Using Filters for the lens

S

stanw

Active member
Just curious how many of you are using filters while shooting video as opposed to doing it in an editing program such as Final Cut Pro?
I was looking at some of the filters here: http://www.tiffen.com
Thanks.
 
I use grads, NDs, polarizer and UV in the field. I like to know my images are as close to perfect as I can get them while I am shooting. If they need to be tweaked I can always do that in FCS during post.

Jim
 
I'm using ND's, Grads, Pol., and UV. These basic filters allow you to get data (image) that you can't reproduce in Post. If you're filming through water on a sunny day and you want to see the swimmer underneath the surface, a polarizer will block the reflections so you can get the desired image....same with windows, shiney cars, etc. Nothing in Post can bring out something that the camera never recorded.

It's the same with a blown out sky that you want to capture in-camera. If you "grad" it, you expose properly for your subjects "and" get sky detail.

With that in mind, I probably only use my Schneiders 30% of the time when I'm outdoors. Good glass filters are expensive but when you need them...you need them.

As for "color altering filters", I do all that in Post.
 
Orangemoon is exactly correct.

If you use the ND/Pol filters in the field you will capture significantly more detail in your shots. You can reclaim a small amount of detail in post, but you can't compare it to shooting it right in the first place in the field.

If you want the color altering filters... do that in post as you aren't trying to capture details in your shot. You will also have more options to mess with and have a better idea how you want the final shot to end up looking like. If you did it in the field in camera... you've got what you got.
 
Can anyone recommend some good filters for shooting video of models talking while wearing bathing suits, showing lots of skin (not porn). Thanks.
 
One thing that can be tricky to work with but has a cool effect is a split diopter filter. It will allow you to focus at two separate depths. So, you can get a actor up close in focus, and another actor further away in focus, and everything else out of focus (depending on how shallow the DOF already is).

And never forget to have a polarizing filter. Although, you can also do sky replacement in After Effects if you need to (depending on the complexity of the shot/budget).
 
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