What lens filters?

[cjewelz]

Hello friends,

I am new to interchangeable lens cameras and was wondering if you could point me in the right direction regarding lens filters. I've researched and found that UV, circular polarizing, graduated neutral density and neutral density filters would be useful. I ask because I was out on a shoot on a very bright sunny day at the height of summer and my video images turned out pixelated and unuseable. I'd like to prevent that on future shoots.

Also, I noticed that neutral density filters come in many different grades. I like to carry as less as possible so would it be better to have, say, two grade 3s or one grade two and one grade 3?

Thank you.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

Hello friends,

I am new to interchangeable lens cameras and was wondering if you could point me in the right direction regarding lens filters. I've researched and found that UV, circular polarizing, graduated neutral density and neutral density filters would be useful. I ask because I was out on a shoot on a very bright sunny day at the height of summer and my video images turned out pixelated and unuseable. I'd like to prevent that on future shoots.

First off that's not usually the cause of pixelation. You may have something else at work causing that unless you are trying to dscribe overall softness, loss of contrast, and maybe excessive flaring. A screen grab would help show us.

I use 2 types. ND both in single strengths and an inexpensive variable. In both cases a deep lens hood should be used to prevent stray light from causing internal reflections between glass layers.

In single strength I find when I need ND I need at least 4 stops reduction, that is ND 1.2. I'd often use 5 stops (1.5ND) if I had one. This is in bright daylight of course. I have .6 ND and .9ND (2 and 3 stops reduction respectively) but rarely use them as they are not strong enough.

The effect you get from stopping down too far (minimum aperture) is "diffraction effect". The light rays are bouncing off the aperture blades and "scattering" or diffusing. You get this at all apertures but really don't see the effect except at your very smallest aperture or two. It looks like a bit of soft overall diffusion, lack of contrast and sharpness in the image.

The second type of filter I carry in my kit is diffusion filter(s). Some feel the Lumix lenses are too sharp (this is why some look for "vintage" lenses from older cameras). I have one Tiffen black diffusion #3 filter that "knocks the edge off" of too much sharpness for close ups of faces. It does "mute" skin tones a bit so I turn Saturation up to at least "0" if using "Cinema" film mode. I've also found my old Cokin diffusion filters left over from my studio days a few decades ago give just enough diffusion when I need to soften a bit.

You have to try these things out to see what suits your taste.

I wouldn't go overboard buying a bunch of filters.

One other thing. I have all Lumix and Olympus M4/3rds lenses. the 14mm and 20mm "pancakes" have 46mm filter threads, the "kit" 14-42mm, Lumix 45-200mm, Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm, and Olympus 12-50mm all have 52mm threads. So 46-52mm stepup rings allow me to use 52mm thread filters on all of them. The Olympus 45mm f1.8 has 37mm filter size so a 37-52mm stepup ring keeps me in one filter size.