Neutral Density Filters, at DVinfo.net

Jim Snow · February 13th, 2011, 10:14 PM

I would appreciate suggestions for a neutral density for the GH2.

Guy McLoughlin · February 14th, 2011, 01:53 PM

Buy the FADER ND filter for your lenses. Variable ND from 1 - 8 stops of light reduction.

Fader Filters vs Traditional ND Filters Vincent Laforet’s Blog

Jeff Harper · February 24th, 2011, 10:02 AM

Jim, Guy, what's the disadvantage to shooting without a ND? For outdoor bridal party video shots, establishing shots of venues, etc, and street scenes what should I expect to encounter if I were not to have one?

Jim Snow · February 24th, 2011, 10:53 AM

Neutral density filter are very useful in bright light, primarily outdoors on sunny days. They limit the light so that shutter speed and aperture can be set to less extreme values. I like to keep shutter speed at 1/60th because a small amount of motion blur makes video smoother. Without a neutral density filter, it may be necessary to use much faster shutter speeds which give a 'strobey' look to video. With aperture, most lenses are at their sharpest in the center range of aperture. The 'sweet spot' is usually f 5.6 or f8 with a shutter speed of 1/60th.

I just bought this one for my GH2 http://bit.ly/eCTt08

Jeff Harper · February 24th, 2011, 10:59 AM

Jim, your choice looks to be a very good one. I'm putting it on my "to buy" list. Thanks so much for the recommendation, oh and thanks for the detailed explanation about the sweet spot for the aperture.

Jim Forrest · February 24th, 2011, 11:24 AM

I have found them extremely useful for shooting indoors and outdoors to achieve a very shallow DOF also.

Guy McLoughlin · February 24th, 2011, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Jim, Guy, what's the disadvantage to shooting without a ND?

The main idea is to be able to shoot with your lens wide-open in bright light conditions to achieve the shallow DOF look. If you have to stop down the iris on your lens, then the shallow DOF effect disappears.

Jeff Harper · February 26th, 2011, 11:11 AM

Thanks, Guy, for the additional explanation. Between you and Jim it all makes sense.

February 13th, 2011, 10:14 PM	#1
Jim Snow Trustee Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,104	Neutral Density Filters, I would appreciate suggestions for a neutral density for the GH2.

February 24th, 2011, 10:02 AM	#3
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Neutral Density Filters, Jim, Guy, what's the disadvantage to shooting without a ND? For outdoor bridal party video shots, establishing shots of venues, etc, and street scenes what should I expect to encounter if I were not to have one? __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 24th, 2011, 10:53 AM	#4
Jim Snow Trustee Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,104	Re: Neutral Density Filters, Neutral density filter are very useful in bright light, primarily outdoors on sunny days. They limit the light so that shutter speed and aperture can be set to less extreme values. I like to keep shutter speed at 1/60th because a small amount of motion blur makes video smoother. Without a neutral density filter, it may be necessary to use much faster shutter speeds which give a 'strobey' look to video. With aperture, most lenses are at their sharpest in the center range of aperture. The 'sweet spot' is usually f 5.6 or f8 with a shutter speed of 1/60th. I just bought this one for my GH2 http://bit.ly/eCTt08

February 24th, 2011, 10:59 AM	#5
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Neutral Density Filters, Jim, your choice looks to be a very good one. I'm putting it on my "to buy" list. Thanks so much for the recommendation, oh and thanks for the detailed explanation about the sweet spot for the aperture. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described." Last edited by Jeff Harper; February 24th, 2011 at 11:42 AM.

February 26th, 2011, 11:11 AM	#8
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Neutral Density Filters, Thanks, Guy, for the additional explanation. Between you and Jim it all makes sense. __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

February 14th, 2011, 01:53 PM	#2
Guy McLoughlin Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 287	Buy the FADER ND filter for your lenses. Variable ND from 1 - 8 stops of light reduction. Fader Filters vs Traditional ND Filters Vincent Laforet’s Blog

February 24th, 2011, 11:24 AM	#6
Jim Forrest Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Washington DC Posts: 368	I have found them extremely useful for shooting indoors and outdoors to achieve a very shallow DOF also.