Tag Archives: nd filter

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Aputure has released several versions of their DEC Lens Adapters, but in case you're not familiar with what they are and how they work, i've put together this Product Overview video. This video specifically focuses on the brand new DEC Vari-ND Model (available in MFT and E-Mount), but is very similar to the other models - especially the LensRegain version which is a Focal Reducer (a.k.a Speed Booster) Lens adapter.


Who's it For?
The way the product DEC Lens Adapters are designed, I think primarily it should really appeal to camera operators that need the ability to adjust focus with a wireless remote. Obviously it's not at the level of a professional Wireless Follow Focus system, but it at least offers decent focus controls at a minimal cost in an incredibly compact form. Even cheap wireless follow focus systems can still run well over $1200 dollars and require additional rods to mount, and additional power to run the focus motors.

The wireless remote and clamp can be attached as a handle to your gimbal, on a Steadicam, end of a Jib, or even to just the Pan Handle of your Tripod. Additional features such as iris adjustment on your Canon EF (or compatible) lenses can be handy when you are transitioning a camera movement from indoors to outdoors, or to just change your DOF. But now with the new Vari-ND version (electronic variable ND Filter) you have another dimension in which you can control your exposure and all through a wireless remote.

About the Vari-ND Filter
Traditional Variable ND Filters placed on the front lenses use two rotating pieces of glass that cancel out light as you rotate. While this is simple and effective, there are some drawbacks to how much variation you can have, how much color shift happens, and most importantly how much softness occurs because of how the two additional pieces of glass affect the incoming light (image).

The ND Filter inside of the DEC Vari-ND Lens Adapter is NOT using two pieces of polarizing glass. and is instead using a single sheet of glass (with liquid crystals) and uses electricity to adjust and vary the amount of ND. This is similar to the technology found in the new Sony FS5 camera. Aputure also claims that there are no color shifts happening during the process of varying the amount of ND applied.

At the minimum ND8 you're looking at about 3 Stops of ND Applied. The darkest ND applied on the Vari-ND is about 11 stops. ND8 (3 Stops) is pretty dark and something you won't be using indoors. Outdoors, you'll find the the Vari-ND useful especially when shooting at F/2.8 or wider. You'll notice in my video test there are steps between what i'm actually calling out (stops between ND8 and ND16, etc). Aputure claims they may be able to add a firmware update that allows smooth ND transitions instead of the stepping it has now (similar to how the Sony FS5 operates).

Summary
The line of Aputure DEC Lens Adapters are certainly very unique and offers features in a form factor and price that can't be found in any other tool. You can visit their website for additional information about the complete line of Aputure DEC Lens Adapters (found here).

aputure dec vari-nd lens adapter lensregain
check latest pricing Aputure DEC - Lens Adapter + Vari-ND + Lens Regain

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If you own a Panasonic GH3 / GH4 (or other M43 camera) then you'll find that the the Panasonic 7-14mm Wide Angle Lens is a must have for ultra wide views with minimal barrel distortion. You'll often see my gimbal reviews setup with the GH4 and the 7-14mm as this is one of my favorite lightweight camera setups to run around with.

But in bright outdoor situations you don't easily have the option of adding a proper CPL Polarizer or ND Filter to maintain proper shutter speeds while shooting video. Perhaps you'll need a very dark ND Filter for long exposure images or to add motion blur during timelapse images. Or maybe you're thinking about adding a basic UV (clear) filter to protect the front lens element during a car mount, or sports that could kick debris towards your lens causing chips and scratches.

There's a number of good reasons why you'll want to add filters to the Panasonic 7-14mm lens, and so you'll want to check out this PVGear threaded filter holder. It's made of a durable plastic, but has a metal threaded ring to mount your filter. It merely clamps to the hood, so you don't need any tools to get it on or off. If you're a fan of this lens like I am, you can find more information about the Panasonic 7-14mm Filter Adapter over on the product page (click here).

panasonic wide angle lens nd filter 7-14mm7-14mm filter holder adapter
Learn-More-sm Threaded Filter Adapter for Panasonic 7-14mm Wide Angle Lens

And if you're like me, I like to keep the Variable ND Filter slim while still on a budget. A great option is the Fotga 86mm Slim VND (found here).

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After testing out a couple of the different HFR (high frame rates) with the Sony RX10 Mark II, the 240fps setting looked very usable. Today I went around shooting random samples with just this one setting.

Prior to shooting in 240fps (or any HFR mode), you have to prepare the camera into 'Standby Mode'. Once the camera is in Standy, you can't adjust any settings (aperture, zoom, ISO, etc), and you can't adjust focus. So it's a bit tricky especially when working handheld.

Unlike the 120fps in which you can shoot all day, the 240fps will give you about 1 second of recording (maybe shorter). After that brief second, it takes several seconds to save the recording to the SDXC card. You really have to time your shot to fit into that one second of recording.

I still think the GH4 is capable of producing better footage (especially in low light), but the RX10MKII offers a bunch of features and some not found with a GH4. To match the focal range on a GH4 with what is available in the RX10MKII, I would have had to bring my 12-35mm F/2.8 OIS + 35mm-100mm F/2.8 OIS lenses. When traveling or on vacation, it's just easier to work with one lens.

