GH2 What's my best choice for just 1 N.D. filter?

DPStewart

DPStewart

Veteran
Hello all,

Regular typical outdoor shooting in daylight with an M4/3 sensor -

I need a great N.D. filter recommendation please - I used to shoot an HVX and I never paid attention to "how much" N.D. I was using because it just worked so darn well with the built-ins. Click 'till ya like it.

So now I need one for the GH2 - but I need to buy a C.P. filter and step-up rings at the same time so what do you all feel is your single most frequently used ND filter strength?

I can add more later of course, but I'm not willing to do a variable. I want to maintain as much image quality as possible and I'm not cheaping out.

Under it will frequently be a Circular Polarizer that will knock down about 1.3 stops.

So if I had only 1 ND filter on hand with the CP - what strength do you think would be the most frequently reached for?

Also: What do you think is my best choice for the CP - Heliopan or B+W? (looking at the $130 Heliopan, and the B+W Kaesemann MRC and the MRC NANO.)




Thank you,
Gracias,
Merci,
kamsahamnida,
 
Hoya Pro ND I think is the best. No color cast. Set kelvin and it stays true. Start with 4 stops then when you can buy the 2 then 6.
 
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OK then!

It seems that was an easy one for those who have whole sets!

THANK YOU GENTS.


Any suggestions on the Circular Polarizers? Are the $130 Heliopan, and the B+W Kaesemann MRC and the MRC NANO what I should be looking at? Descriptions for different CPs seems to talk about different things and leads me to believe it's not as direct a comparison as with ND filters.

I appreciate the help folks!
 
Only problem with the 4 stop filters is that it is hard finding them in smaller sizes for the native m43 lenses. For example it is impossible finding a good 46mm 4 stop ND filter for my Lumix/Leica 25mm f1.4 lens or Olympus 60mm Macro. If you use any of the native m43 prime lenses finding a 4 stop filter may be very difficult and you may either have to make due with a 3 stop filter or use filter step up rings.
 
Erik Naso said:
Hoya Pro ND I think is the best. No color cast. Set kelvin and it stays true. Start with 4 stops then when you can buy the 2 then 6.
Click to expand...

The ProND(s) are really great. I own sets of 58mm & 77mm. As opposed to traditional NDs that use dyes the ProND(s) use metallic coatings which remain "hyper-neutral" across the different strengths & provides some IR protection. Only downside is the coating is on the outside of the glass so it can be scratched & is a ***** to clean. Some users have had worse issues...

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?11474-Help-cleaning-Hoya-ProND-quot-residue-stain-quot

They're also not available in 46mm.

If starting from scratch I'd invest in Firecrest IRND(s) from Formatt-Hitech. Similar technology but the coating is bonded between the glass instead of on the outside. They're available in most any size from 39mm screw-in up to 5x5" cinema. Downside is they're pricier then the ProND(s) & many of them are special order so take a couple of weeks to receive.

https://www.formatt-hitech.com/en/products/Firecrest-ND~195.html

http://blog.abelcine.com/2014/08/14/at-the-bench-formatt-hitech-firecrest-irnd-filters/
 
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I have a couple of Heliopan's Vari-NDs but typically don't want a polarizering effect so rarely use them.

Most my circular filters get attached to lenses via Xume Adapters. Makes swapping densities very quick & works on most focal lengths with a FOV equivalent as wide as 12mm on the GH4 (when shooting 1080p).

Xume Adapters are great for Vari-NDs too as they allow the whole filter to rotate which helps set the polarizing effect, but might induce some vignetting at 12mm in 1080p.

http://www.xumeadapters.com
 
Bern Caughey said:
I have a couple of Heliopan's Vari-NDs but typically don't want a polarizering effect so rarely use them.

Most my circular filters get attached to lenses via Xume Adapters. Makes swapping densities very quick & works on most focal lengths with a FOV equivalent as wide as 12mm on the GH4 (when shooting 1080p).

