Camera

Thanks forbyfiev! 🙂

Smoke/haze plus Schneider Hollywood Black Magic filters most of the time. But some scenes I use Schneider Black Frost, which is similar to Tiffen Black ProMist. I shot two features with Tiffen GlimmerGlass, “The Astronaut Farmer” and “Akeelah and the Bee”.

Even rarer, some scenes use a Tiffen Black Diffusion/FX when I want softening but no halation around lights.

If a set gets hazy enough, I sometimes only use a 1/8 Black Frost (or no filter) because the haze is softening definition enough.

Thanks David.

I'm always so thankful for how you share you knowledge and always take the time to reply. I sincerely appreciate it.

The Austronaut Farmer has been on my list for a while. I am going to try to find it.

Just as a side note and not really a question: but I noticed that Schneider filters are used a bit in the States, while in Europe, I come more across the Xenon lenses than the filters.

I wonder how come.

Did you ever try the Xenons?

No haven't tried them.

That was a Schneider Hollywood Black Magic. Which is a “combo” filter design - it combines a base “mist” filter, the 1/8 Black Frost, with degrees of softening from an HD Classic Soft. Tiffen makes a similar combo diffusion, the Black Satin, which I believe uses a GlimmerGlass for its mist effect and degrees of Diffusion/FX for softening.

That is really interesting. I'm going to look further into those filters.

And again, thank you David.

I don't have a standard approach though I've used Hollywood Black Magics quite a bit in the past decade. I rent for a show but I do own the lightest versions of a number of diffusion filters just in case I want a certain effect (I have the lightest Fog, Double Fog, Pearlescent, Black Frost, White Frost, Hollywood Black Magic, etc.)

Thank you for that information Mr. Mullen.

Out of all the filter types you just listed which one do you find yourself using the most when shooting outside in the sun?

There’s nothing particular about being outside that would determine what diffusion filter to use if any, other than depth of field (if too deep, the pattern in some filters can come into focus). In terms of halation / flaring that depends on the situation like if you’re pointing at sunlight glaring off of the ocean, etc. You pick a filter, if at all, based on the effect you want to achieve, otherwise you don’t need to use a filter.

Some diffusion filters react differently on longer focal lengths, or at the opposite end, on very wide-angle lenses when you might have a lot of depth of field. A “mist” diffusion with fine particles in the glass might be less prone to odd artifacts from using very short or very long focal lengths as opposed to a filter with a larger pattern of, let’s say, lenslets like in a Classic Soft.

Got it. Thank you again for the information.