variND for Panny Pancake lens?

I do have a mattebox, eyebrow, french flag. Unfortunately, they are not terribly helpful when what's causing the flare/ghosting is what's deliberately in the frame. Shooting indoors it can be pretty difficult not to shoot windows. I often use tiffen and schneider glass and I haven't had consistent issues like the ones in the pictures. It may not be something wrong with the LCW brand in particular, it may just be something inherent with vari ND's or it may just be me somehow. It may also be light bouncing off the GH sensor and reflecting off the inside of the filter glass. At any rate, I have not had this issue with Tiffen UV, ND.3,.6,.9, circular polarizer, linear polarizer, or black pro-mist. I don't think my problem is a fluke, but I'm not trying to condemn LCW either. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on and whether a different vari nd might work better.
 
woodcarver said:
I do have a mattebox, eyebrow, french flag. Unfortunately, they are not terribly helpful when what's causing the flare/ghosting is what's deliberately in the frame. Shooting indoors it can be pretty difficult not to shoot windows. I often use tiffen and schneider glass and I haven't had consistent issues like the ones in the pictures. It may not be something wrong with the LCW brand in particular, it may just be something inherent with vari ND's or it may just be me somehow. It may also be light bouncing off the GH sensor and reflecting off the inside of the filter glass. At any rate, I have not had this issue with Tiffen UV, ND.3,.6,.9, circular polarizer, linear polarizer, or black pro-mist. I don't think my problem is a fluke, but I'm not trying to condemn LCW either. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on and whether a different vari nd might work better.
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It might just be the design of variND's. Indoor shoots might just call for regular NDs.
 
woodcarver said:
I do have a mattebox, eyebrow, french flag. Unfortunately, they are not terribly helpful when what's causing the flare/ghosting is what's deliberately in the frame. Shooting indoors it can be pretty difficult not to shoot windows. I often use tiffen and schneider glass and I haven't had consistent issues like the ones in the pictures. It may not be something wrong with the LCW brand in particular, it may just be something inherent with vari ND's or it may just be me somehow. It may also be light bouncing off the GH sensor and reflecting off the inside of the filter glass. At any rate, I have not had this issue with Tiffen UV, ND.3,.6,.9, circular polarizer, linear polarizer, or black pro-mist. I don't think my problem is a fluke, but I'm not trying to condemn LCW either. I'm just trying to figure out what's going on and whether a different vari nd might work better.
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That sounds consistent. I don't know anything about film-making (wedding videographer), but when using JUST UV filters, I get WAY less flares using B+W MRC 010 UV filters to protect my lenses, over Tiffen filters. But that is shooting in the worst lighting conditions with no control over it. But then I have no problem using my cheapo LCW FaderND, since I just use it for non-wedding work where I more control over the lighting, and flares aren't an issue regardless of how cheap the glass is.

I just ordered another fader ND off eBay for my other GH1. There's plenty of China FaderND's that look mysteriously identical to to the LCW, for half the price. You just have to wait like 5 weeks for it to be delivered...and that's after Chinese New Year...whenever that ends. :D The cheap ones work fine for my needs...i.e. home videos. If I had financial support to buy better gear for a Hollywood movie, I'm sure I'd be using better ND/matte box solutions...but then again...I probably wouldn't be shooting with a dirt cheap GH1. Cheap GH1 + Cheap FaderND + My old OM lenses work.
 
i've got a 62mm FaderND mounted with step-up rings on my 20mm pancake. i get the same green flare issues that Woodcarver does. i think its due to having the ND too far away from the lens (due to the step-up rings). i got the 62mm so that it would fit my kit lens as well as my 52mm thread Canon FD primes. unfortunately, it requires 3 rings to get down to the 46mm of the pancake!

i'd say get the right size for your largest thread prime lenses and minimize the number of step-up rings.
 
Jonathan12uiz said:
Which variND are you guys recommending for the 20mm f1.7? I can't seem to find a 42mm variND. Are you guys using step down rings? and what size are you using? Does it cause vingetting?
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I've just received a thin 77mm SinghRay, stuck it on my 14mm pancake via a 46>58 & then 58>77 rings with no vignetting noticable. This was tested tripod mounted aiming directly at a light box from f2.5 through to f22. When it stops raining & we get some sun, I'll run a live test on something more picturesque.
 
As the Vari NDs go, that Singh Ray is the best, but it sure is spendy. I looked into the cheaper alternatives, and have decided that the Vari-NDs are too softenning and there are too many artefacts being brought in on the cheaper ones, so I'm going for this:

Some very cheap but tested to be excellent in reviews, screw-in, laminated glass Tiffen ND triple set. It is a 0.6 (2 stops), 0.9 (3 stops) and a 1.2 (4 stops), in a protective pouch for about $40 delivered.

Search "Tiffen Neutral density set" on your favourite auction or shopping site.
 
I'm currently testing out a 77mm Singh Ray on my 14mm pancake, 14>140 kit lens on my GH13. Plus all my Nikons, Hasselblad H's & large format Schnieders. On the Panasonics & Nikons, so far so good with no vignetting other than on the short end of the 17mm Nik zoom on a full frame chip.
The one thing I would say regarding step up rings is get decent ones. I bought a 46> 58 for £5.00 that stripped its thread after about 3 goes - crap aluminium. So I'm now using Heliopan ones. Made of solid brass & powder coated and only about £10.00.
 
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