Filter with GL2 and Wide Angle Adapter

[Tim Buege]

Hi,

I've been thinking about purchasing some Tiffen filters for achieving a more "film-like" look to my videos. However, the WD-58 wide angle adapter for my GL2 does not have threads on it for attaching filters. Is it possible to place a filter between the camera lense and the wide angle adapter? If not, what are my options? I'd like to be able to use the same filters both with and without the wide angle adapter so my clips look the same.

Thanks,

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

You'll need to buy a matte box. You filters can be slotted in to it in front of the lens. With such a large piece of glass though, you'll have to make sure that you use a wide aperture and don't go to extreme wide angle to get the best effect.

Robin

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

Tim,
There are a few manufacturers of matte boxes - Chroziel, Century Optics etc.
This is an Arri matte box I adapted for my XM2.

http://img45.photobucket.com/albums/v137/robind-r/XM2_with_Arri_matte_box.jpg

Regards,

Robin.

[Tim Buege]

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the reply. I was afraid that was going to be your answer. I'm not sure I can afford a matte box system. Also, the filters I'm looking at (Tiffen Black Pro Mist,etc.) in the 4x4 format are very pricey. Is this really my only option? I don't shoot video for a living, it's just a hobby, and I'm not sure I can talk myself into spending that kind of money. :(

Thanks!

[Seth Palmer]

I have a gl2 with the wide angle and place a filter between it and the camera...just make sure your filter has threads on both sides! The wide angle adapter will thread into the outside after you have put the filter on the camera!

This will save you some mucho bucks!

[Tim Buege]

Hi Seth,

Do you see any problems with the image in doing this? The documentation that comes with the WD-58 states that filters cannot be used with it. Maybe that only means "it doesn't have threads for a filter".

I was playing around with it last night, with a polarizer between the camera and the wide-angle adapter, but couldn't see any problems. I'm going to shoot a black & white test chart tonight, and look for focus problems, color aberations, etc. If anyone knows this to be a bad method, please, educate me.

Thanks,

[Marco Leavitt]

I have a Century Optics sunshade that accepts Series 9 filters, and it does indeed work with the WD-58 at a fraction of the cost of a mattebox. No vignetting that I can recall. Series 9 filters are much cheaper than 4X4 filters too. This is a much less cumbersome setup than a mattebox, although obviously you don't have as much protection against flare as a bellows. Still, it gives about as much protection as some matteboxes with hard plastic sunshades I've seen. I have no idea how much my sunshade sold for new, because I got it used as a gimme when I bought an anamorphic lens adapter. It doesn't seem to be advertised on Century's Web site, so I don't know if they even sell it anymore, but you might want to ask them about it. They do sell a real similar sunshade that takes 4X4 filters. My sunshard just clamps around the front of the anamorphic adapter. I tried removing the interior metal spacing ring and it fit real snug around the outer lip of the WD-58. In fact, I would say it works even better with the WD-58 than the anamorphic adapter it appears to have been made for.

BTW, I've tried using a screw-in filter at the base of the WD-58 and it seemed to work fine to me. Some people swear it throws the thing slightly out of focus. Watch out of vignetting if you're stacking filters.

[Frank Ladner]

Tim: I also shoot with a filter between my WD-58 and have had no problems. I think you'd run into trouble trying to use a circular polarizer w/ a lens hood on the WD-58, because when you turn to adjust the polarizer, parts of the hood will show up in the frame.

,Frank

[Seth Palmer]

I have noticed that when I am zoomed in on a subject, I will lose focus when in automatic...and I believe that it is because of having the filter between the adapter and lens...however, I just switch over to manual and role with it! Problem solved.

The only filter I have tried is just a plain old screw on polarized tiffen...no fancy shmancy for me

[Tim Buege]

I'd like to thank everyone for the great answers. You've given me hope that I don't need to "break the bank".

