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polarizing filter?
Can anyone recommend a good polarizing filter for the HVX? Is there also a combo pack out there with a few filters?
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10 Replies
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Heliopan, B&W, Canon, Nikon, Tiffen, all make good glass.
“everything is broken”
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If you’re planning to work with filters a lot, a matte box with filter trays is a lot more useful and flexible than screw-on filters. At the very least, every HVX200 owner should immediately place a UV filter on their lens. Then, if something hits the lens it scratches a $20 filter, not the built-in glass of a $6,000 camera.
Noah
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I am just shopping around and I dont want to under buy for a professional camera. Would this be a good start? https://cgi.ebay.com/82MM-UV-PL-FLD-HD-FILTER-KIT-FOR-PANASONIC-AG-HVX200_W0QQitemZ120131927245QQihZ002QQcategoryZ74915QQcmdZViewItem
Also which works better on the HNV PL or the Circular PL. Is there a recommeded UV and FL filter? I would like to try and get a three pack. I can’t afford a matte box at this time so I need circular.
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The one on eBay is total junk. But better than nothing if you just want to see what a filter does I suppose. Go to a proper camera store if you want something professional.
Noah
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A camera store just confused me by saying I needed a digital filter. Maybe they don’t know much about video. Here is one I have found. Would it it adequate for the HVX? https://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-HOYA-82mm-Standard-Circular-Polarizer-Filter-82_W0QQitemZ200119546728QQihZ010QQcategoryZ15217QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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Circular filters are needed to work with the autofocus on digital SLR still cameras. This is probably what the camera store guy meant by a “digital filter”, but the HVX doesn’t care, so just get the less expensive linear one. We recently got Hoya filters from B&H which seem fine so far. I haven’t used them on a real shoot yet, but the test footage looks good.
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Don’t confuse circular and lenear filters with the shape – circular or sqaure. A circular polarizing filter can be round and thread on the front of the lens or square to drop in a matte box. Circular polarizers have a second element that is a light baffle that re-scatters the light after polarization. This allows beam splitters used for exposure metering and auto focus to function properly. Most importantly is metering. The polarizing effect will change as you move the camera off axis from your light source.
We’re shooting HD here. The weakest point of the HVX200 is probably the ccd’s. The lens is adaquate to the quality of the ccd’s and the dsp so don’t make your polarizing filter the weakest part of the equation. Some of the brands listed in my 1st post are companies who have been making glass for over a century and they are good. Look at what the lenses for the HPX500 cost and consider a $150.00 polarizing filter on an HVX200 a bargain. Think of them as investments. I’ve had B&W and Nikon polarizers for 20 years and looking back I’m glad I bought the best at the time because over 20 years the extra cost is not such a biggie. This is why Noah’s recomendation of a good matte box and drop in filters is so good. This way your optical accessories are like your audio gear, seperate from the camera and you can take them with you. You’ll need a matte box with rotating filter drawers to use the square polarizing filters if you go that route.
“everything is broken”
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Thank you. Good advice. here is a matte box I am looking at. The MX-5000 Pro https://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=55. Will it be adequate? also should I screw a UV filter to the lense and use it in addition to the matte box and filters. Finally If you could recommend some good 4x4s for poliarizer and shooting in a flourecent environment. Should I go with multi coated? I hate to ask so many questions, but I am still waiting for the HVX rebate and the Barry Green’s HVX200 guide so I am a little more comforatble with the camera.
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This unit doesn’t appear to have a bellows. It must be set for the wide setting and the HVX200 has a pretty wide angle of view so I would check to see if it would vignette on these cameras with a filter in the holder. What are you suposed to do when you are shooting in the telephoto range? Use their french flag to control light? I guess you could use matts of various sizes in the filter drawers (more stuff to buy) but there still is no adjustment for positioning graduated or soft effect filters which are all relative to the focal point and the aperture used.
The other issue is the plastic filter holders or frames. How much do they cost and how fast are they to load your filter into? A matte box that you can just drop filters into is nice as long as it holds the filters tightly and they don’t drop out if you rotate the holder. Some matte boxes use thumb screws to nudge up to the edge of the filter to hold it snugly but that can chip the edges of your filters and eventually ruin them. You have to decide if you like the filter frames with their added cost and extra loading time (if you don’t buy enough for all you common filters) or a straight drop in system with spring retainers or thumb screws. That’s a personal choice.
Dual bellows systems with the filter drawers in the middle are the best. The outer edge of the back bellows should extend far enough to almost vignette in the telephoto range of your lens. With today’s lenses you will likely need a matte on the end to achieve this. Thus it is acting as your lens hood. The front bellows controls the position of graduated filters for darkening a bright sky etc. and for the degree of softness from black nets etc. under various lighting conditions. (that dreamy Charlie’s Angles look) It should butt up to the lens snuggly some how.
Sorry to be so long winded, the one you are looking at will be fine for a polarizer and the fld you mentioned but it is a real basic unit otherwise.
“everything is broken”
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Thanks,
Don’t worry about long messages. I am good with VTR Assist and audio tech, but I am fairly new to cinematography and need to learn all I can. I just hate to keep peppering you guys with questions.
Anyway this really helps me make a decision and not spend money in the wrong places. Do you have a dual matte box that you recommend?
Thanks.
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