Click to EnlargeWhen To Use A Camcorder Filter
Most cinematographers use filters. Most videographers do not. Why? Money, time and tradition. Besides, you can always fix it in post. Right? Not necessarily. There are some things filters can do that you really can NOT fix in post.
Using filters can set you apart from the competition. And the super clarity of HD has image-sensitive personalities clamoring for filters to smooth out their wrinkles and rough edges. The question then is: will a competitive edge or HD cause you to bridge the filter divide? If so, what filters should you use? Video producer and junior college instructor Jeff Sengstack answers those questions in this tutorial.
Fig. 1 (Click to enlarge)Lens filters are the mainstay of the film industry (Figure 1). When a director of photography rents a camera, a filter kit is invariably part of the package. And most cinematographers own a collection of filters they rely on to create a look that's uniquely theirs.
Filters traditionally go hand-in-hand with film, because film stock is rated for specific color temperatures. So, at the very least, if you shift locations and are shooting on the same reel of film, you need to use filters to compensate for different lighting.
Videographers, traditionally, have not relied on filters for a variety of reasons:
- Color temperature is a non-issue for videographers. The camcorder's white balance control takes care of most lighting situations.
- Budgets for video shoots are typically much less than for film. So high-end filters that cost $100 to $500 each aren't on most videographers' radar.
- Swapping filters during a fast-paced field production is a hassle, even if you use a filter holder (aka matte box).
- Video-editing software offers plenty of filter-like effects.
Overcoming Filter Phobia
Despite those issues, as a videographer you might want to rethink your filter phobia. Filters can improve your client working relationship. Jason Pedri, the owner of Roaring Mouse Productions in Cotati, California uses filters and a video monitor when shooting in the field with clients. Pedri says that a filter/monitor combination "empowers the client, gives them confidence to make suggestions about the shot and gives us more insight into what they had in mind for the shot appearance."
White Rabbit Productions in Salt Lake City attributes much of its success to the use of filters. Its mantra is, "We make people look good." To do that takes proper lighting and filters. White Rabbit's clients range from 60 Minutes, Dateline NBC and Access Hollywood to Disney, Dr. Phil and Oprah. "If we don't make clients look good, we lose those clients," says owner Sam Prigg. His teams use polarizing, ultraviolet, neutral-density, Pro-Mist, soft-FX and orange (85b) filters to create a warm film-like look, cut reflections, soften hard features and giving a light glow to faces.
Your Filter Kit
If you have not used filters in video or still photography, some of those filter names (and numbers) probably won't resonate with you. But all are worth considering if you want to venture into this higher plane of videography. Here's a rundown of some essential - or at least useful - filters. To demonstrate how these filters work, I've used images provided by The Tiffen Company.
Essential Filters
Fig. 2 (Click to enlarge)
Fig. 3 (Click to enlarge)- UV (Ultraviolet) - cuts through haze generated by ultraviolet light (not particulates like smog). Many videographers use a UV or a clear filter simply to protect their lenses and get some haze reduction as a side benefit (Figure 2).
- Polarizer - increases color saturation and contrast (typically creating deep blue skies), while cutting reflections. There is no practical way digital F/X can replicate polarizing filters (Figure 3).
- Neutral Density (ND) - gray filters that absorb light evenly throughout the visible spectrum (they are rated by the amount of light they absorb). You use them when you want to open your f-stop to shrink the depth of field. This enables you to soften the background focus while keeping your subject in focus. Again...standard digital F/X cannot match the look of ND filters.