I'm just starting my journey down the "film look" road. I've been reading *lots* on this forum and elsewhere. One step at a time, I continue to achieve a better look with my GL2. So far, I've been using frame mode, adjusting sharpness and setup level, and then tweaking gamma levels within my NLE. Oh yeah, and making sure I have enough light, and opening up the aperture for shallow depth of field. I love it!

I'm looking forward to trying the Tiffen filters. The filters I'm considering are the Tiffen 58mm Film Look DV Kit (58dvflk). It's a set of four filters: Tiffen Black Diffusion FX 1/2, Black Pro Mist 1/2, Warm Diffusion FX 1/4, and Soft FX 1. I already own a circular polarizer. I may pick up a ND .6 or ND .9 as well.

I'm borrowing a test pattern chart, the kind that tells you resolution. It's a black and white radial pattern. I'm going to shoot that tonight with filters between the lens and adapter. I'll look for focus problems, and any other weird things. I'll let you know what I find.

Frank, I did notice that problem with the polarizer and the wd58 lens hood getting in the way. That could be a problem. But a minor one. I could probably rig something up to shade the sun instead of using that hood.

Now I can spend my money on a new Bogen tripod and fluid head... :)

Thanks again!

[Doug Turner]

Hi all,

I've a JVC GY-DV301E, and always use a wideangle on it... which doesn't have a thread. Using the wideangle meant the sunshade didn't protect the lens from lights.

I've just bought this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3818801116

Some bloke's made it from Cokin components and riveted flags on it... it's great! I'm using a Cokin universal mounting adaptor to fit onto this matte box onto the wideangle lens.

I'm now using cheap P-series Cokin filters (ND Grads etc), no need for threaded filters etc.

If I didn't come across this, I was looking at spending a LOT more on a Cavision matte box!

Cheers, Doug.

[Tim Buege]

Hi everyone,

Well, I ran my test chart tests. I could discern no noticable variation in picture quality when placing one or two filters between the camera lens and the WD-58. No focusing problems, no color aberations, no vignetting at all.

I shot my tests in frame mode, too. I could discern maybe 400 vertical lines of resolution. I forgot to test with frame mode off, so I don't know what that would have read. Presumably closer to 500.

Looks like I can forgo the matte box setup for now. Maybe some day if I decide to make a part time career of this, I'll invest more. But for my needs, this will work great.

Now, to research that tripod...

Thanks again for all your help!

[Joe Cirino]

Hey Tim, I have the same setup as you with the WD58 and Gl2 and interested in trying to get close to the film look. What filters do you have and recomend? Since I mostly shoot in semi-auto, could you run by me the configuration for the "film look" on the GL2 in Manual? I am new at using manual and have no idea where to start. If you could 1., 2., 3., it for me i'd appreicate it....

Thanks
;-)

[Tim Buege]

Hi Joe,

Read back a couple messages in this thread, and you'll see my post regarding what I've done so far to achieve a more "film-like" appearance to my videos. I haven't purchased the filters yet, but I'm considering the Tiffen Film-Look set.

I'm finding that shooting on manual is necessary to gain maximum control over exposure and depth of field. Regarding setup on the GL2, I've set the custom presets to Color Gain -1, Color Bias - 1, Sharpness -2 and Setup +1. As I'm still in the experimental mode, I can't say if these are the best settings. They're definitely an improvement (my personal taste) over the defaults. Shoot frame mode, use a tripod, properly light the scene, white balance.

Most of all, experiment. You'll learn more by trying various settings, and viewing the results. You don't have to shoot anything particularly interesting. Just the other night, I setup in the kitchen and shot some video of my kids doing the dishes. Not too exciting, but I was able to edit it into a short 5 minute clip, showing an improvement in "film-like" quality.

I suggest reading...lots. This forum is full of great information and tips. Search Google look for "film look" and "dv". A couple of very good websites are:

http://www.adamwilt.com/DV.html
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

There are others. I can't list them all. Have fun!

[Joe Cirino]

Excellent! Thank you friend!