Xume Adapters are great for Vari-NDs too as they allow the whole filter to rotate which helps set the polarizing effect, but might induce some vignetting at 12mm in 1080p.

http://www.xumeadapters.com
Click to expand...
Xume adapters are the BOMB!!!!
 
XUME! Oh man! Those things look fantastic! THANKS FOR THAT!

And thanks for all the other great wisdom and suggestions!
 
If you intend to have a polarizer on all the time then the 4 stop in smaller sizes is not problem, because the polarizer is going to give you at least 1 1/2 stops nd minimum, so go for a 3 stop + polerizer. But now you have to concern your self with vignetting. So now would be the time to tell us more about lens you are going to use and are you shooting in full m43 or one of the two crops uhd or c4k.


edit oops gh2, I have gh4 on the brain.
 
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walkaboutcamera said:
If you intend to have a polarizer on all the time then the 4 stop in smaller sizes is not problem, because the polarizer is going to give you at least 1 1/2 stops nd minimum, so go for a 3 stop + polerizer. But now you have to concern your self with vignetting. So now would be the time to tell us more about lens you are going to use and are you shooting in full m43 or one of the two crops uhd or c4k.


edit oops gh2, I have gh4 on the brain.
Click to expand...

I would guess the Polarizer would be used probably half the time at least, but by no means all the time.

I opted for a B+W Kaesemann polarizer, and since it is spec'd to have a 1.3-stop light reduction I opted for a 3-stop ND like you mentioned, also from B+W - the metallic coating version. The HOYA's have a great reputation but I ordered a B+W to help ensure I don't have any threading issues. BUT now that I know about those awesome XUME adapters I guess that doesn't matter so much anymore!

These are all going to be 62mm, but all my lenses except the Panny 14-140mm (62mm) are 52mm (and whatever the Panny 20mm Pancake is).
I got Heliopan step-up rings for all the smaller sizes so I could just get 1 set of filters. It's worked great with my Tiffen diffusors so far.
I am assuming that vignetting will not be an issue because the step-up ring is providing a filter surface that is wider than the whole front of the lenses themselves. The VALLIS MARINERIS effect.
Unless I figured that wrong somehow.

Can't wait to get those XUME adapters - what a game changer.
 
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Bern Caughey said:
The ProND(s) are really great. I own sets of 58mm & 77mm. As opposed to traditional NDs that use dyes the ProND(s) use metallic coatings which remain "hyper-neutral" across the different strengths & provides some IR protection. Only downside is the coating is on the outside of the glass so it can be scratched & is a ***** to clean. Some users have had worse issues...

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?11474-Help-cleaning-Hoya-ProND-quot-residue-stain-quot

They're also not available in 46mm.

If starting from scratch I'd invest in Firecrest IRND(s) from Formatt-Hitech. Similar technology but the coating is bonded between the glass instead of on the outside. They're available in most any size from 39mm screw-in up to 5x5" cinema. Downside is they're pricier then the ProND(s) & many of them are special order so take a couple of weeks to receive.

https://www.formatt-hitech.com/en/products/Firecrest-ND~195.html

http://blog.abelcine.com/2014/08/14/at-the-bench-formatt-hitech-firecrest-irnd-filters/
Click to expand...

Thank you VERY MUCH for that.

I ordered up a B+W ND that is made with that metallic coating method but if it so much as twitches at me I'll drop the extra cash and get the Firecrest.
After using the built-in NDs with IR on the Canon C300 it has always been in the back of my mind to incorporate IR if possible.
 
My most used ND filter is a Tiffen 1.2ND (4 stop reduction) in 52mm size (used with 46-52 stepup ring on my 46mm threaded lenses) and also in 58mm for the Oly 75mm f1.8 lens. Shane Hurlbut recommends Tiffen but I already had Tiffen .6ND and .9ND (2 and 3 stops respectively).

