Tiffen filters vs post effects at DVinfo.net

Brad Horner · November 25th, 2003, 03:01 AM

Scenario:
I have just purchased an XL1s and I have
some experience in post production in AE.
I hear alot about Tiffen filters but I don't like
the idea of being stuck with an effect as is the
case when you have a filter on.

Question:
What are the possibilities of leaving the filter
off and achieving as much if not more of an
effect in post, ie After Effects?

Right now I have a UV filter and am planning
on purchasing some ND filters.

Requesting opinions.
-thanks!

Rob Lohman · November 25th, 2003, 03:29 AM

An UV filter is quite handy for basically protecting your lens and
keeping light out you don't want and *might* interfere with the
chips. An ND filter is practically a must, especially when shooting
outdoors with lots of light (I've had an extra ND filter on my
camera + the internal built in one on some times to cut the light).

With filters that effect the picture (color filters, or soft filters) it
is different indeed. Some prefer to have them while shooting,
others prefer to do it in post. Whether or not this works for you
is a thing you will have to find out for yourself and try! You have
AE and some experience with it. I'd suggest you shoot some
footage and see where you get.

If you are looking for a softer image you can switch the camera
in frame mode (a form of progressive) which will soften the image
a bit. Then there are controls for sharpness on the camera as well.

Perhaps some people who own some filters will chime in and
give you their opinion on the filters.

Brad Horner · November 25th, 2003, 04:17 AM

off topic:
Thanks to this website specifically and your
site as well, I have learned much quicker than
otherwise possible. The video number 22 at
Lady X finalized my decision in buying the xl1s
of which I am very happy with.

In my first and only experiment I found myself
using the ND filter and needing a little finer
adjustment with a 1/2 or 1/4 nd that I don't have.
No big deal I'm just experiementing now.

Glenn Chan · November 26th, 2003, 01:01 AM

Another filter that can't be done in post is the polarizer filter. If doing outside work it's useful to knock down the contrast of the sky versus the ground (depends on the angle it's oriented). Polarizer filters also act like ND filters.

Hank Meyne · November 26th, 2003, 09:47 AM

Your editing software will have to render all changes to the video. So when doing typical edits, your NLE is just assembling the new AVI with its encoding intact, and maybe rendering some transitions, effects, etc. But if you use a software filter, it will have to re-encode the whole video. Some claim that with most DV AVI codecs, each time it is encoded, it loses a slight bit of quality, unless you have specifically purchased a special 100% non-lossy codec. At least this is the way I understand it, though someone may know otherwise.

Glenn Chan · November 26th, 2003, 01:04 PM

The difference between 1st and 2nd generation DV is (near) impossible to tell. I haven't tried it myself but it's easy to do so.

If you have multiple layers of effects then it's slightly better to add the effects while you're shooting.

Some color filters can be achieved when you are shooting by using warm/cool cards to white balance on.

November 25th, 2003, 03:01 AM	#1
Brad Horner New Boot Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Berkeley, California Posts: 19	Tiffen filters vs post effects Scenario: I have just purchased an XL1s and I have some experience in post production in AE. I hear alot about Tiffen filters but I don't like the idea of being stuck with an effect as is the case when you have a filter on. Question: What are the possibilities of leaving the filter off and achieving as much if not more of an effect in post, ie After Effects? Right now I have a UV filter and am planning on purchasing some ND filters. Requesting opinions. -thanks!

November 25th, 2003, 03:29 AM	#2
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	An UV filter is quite handy for basically protecting your lens and keeping light out you don't want and might interfere with the chips. An ND filter is practically a must, especially when shooting outdoors with lots of light (I've had an extra ND filter on my camera + the internal built in one on some times to cut the light). With filters that effect the picture (color filters, or soft filters) it is different indeed. Some prefer to have them while shooting, others prefer to do it in post. Whether or not this works for you is a thing you will have to find out for yourself and try! You have AE and some experience with it. I'd suggest you shoot some footage and see where you get. If you are looking for a softer image you can switch the camera in frame mode (a form of progressive) which will soften the image a bit. Then there are controls for sharpness on the camera as well. Perhaps some people who own some filters will chime in and give you their opinion on the filters. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 25th, 2003, 04:17 AM	#3
Brad Horner New Boot Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Berkeley, California Posts: 19	off topic: Thanks to this website specifically and your site as well, I have learned much quicker than otherwise possible. The video number 22 at Lady X finalized my decision in buying the xl1s of which I am very happy with. In my first and only experiment I found myself using the ND filter and needing a little finer adjustment with a 1/2 or 1/4 nd that I don't have. No big deal I'm just experiementing now.

November 26th, 2003, 01:01 AM	#4
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Another filter that can't be done in post is the polarizer filter. If doing outside work it's useful to knock down the contrast of the sky versus the ground (depends on the angle it's oriented). Polarizer filters also act like ND filters.

November 26th, 2003, 09:47 AM	#5
Hank Meyne New Boot Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 23	Your editing software will have to render all changes to the video. So when doing typical edits, your NLE is just assembling the new AVI with its encoding intact, and maybe rendering some transitions, effects, etc. But if you use a software filter, it will have to re-encode the whole video. Some claim that with most DV AVI codecs, each time it is encoded, it loses a slight bit of quality, unless you have specifically purchased a special 100% non-lossy codec. At least this is the way I understand it, though someone may know otherwise.

November 26th, 2003, 01:04 PM	#6
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	The difference between 1st and 2nd generation DV is (near) impossible to tell. I haven't tried it myself but it's easy to do so. If you have multiple layers of effects then it's slightly better to add the effects while you're shooting. Some color filters can be achieved when you are shooting by using warm/cool cards to white balance on.