Genus Eclipse ND Fader filter test

[Wes Browning]

Yeah, that worked fine. I just forgot it later and zoomed in past 50mm, which resulted in some lens flare (shooting outside mid afternoon).

[Jerome Cloninger]

Good deal..
Wait, what size did you get?

[Wes Browning]

77mm so I could use it on my Rokinon 35mm, and some step down rings so I could use it on the kit lens (67 thread) and a 85mm lens (72 thread)

[Jerome Cloninger]

Ok. I was hoping it was the 67mm one that creeped in and the 77 wouldn't. Oh well.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Wes Browning

77mm so I could use it on my Rokinon 35mm, and some step down rings so I could use it on the kit lens (67 thread) and a 85mm lens (72 thread)

Same set up here, so to be sure, is the rubber lenshood showing in the frame at wide angle lenses?

[Wes Browning]

Here's some stills showing how it looks with the hood extended and collapsed. This is with the ND filter and rubber hood on the stock lens at 18mm.

[Noa Put]

Which stills? :) Ah, now I see them, took some time to load. So the bit vignetting in the corners on the top pic is from the lenshood?

[Gabe Strong]

So back before the Genus 'Eclipse' version came out, I bought a Heliopan variable ND, as
the Genus variable filter at the time wasn't nearly as good as their 'Eclipse' version. I bought
the 77mm Heliopan, which was the largest one available at the time. As time went by, Heliopan
introduced a 82mm version. I wished I would have got that one, but o well, all my lenses were
77mm or smaller. Then I bought a lens with 82mm threads.....and at nearly the same time, I bought
a B-camera (VG20) to supplement my FS100. So I bought a 82mm Genus Eclipse. The way I
figure it, step up rings are cheap, so get the largest filter you can, to reduce chances of vignetting
at wide angles. I have a 10-20mm lens, and even at 10mm get no vignetting. And I am glad I did,
because soon after, I saw the 'Xume' system and really wanted it! It's nice as you don't have to thread
on and off ND filters, instead just snap them on. However, this introduces another ring, besides the step
up ring, (so that the magnetic system can work) This increase the chances of vignetting, but luckily,
I had got the 82mm, so I still get no vignetting! Just another bonus of getting the largest filter you can. So I can
use one camera with the more 'telephoto' length lenses with the Heliopan filter, and the other
with more 'wide angle' lenses with the Genus. The system works great, and changing filters is a snap.

[Peter Siamidis]

Gabe, seeing that you own both have you had a chance to compare the Genus Eclipse to the Heliopan? I've been using the Heliopan which I really like, but I prefer to have two of everything just in case stuff breaks at a shoot, hence was considering getting the Genus Eclipse.

[Gabe Strong]

Yup, I will be posting a video comparison of them on my blog soon. Suffice it to say for now, that
I am VERY pleased with the Genus Eclipse version of their fader filter. Also, be aware that it IS
a little different than the Heliopan, the Heliopan gives you roughly 1-6 stops of ND while the Eclipse
is roughly 2-8 stops.

[Noa Put]

will be posting a video comparison of them on my blog soon

Pls let us know when that video is "live", would be interesting to see.

[Frank Glencairn]

Originally Posted by Peter Siamidis

Gabe, seeing that you own both have you had a chance to compare the Genus Eclipse to the Heliopan? I've been using the Heliopan which I really like, but I prefer to have two of everything just in case stuff breaks at a shoot, hence was considering getting the Genus Eclipse.

Have a look: ND Fader Shootout – Heliopan vs. the new GENUS Eclipse | Frank Glencairn

[Noa Put]

Thx Frank!

[Peter Siamidis]

Originally Posted by Frank Glencairn

Have a look: ND Fader Shootout – Heliopan vs. the new GENUS Eclipse | Frank Glencairn

Thanks! I wish he did some bokeh comparisons since what I film is 50-200mm shallow dof portrait stuff, not so much rooftops or wide shots. I've seen reviews of other variable nd filters where they showed how the cheaper ones added noise to the bokeh, whereas keeping boken intact is what the heliopan excels at. In any case I guess I'll find out since I ordered one, it's only $170 with the hood so what the heck.

[Jerome Cloninger]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

So Jerome, it's safe to get this one, no focusing issues at all. :)

So let me first say that shipping from Hong Kong was VERY FAST! Ordered on March 29, Received tracking number yesterday and it arrived today!
I popped this sucker on my camera and went out and filmed a few quick things and WHOA! This filter is great!

FYI, Cokin responded to my video I posted on vimeo saying that it was a defective filter, blah blah. I sent them an email saying I already sent it back. They said they'll send me a "correct" filter to test out. We'll see. If I get one from them, I'll do a side by side comparison considering they're within $10 of each other. Unless the correct filter is leaps and bounds better than the Eclipse, I'm keeping the Eclipse due to the cool rubber lens hood. That will come in handy.