Both cameras will give you 4K internal recording, but the GH4 only offers up to 96fps while the RX10MKII can shoot 120fps all day + options for up to 960fps (240fps is probably the max I would use). I also enjoy having an ND Filter option built in with the RX10 MKII instead of having to carry ND filters.

Both cameras will offer 4K Internal recording and the stabilized zoom lens on this RX10MKII allows you to shoot very stable footage so that you don't always need a monopod or tripod. The RX10 even offers a de-clicked aperture ring so that you can adjust exposures on the fly. There's a microphone input and Headphone output as well, so you can use this as a full run-gun event or documentary camera.

The footage in the video above was shot in SLOG2 mostly ISO 1000 - ISO 2000. I'm still not happy about coloring SLOG2 on this camera (it's different than A7s, but I think eventually I'll find the right settings as I keep trying.

sony rx10 mark II
find-price-button Sony RX10 Mark 2 28-200mm F/2.8 Zoom 4K Video HFR Slow Motion

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Over the weekend I spent a day shooting with a new BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera out at Monterey, CA. This time around I was prepared with 6 batteries and over 200GB of space with compatible SDHC cards. Needless to say, my time spent with the camera was much more pleasant than my very first experience. The video below is an example of the footage straight from the camera along with an image that had basic contrast + saturation added.

The shots were mostly handheld, with an LCD ViewFinder (not yet released product) attached to help me with focusing and while working in bright daylight. An LCD ViewFinder is a must have with this camera! Below is the same video without the ProRes crop.

I had a pretty decent idea of the lenses I wanted to take out with me, so I settled on just the Panasonic 20mm F/1.7 pancake, Panasonic 12-35mm F/ 2.8 OIS, and Rokinon 7.5mm Fisheye. BMPC users on a budget should really look into the Rokinon 7.5mm Fisheye and the 12-35mm F/2.8 as part of their everyday kit. The fisheye doesn't look overly distorted and offers a decent wide view angle for cheap money, while the Panasonic 12-35mm F/2.8 OIS is a great overall lens that will offer fairly stable shots completely hand held.

 Suggested Micro Four Third Lenses for Pocket Cinema Camera

7-14mm Pocket Cinema Camera
7-14mm F/4 		12-35 BlackMagic Pocket Lens
12-35mm F/2.8 		35-100mm Panasonic Pocket Cinema Camera BlackMagic Lens
35-100mm F/2.8 		Rokinon 8mm Pocket Cinema Camera
7.5mm Fisheye 		514tmtNtqvL._AA160_
45-150mm

Canon-vs-GH3-vs-BlackMagic-Pocket-cinema-1
find-price-button BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera - via DVEStore.com

Canon-vs-GH3-vs-BlackMagic-Pocket-cinema-1
find-price-button BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera - via B&HPhotoVideo

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I know this very particular Pocket Cinema Camera I have in my hands may have some weird internal noise, but when using an external mic it actually sounds pretty darn good. Yesterday I had a few hours to play with the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera, but I decided to try something different.

I had a Rode VideoMic Pro connected to the Pocket Cinema Camera and BOTH Audio & VIDEO were captured from the HDMI output directly to the Atomos Ninja 2. I did not use an SDXC card in the camera. I also only wanted to use Micro Four Thirds lenses instead of adapting larger Canon/Nikon lenses.

BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera
(somewhere in this mess is a Pocket Cinema Camera)

First problem, I have no spare batteries for this camera. Any current Pocket Cinema Camera owner will tell you how poor a single battery is. You'll be lucky to get 20 minutes of run time out of it. So I DIY'd my own battery cable to connect to my Tekkeon Battery Pack as an external power source. I was able to run all day and my Tekkeon didn't even take a hit. So that's why I needed rails to mount my battery.

I didn't have enough SD card storage, so I decided to bring out the Atomos. With a 240GB Solid State Drive, I could capture hours of footage. Plus I was curious how capturing from the HDMI would turn out.

Rode VideoMic Pro Atomos Ninja Atomos Ninja HDMI Recorder 10 bit 422 BlackMagic Pocket cinema
It looks ugly I know. Believe me, I never want to use this camera in this configuration, but I am waiting for extra gear to use this camera.

Now that I had all of this extra weight, I added a Top Handle with an LCD Mount. The rig was heavy enough that I needed to bring out a heavier duty tripod. In the future, I simply plan on just stocking up on a dozen batteries so that I don't have to mount a power source to the camera. If I can get enough SDHC / SDXC media cards, then I can get rid of the Atomos Ninja.

Without all the extra junk, I can get rid of the rails, carry a smaller Tripod, and finally make it a truly pocketable Cinema Camera. Moral of this story - get a lot of batteries and SD cards if you want to stay pocketable.

