What ND filter range for GH2 + 0.95 Nokton ?

akafino

New member
With the lowest ISO being 160 at the moment I am wondering what ND filters range I should be looking at getting?

I have just got the camera so I am not even sure what shutter works best, can anyone please let me know what you suggest for shutter and what ND?

Thanks
 
Even with a ND8 filter it's going to be impossible to shoot at f/.95 in daylight without using a high shutter speed. Filters darker than ND8 are typically expensive, unfortunately. The darkest you can afford I'd say, ND64 if you can, or a vari-ND.
 
thanks for the reply, I use lee filters for photography so I think I will pick up some of their ND and see how that goes.
 
Be aware of IR contamination problems when using high grade NDs (> 4stops). The ordinary ND filter cuts off the visible spectrum, but passes infrared, which camera sensor is sensitive to. This is not a problem when not using NDs, because the IR wavelengths sensitivity is lower than visible spectrum sensitivity. However, when using ND, you adjust your exposure to the lowered amount of visible light falling onto your sensor (by opening your aperture). In such situation the infrared will shift your colors - all hot surfaces, such as asphalt, some black clothes might be significantly altered. Don't trust people saying that GH2 is IR insensitive - point your camera at your tv remote and check it out. I can clearly see mine...
The cure is to get hot mirror ND filter (IRND). These are more expensive, but you'll end up buying one anyway, I guess. Pancro are excellent, Tiffen so so. The upcoming Schneider Platinum might be interesting - less expensive than competition.
 
if you want superb optical performance then you need glass filters, and expensive ones (the resin ones will "normally do" but yeah, it's an investment worth thinking about maybe instead of that next lens...)

edit: since 0.95 is a pretty wide lens it should work ok with vari ND's, sharpness vise
 
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Be aware of IR contamination problems when using high grade NDs (> 4stops). The ordinary ND filter cuts off the visible spectrum, but passes infrared, which camera sensor is sensitive to.
This comment intrigued me. I have a bunch of cheap Chinese ND *glass* filters that I just tested with a remote. First, only at ISO 3200 could I see the LED flicker. Very faintly. Then, whit the ND8 filter, I could not see anything. It does filter these wavelengths. If anyone's interested the filter brand is Pixco and the ebay seller is rocksphoto. Make sure it says glass in the description. I don't have plastic filters, so I could not test those, but I would avoid those anyway.
 
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