5D lens questions and ND thoughts

[Silas Barker]

Hey everyone,

I am thinking about getting a 5D camera for VIDEO SHOOTING.

I am seeing the different lens and thinking about starting out with the
Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AF Lens

Anybody know if I will need ND filters for outdoor shooting in broad daylight, and where to get them??

Thanks, also considering the 7D....but really leaning towards the 5D.

[Matthew Roddy]

You can get ND filters just about anywhere (B&H, Adorama, Samy's, etc). But you may want to do a Search here in the forum(s) about Fader NDs. They've been discussed pretty in-depth and there's a lot of good info here.
And, yes, if you want to get a shallow DOF in broad daylight without cranking your shutter speed, you'll want a fader or some ND filters.

[Silas Barker]

So I assuming the ND filter screws on the camera, and then the lens to the ND filter?

Or how does it work?

[Jerry Porter]

The ND screws onto the end of the lens and you rotate it to get the desired effect.

[Silas Barker]

So the 5D takes 77mm thread for lens.... so i get a 77mm thread ND fader I think....right?

[Jerry Porter]

Depends on the lens

[Matthew Roddy]

Just to be clear:
You do NOT attach an ND filter (or a fader - or ANY filters) directly to the camera.
All filters (that I've ever heard of) go on the far end of the lens. This means you need to match the filter with the lens you are currently using.
If the lens is a 77mm, then yes, you will need a 77mm filter. If the lens is a 72, for example, you either need a 72mm filter, or you could still use that 77mm filter, but you'd have to use a "step-down" ring to make it fit the 72mm (for example).

Hope that helps.

[Silas Barker]

Oh, I see...

So if the 5D has a 77mm thread for lens (which I see that it does) then you would have to use a 77mm lens (or an adaptor) and the ND filter always going on the end of the lens, not the camera.

So assuming you use the 5D and 77mm lens, ONE ND fader of 77mm would works best for all your 77mm lens.

[Jerry Porter]

Again, the 5D or ANY other camera will not dictate what filter size you need it's always the lens.

[Silas Barker]

right but the lens you would get would be same thread as camera, right?

[David Adamic]

Originally Posted by Silas Barker

right but the lens you would get would be same thread as camera, right?

No, cameras have mounts. A 5d will have a canon EOS mount. The other end of the lens, the side that doesn't go into the camera has threads. Now, depending on which lens you buy, those threads could be different.

For example, my 24-70L 2.8 has 77mm along with my 70-200. BUT, my 16-35 has 82mm threads.

SO, I had to buy two different ND's because I didn't want to jack around with a thread converter.

In summary, you buy the ND for the size of the lens, that is, the end of the lens that points at your subject, not the end that goes into the camera.

[Silas Barker]

I see...

so the mount is fixed on the camera, I am assuming...you don't have to buy a mount or anything, right?

And then you just buy the filter that is the same thread as the lens (aka 77 and 77, or 82 and 82, etc)

[Jon Fairhurst]

I recommend buying either 77mm or 82mm filters, depending on the lenses you plan to get. You can get step up adapters that allow you to mount those filters to lenses with much smaller threads. For instance, most inexpensive Nikon lenses use 52mm threads and most inexpensive Canon lenses use 58mm threads, though there are exceptions. But with a few step up rings, your filters can go on all of your lenses.

[Jerry Porter]

never mind....

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Matthew Roddy

All filters (that I've ever heard of) go on the far end of the lens.

Unless you have a mattebox ;^)

-- peer