Filters?

Evolve · #1 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 01:08 AM

Hey,

I've decided its time to put some money into my camcorder. Right now I own a nice Wide-Angle Lens and Telephoto lens. They have been doing me great, but now I've noticed filters (EX: UV filter etc)

My question would be, do they do any good for camcorders? or are they just crap? If so, what kind of filters should I look into? And, what filters do YOU use/recommend.

Thanks

-Bill

The Guru · #2 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 10:02 AM

Go to: http://www.formatt.co.uk/glass/default.asp

Formatt Filters' website

and then follow the links in the bottom right hand corner to a series of articles about filters, written by a professional lighting cameraman.

Marc Peters · #3 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 04:19 PM

Besides the glaringly obvious dis-advantage of not being able to change your mind after filming, anyone care to lecture me on the benefit of using on camera filters compared to post production?

Evolve · #4 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Peters

Besides the glaringly obvious dis-advantage of not being able to change your mind after filming, anyone care to lecture me on the benefit of using on camera filters compared to post production?

Ya, thats another questions? Can I just do what these filter do, in post-productoin? Or will I only get it with a Filter.

Thanks "The Guru" good stuff.

Marc Peters · #5 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 08:32 PM

You can indeed achieve colour grading effects in post production, either using plugins for your editor such as Magic Bullets or playing around with the colour levels.

Evolve · #6 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Peters

You can indeed achieve colour grading effects in post production, either using plugins for your editor such as Magic Bullets or playing around with the colour levels.

Sweet. I can get a 4 pack of Filter for cheap, so I think I'm going to buy them ,and try them out. See how it all works.

I'll keep ya posted.

Nikosony · #7 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 10:38 PM

If it's special effects that you're looking to achieve then leave it to post production as said earlier, but if it's protecting the lens you're after, what about a UV or ND filter?

Mike Thorpe · #8 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 06:03 AM

I once used a polarising filter from a regular camera, gaffer taped (oh gaffer tape, you are amazing) to the front of a camcorder, and that worked fantastically!

Mark W · #9 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 12:21 PM

I just use a uv filter but that is to protect the lens. All the rest I do post. That magic bullet suite is very good but pricey so I have recently been playing around with curves, saturation, glow, adding gradients ect to get moe 'filmy' looks. With a bit of fiddling you can really make that bland video look much more intersting.

Example:

Flat: http://www.zaskarfilms.com/images/stpflat.jpg
Fiddled: http://www.zaskarfilms.com/images/stpon.jpg

In the fiddled versin I wanted more impact and a 'hotter' look. I used sharpening, curves, a bit of white glow and a bit of blue in the colour balance. I also darkened the sky and foreground.

Downside of all this is looonng rendering times, but hey that is nothing new to video editors.