Author Topic: variable ND (Read 1107 times)

tamoio · « **on:** May 07, 2011, 05:17:30 PM »

I use ND a LOT. If you shoot video with your m43 or other camera its pretty much a necessity. I've been using a fairly cheap 77mm rotating vari-ND for a couple months but I'm pretty interested in this unit:

https://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=466&IID=8088

is anyone else using lots of ND and what are your impressions when color-correcting your shots?

adash · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2011, 12:13:31 AM »

$579.00 EA

WheeE-P1 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2011, 03:00:45 AM »

No experience here I'm afraid (and not likely to at that price

) but presumably if you took a calibration shot with a colour card you could create a colour profile. More tricky if any colour shift is not consistent over the range but still do-able depending on what you're shooting and how often you want to change the density.

adash · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2011, 07:42:20 AM »

A custom WB in camera (with a gray or white card) should solve the colour shift problem. It is possible, as WheeE-P1 noted, for the colour shift to be inconsistent over the range, which means that you will have to make a custom WB every now and then.
I don't yet see the advantage over a set of ordinary ND filters, which will come at 1/5 of that price and still be great filters.

tamoio · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2011, 11:40:24 AM »

Quote from: adash on May 08, 2011, 07:42:20 AM

A custom WB in camera (with a gray or white card) should solve the colour shift problem. It is possible, as WheeE-P1 noted, for the colour shift to be inconsistent over the range, which means that you will have to make a custom WB every now and then.
I don't yet see the advantage over a set of ordinary ND filters, which will come at 1/5 of that price and still be great filters.

Have you tried this with 6 stops of ND?

adash · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2011, 11:41:46 AM »

Quote

Have you tried this with 6 stops of ND?

No. I have no NDs. I use a CPL instead of an ND. It does make slight colour shifts.

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2011, 04:08:36 PM »

I just got some CPL in 52mm size (fits both of my Nikkor's). I have never used them before, but I will give a try... I'll set saturation at "0" and see how it goes.

Over $550.00 for ONE FILTER (or is it 6/in one?)
I have spent $45.00 a pop in ND and UV filters, but not $100.00 a pop.

tamoio · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2011, 11:32:16 PM »

Quote from: M5-User on May 08, 2011, 04:08:36 PM

I just got some CPL in 52mm size (fits both of my Nikkor's). I have never used them before, but I will give a try... I'll set saturation at "0" and see how it goes.

Over $550.00 for ONE FILTER (or is it 6/in one?)
I have spent $45.00 a pop in ND and UV filters, but not $100.00 a pop.

Its a variable ND system, so in theory you could replace 3 or 4 filters with one. There are a lot of applications for ND when you are shooting video, especially if you are doing motion-control, time lapse or vfx work where you can't afford changing aperture in different light levels and also have shutter speed limitations.

This is a 4X4 filter for use in a matte-box or in the included filter holder, Tiffen sells a set of straight ND 4X4s they call "water white" that are supposed to be color-cast free and they cost about the same as this Schneider.

I don't think I'm the only one who has experienced difficulty getting a white balance with a lot of ND on, and its pretty much impossible to re-balance if you are "ramping" exposure using ND. Then in post you have to try and color grade a moving target as more or less ND is used.

sorry, wrong forum

lisandra · « **Reply #8 on:** May 21, 2011, 01:42:49 PM »

I have a vari nd, I do the custom.white balance with a Gary fong dome even in the 7 stop setting. Sometimes it takes a while to do it but the result is no color casts. What model do u have?

Panther · « **Reply #9 on:** May 21, 2011, 04:27:56 PM »

I want some Singh-Ray filters myself

variable ND