Another characteristic of film, or more specifically the camera lenses, is that they can create a very limited area that is in focus. This shallow depth of field focuses the viewer's attention on one plane, such as the actor's eye or a person sneaking up behind the main character.
You can use special adapters with some camcorders that will allow you to use film "prime" lenses. You may lose some automated features, like auto focus and exposure, but you'll gain a powerful ability to highlight just your subject, throwing much of the foreground and background wonderfully out of focus. Opening your camcorder's aperture to its widest setting will also reduce the depth of field. You can do this by using neutral-density filters, either in camera or in front of your lens.
Lens filters create two other film-like characteristics: they make the image less sharp and reduce contrast. There are lens filters that use various materials to slightly diffuse the image. These often also reduce the contrast at the same time. Polarizing filters will reduce contrast by bringing the exposure value of the sky down, depending on the time of day and angle to the sun. A graduated neutral-density filter can accomplish a similar task, but you are more restricted with its use. A matte box will make using filters easier and will also improve your overall image by keeping stray light off your l…
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