Tag Archives: light craft workshop

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First off, let's state the obvious! Of course i'm bound to have IR Pollution issues without using a proper 'IR Cut Filter'. But the point of this video is to show that even basic ND Filters that are not advertised with IR Cut can all perform differently, so it's better to test out your filters with specific cameras before heading out to shoot a full project.

I've used my Tiffen Static ND Filters happily on many of my cameras without issues. It's a nice sharp image. But as the BlackMagic Design Ursa Mini 4.6K is more sensitive to IR Pollution this (non-IR Cut) Tiffen ND 1.2 is probably the worst ND Filter you can use with the Ursa Mini 4.6K or other IR Sensitive cameras.

Again, I know none of these filters are advertised as IR Cut and you could probably spend a good amount of money on some special filters. But in this case, the URSA Mini 'without' a filter doesn't seem too bad so you may get away without one. And the LCW Fader ND MKII (though not advertised as IR cut) seems to handle IR Pollution extremely well, so it's a variable ND I can highly recommend. You can find the LCW Fader ND MKII Variable ND via B&H (click here).

Or you can also find the LCW Fader ND MKII Variable ND via Amazon (click here)
Ursa Mini IR Cut Filter Pollution Light Craft Workshop Fader ND MKII
Learn-More-smLight Craft WorkShop Fader ND MKII

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Light Craft Workshop, well known for their Variable ND Fader Filters has released a new Portable Mini Jib called the Trapezist. They list a special price for early bird adopters, but even when it goes to full retail price, it's reasonable for such a product (compared to other mini-jibs). You can find more information following the link to their product page https://lightcraftworkshop.com/trapezist.html.

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A few days ago I posted about using Rubber Hoods as an inexpensive solution to shading your glass (as opposed to Matte Boxes). The LCW - Light Craft Workshop Digi Pro ND Filter starts with a 77mm thread and cones out to an 82mm thread. Since these ND filters can be pretty expensive, you can adapt one ND to several lenses by using cheap step up filter rings. The same idea goes for other filters like a CPL - Circular Polarizer. If you plan to do this, you want to make sure that you get the largest ND filter available to cover all your lenses. The one problem you'll run into is that you can no longer use the stock lens hood, so a cheap fix is to use these folding rubber lens hoods. Here's a look at how it all comes together.

When shopping for Step Up filters, make sure the first number is smaller than the second. There is such a thing as 'Step Down Filters' which you probably won't have much use for. Not sure about the thread size of your lens? Normally you'll find the information on the lens itself, but another tip is to look carefully for tiny numbers on the back of your Lens Cap. Rubber lens hoods can be for under $5 bucks (click here).

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find-price-button Rubber Lens Hoods - via Amazon

Cheaper of course if you check on eBay

Folding Rubber Lens HoodFolding Rubber Lens Hood
find-price-button Folding Rubber Lens Hoods

I don't suggest stacking a step up on top of another step up. This could work in a pinch, but it will have a slimmer profile if you use just one. I'm using a 77mm LCW Digi Pro Variable ND filter, so to save myself the headache, I ended up purchasing (2) of every filter size up to 77mm. There's only about 7 common sizes to cover most DSLR lenses you'll come across from 49mm-77mm, 52mm-77mm, 55mm-77mm, 58mm-77mm, 62mm-77mm, 67mm-77mm, and 72mm-77mm.. Depending on the size of the ND or CPL you're trying to adapt to, you might want to do the same. For Step up filter rings, they run as low as $1 dollar + Free shipping.

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find-price-button Lens Metal Threaded Step Up Filter Rings

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If you love to shoot outdoors on bright sunny days with a shallow DOF, you'll need to get yourself an ND (neutral density) Filter. The ND filter will cut down the amount of light that comes in through the lens so that you can tame that shutter speed, and use a wide aperture without blowing out the image. Still confused? Olivia has a short video that explains how shutter can change the look of your video here: https://vimeo.com/25851113.

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There are static ND filters in various sizes and densities, and then there are Variable ND filters. The convenience of a Variable type ND filter is you can simply dial in how much light you need to block out. Variable ND filters are a two piece glass filter design. Rotate the outer glass, and it will increase/decrease the amount of light passing through.

One important thing to know is that you will get different results from different Variable ND filters on the market. Because the filters are using two pieces of polarizing glass, you could suffer from color cast (reddish/purplish), also color shifting (color temp changes as you rotate the filter), and more importantly Softness of image. The more expensive ones don't suffer as much with these problems, but they can be out of reach for most hobbyist. Of course, I use what I can afford, because in some situations I feel anything is better than nothing. If you're a stickler on quality, or invested thousands of dollars on that Zeiss and Canon 'L series' glass, I think you'll want to try to maintain the best image possible by using something of higher caliber.

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Shown throughout this article is the latest 77mm LCW Digi Pro HD, which on the outer end terminates to a larger 82mm. This step up from 77mm-82mm design prevents obstruction when used on wider lenses. Packaged well, the LCW Digi Pro HD comes with it's own padded case and an 82mm Lens cap if you choose to leave the filter on during storage. To ensure the filter does not accidentally rotate during use and changing exposure, there's a locking pin to hold position.

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Light Craft Workshop was one of the first companies to really hit the DSLR Video market with a quality Variable ND filter about 3 years ago. Since then, they've improved with an Ultra Mark II version, and now has released a much more improved Fader ND Digi Pro HD. The Digi Pro HD filter was first released in a 4x4 filter used in Matte Boxes, and has now been adapted to this variable threaded filter.

I was lucky enough to have this sent over from LCW [Thanks Guys], and will be taking it out for some use. There's no question in my mind that it will provide top quality results, and i'll try to provide some still images at different focal lengths for you all. The new Digi Pro HD filter was just announced a few days ago, and may not yet be available, but you can see all their announcements at their website here: https://LightCraftWorkshop.com. As this Digi Pro HD is not a replacement for some of their other Variable ND products, you can find those products and prices already available at their official store via eBay (click here).

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find-price-button Light Craft Workshop Variable ND & CPL Filters

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