I used to "stack" the latter two for a 5 stop reduction on Canon lenses but try to avoid "stacking" on m4/3 lenses as I began seeing a higher incidence of internal reflections from some stronger lighted areas from that.

The 4 stop reduction from a 1.2ND filter out in strong daylight/sunlight gets me down in the f11 to f8 range which generally gets me away from noticeable diffraction effect even out in Texas sun. Just the same I plan to order a 1.5ND (5 stop reduction) filter for when something a bit stronger is needed.

I usually don't try for real shallow depth of field effects in strong daylight/sunlight as in most cases the aesthetics of that kind of lighting situation is not really right for that, but if necessary I can often get close to the subject with something like the Oly 75mm f1.8 lens.
 
Bern Caughey said:
The ProND(s) are really great. I own sets of 58mm & 77mm. As opposed to traditional NDs that use dyes the ProND(s) use metallic coatings which remain "hyper-neutral" across the different strengths & provides some IR protection. Only downside is the coating is on the outside of the glass so it can be scratched & is a ***** to clean. Some users have had worse issues...

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?11474-Help-cleaning-Hoya-ProND-quot-residue-stain-quot

They're also not available in 46mm.

If starting from scratch I'd invest in Firecrest IRND(s) from Formatt-Hitech. Similar technology but the coating is bonded between the glass instead of on the outside. They're available in most any size from 39mm screw-in up to 5x5" cinema. Downside is they're pricier then the ProND(s) & many of them are special order so take a couple of weeks to receive.

https://www.formatt-hitech.com/en/products/Firecrest-ND~195.html

http://blog.abelcine.com/2014/08/14/at-the-bench-formatt-hitech-firecrest-irnd-filters/
Click to expand...

Bern,

From a quick glance and read on their site, it seems that only the square filters have the coating sandwiched. The circulars are on the outside.

Also, here's the price difference for anyone interested: $120.90 for 77mm ProND's at B&H vs Firecrest 77mm at $126.44 (up to 5 stops) and $147.69 (from 6 to 10 stops). This is on their own site.

They definitely have a different look in terms of color when looking at these comparisons: http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?11314-Formatt-Firecrest-Frames

I see a bit more warmth retained with the Firecrests. The ProND's seem to really attenuate the red more significantly, which is great for the blacks, but I'm not sure if I like the skintone as much with the Hoyas.

Perhaps most importantly, the 25% off promo code in the first post of that thread still seems to work, so that makes the firecrests less expensive than the ProND's at the moment.

Promo code: BMC7139F

Cheers,

Omid
 
Just ordered three firecrests for $300 total after shipping. I only have one ProND, so a proper comparison will be hard, but I think I'm set for now!

an SLR Magic vari for run n fun is all that's left.
 
ozmorphasis said:
From a quick glance and read on their site, it seems that only the square filters have the coating sandwiched. The circulars are on the outside.

Also, here's the price difference for anyone interested: $120.90 for 77mm ProND's at B&H vs Firecrest 77mm at $126.44 (up to 5 stops) and $147.69 (from 6 to 10 stops). This is on their own site.
Click to expand...

Omid,

Thanks for the information & link. Formatt's website is quirky, at least on my Apple devices. Didn't see any info about the circular NDs not sandwiching the coating & after a bit of Googling noted they offered 6.6x6.6" Firecrest(s) whereas their drop-down menus showed the largest filter as 5.65x5.65".

In your post I noted the great prices for the Firecrest(s) on B&H so just ordered 0.6, 1.2, & 1.8, 4x4" IRND(s). Surprised they were in stock.

There's an insanely long thread about the ProND(s) started by Kholi over at BMCuser that includes links to eBay sellers who offer discounts. Last year I got 77mm ProND(s) for $85, & 58mm for $50, from "buyphotogear" using the "Best Offer" function. They're USA based & shipped promptly.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/buyphotogear

Best,
Bern
 
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