Pocket Cinema Camera Pocket Cinema Camera BlackMagic Design Atomos Ninja Rode Videomic
Shooting Parrots with Panasonic 45-150mm

So here's some footage I shot yesterday while making plenty of mistakes. Focusing was difficult on the LCD Screen especially in bright daylight. I tried to rely on the built in Focus Peaking feature (green lines) but I can tell many of the shots were out of focus.

The on screen Zebra lines helped let me know what was blown out, but there was no indicator if the shadows were being clipped. At times I would use the false color feature on the Atomos to help judge, but even that screen in daylight was difficult to use. An LCD View Finder or external EVF will definitely help when working with this camera.

Panasonic 7-14mm Rokinon 8mm Fisheye
I couldn't use my ND Filters on these Lenses. Panasonic 7-14mm & Rokinon 7.5mm Fisheye

I carried two very wide lenses a Panasonic 7-14mm & Rokinon 7.5mm fisheye. These lenses are sharper at a wider aperture, but because these don't come with a threaded mount, I could not use an ND Filter. I tried stopping down the aperture to F/22 but in the end the footage was very soft. I guess to use these lenses, you'll need to carry around a Matte Box.

Micro Four Third Lenses for Pocket Cinema Camera

7-14mm Pocket Cinema Camera
7-14mm F/4 		12-35 BlackMagic Pocket Lens
12-35mm F/2.8 		35-100mm Panasonic Pocket Cinema Camera BlackMagic Lens
35-100mm F/2.8 		Rokinon 8mm Pocket Cinema Camera
7.5mm Fisheye 		514tmtNtqvL._AA160_
45-150mm

The Audio in this video was from a Rode VideoMic Pro (no preamp) directly into the BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera (set to 0). The audio was sent over the HDMI and recorded into the Atomos Ninja 2. I thought it sounded pretty darn good for no preamp. If you see closeup footage in the video that's typically from the Panasonic 35-100mm F/2.8, or Panasonic 45-150mm. The wider shots are on the Panasonic 7-14mm and Rokinon 8mm Fisheye. I definitely need more practice working with this camera.

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Kamerar.com will be giving away a FREE Video MAX-1 Matte Box this Friday (5/11/13). One person will be selected randomly, contacted via email, and the chosen person will be announced at the Kamerar.com Blog.

To enter you basically like the Cheesycam & Kamerar Facebook pages by first following the directions in the form below. For more information about the Kamerar MAX-1 Matte Box specifically, check out the product page at https://Kamerar.com.

Kamerar GiveAway

Good luck, and if you want to share this post with others on Twitter simply (Click to Share on Twitter)

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The next MagFilter to be released from Carry Speed is the MagFilter Threaded Ring Adapter. There is no glass on this MagFilter Threaded Adapter Ring. This adapter allows you to use the filters of your choice with your high end compact camera like the Sony RX100.

Right now three different adapters (choose one) are designed to support 52mm, 55mm, or 58mm filters such as a Polarizer or ND Filter. The product has been announced, and should be available soon from https://CarrySpeed.com.

MagFilter Threaded Ring Adapter

If you're quite sure what the MagFilter System is, check out this old article (Click Here).

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mag-filter2

The new Carry Speed MagFilter System Polarizers for high end compact cameras that lack threaded filter mounts are officially available today. If you're not quite sure what this is, you can see an old article posted (here). If you're unsure whether it will fit your camera, you can download and print a template to test with your camera from the product page.

Carry Speed MagFilter System Sony Canon

For those who prefer Amazon, the 36mm MagFilter Polarizer can be found (HERE), and the 42mm MagFilter Polarizer can be found (HERE).

Or purchase direct from the CarrySpeed.com website from the MagFilter product page (Click Here)

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find-price-button Carry Speed MagFilter System - Polarizer

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Sorry for the long wait, but here is the official announcement about the new MagFilter System . This is the Polarizer i've been using with my Sony RX100 cameras. I was able to help with some ideas on this fast and simple filter solution that can be used with many of today's high end compact cameras, while leaving the camera virtually unaltered.

mag filter2

The MagFilter System uses strong magnets within the Aluminum filter body, and attaches to the front area of high end compact cameras systems with a very thin metal ring that adheres to the camera.

mag filter

Using high quality coated glass optics from Japan, the Polarizer is the first MagFilters that will be available this week. There are two different sizes that can support a variety of cameras. The 42mm MagFilter works on cameras like the Sony HX9V, HX10V, HX20V, HX30V, and of course the new Sony RX100.

MP4

The smaller 36mm MagFilter works on cameras like the Canon S95 and Canon S100. I've been testing the Polarizer for a few weeks, and it works to cut glare from reflective surfaces such as water, glass, leaves, and even helps retain information in the sky.

s100

One thing I noticed is that the Sony RX100 seems to retain more details in the shadows when using the polarizer, possibly because it cuts down on those specular highlights in the scenery. With very bright highlights, the Sony RX100 will try to retain this by slightly underexposing. With the highlights being controlled in the scene, it seems like you can get a more balanced exposure - at least that's what i've experienced in some of my tests.

japan2_mediumMagFilter_grande
find-price-button MagFilter System for High End Compact Cameras

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