to maintain a reasonable shutter speed of 1/60 or so, you will need to add additional ND filtration to the AC90. Anywhere from three to six stops of ND (ND .9 to ND 1.8) will be necessary to keep the iris open and the shutter speed low.
 
Thank your Barry for your response but after reading your text, i have a new question...
The same scene recorded at different shutter speed, (for example: a landscape with some trees) i didnt notice any different after played in the LCD, perpahps the importance is for editing into premiere, avid, etc, no?
 
The difference in shutter speed will become more apparent with motion. If there is not a lot of motion it is not as noticeable.
 
Try and go for a B+W if you can, they're really good quality. But expect to pay upwards of £40 for one filter. I've used them for years (after trying Hoya, Tiffen and other brands). Better to have one good ND than three mediocre ones. The ND .9 (3 stops) is a good all starting point for bright days. And get a raincover too! :)
 
I would strongly suggest looking into ND's with built-in IR too. Price jump is not a lot but you will appreciate it. I am pretty sure the Tiffen one jagraphics linked is the one I got and there is serious IR pollution on black cloth. Tiffen makes some with IR for not a lot more. I really should have edited and posted the footage I shot and tested with mine. The IR is bad enough you really need ND's with it. There is a post somewhere else in this sub-forum about filters.
 
Can you recommend any .9 ND filters with IR? Are the Tiffen ones with IR any use or am I better going for a B+W one? COme to that should I fit an IR filer anyway? I have a UV filter on as much for protection as anything else at the moment (still photography habits die hard :-)
 
jagraphics said:
Can you recommend any .9 ND filters with IR? Are the Tiffen ones with IR any use or am I better going for a B+W one? COme to that should I fit an IR filer anyway? I have a UV filter on as much for protection as anything else at the moment (still photography habits die hard :-)
Click to expand...
I have only used the Tiffen ones, however I did a test on their quality outside using 10x zoom (off and on) and the ones I have are to me great quality. i.e. there was little noticeable difference in image quality of an object at 10x (pixel peeping mode). I did not shoot a chart though and maybe there is more to be seen doing that. So if I was going to buy (because I am on a tight budget) I would have just gotten the Tiffens with the IR. However, doing a quick look on B&H Photo I am not finding 49mm Tiffen's with a built-in IR but you have to get an additional hot mirror filter which is $72. So the bottom line is some manufactures have ND's with IR, but because the built-in ND's also need this hot mirror glass I suppose its a possibly more useful option to the UV.
 
Another option is to use a step-up ring to a larger filter size. I am pretty sure that up to 62mm filters will fit within the hood. I had a 49-58 and that fit with room to spare. However, 67mm is too big.
 
I plan to do something like that too.

A warning however, is that I used about 5 rings to step up to a 67mm filter thread, and because the AC90 can focus closely, its autofocus successfully hunted and locked on the dust on the ND filter. :Drogar-Shock(DBG):
 
I know this thread is a year old but I had the same question, although I was more interested in a good variable ND filter that didn't cost a lot. Any ideas?
 
dslr_sc said:
I know this thread is a year old but I had the same question, although I was more interested in a good variable ND filter that didn't cost a lot. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

As has been said several times in all the threads on ND filters I have seen: Use a fixed ND filter not a variable one and you get what you pay for.....

So a cheap variable ND is just about the worst option you can go for.

Other advice has been that cheap ND filters seem to cause a colour cast.

Also if you are going to use an ND filter you may need an IR/UV cut filter.

Doing things on the cheap us usually not cost effective
 
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