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Archive 2021 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

highdesertmesa
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p.2 #1 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

^ I guess every brand has their own affectionate nicknames

Apr 07, 2021 at 01:49 PM

Andre Y
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p.2 #2 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Thanks for the great examples!

Tiffen has a lot of different diffusion filters with various effects, so if you don't like some aspect of BPM like the raised blacks, then another filter they offer may work better for you. I believe all their filters are uncoated too, so they will cause reflections and flare too.

Apr 07, 2021 at 02:42 PM

r3w1nd
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p.2 #3 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Great examples in this thread! Really helpful to see the differences with different strengths at various focal lengths

Apr 07, 2021 at 10:24 PM

fjablo
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p.2 #4 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Good idea to have this thread, thanks!

Do you guys use lens hoods with the filters? I tend not to use lens hoods in general, but got A LOT of veiling flare with the BPM 1/4 when I used it during the day. Actually didn't have too many opportunities to test this yet, though.

Apr 08, 2021 at 06:36 AM

Andre Y
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p.2 #5 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

I generally can't use a hood because I use step up rings to adapt 82mm round filters down to all my lenses. You could shade the top of your lens with your hand or use a flag of some sort. For video work, I deliberately want flare, so I don't bother, but matte boxes with a flag above the lens is the usual way video people solve that problem.

Apr 08, 2021 at 01:58 PM

r3w1nd
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p.2 #6 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Do people here suggest buying the filter thread size for the largest lens you have? The only reason I ask is that my largest filter thread is also for my longest lens, which will likely call for a different diffusion strength than my shorter focal lengths, that and the larger filter threads are much more expensive

Apr 08, 2021 at 07:35 PM

fjablo
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p.2 #7 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Apr 09, 2021 at 02:03 AM

bjhurley
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p.2 #8 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

fjablo wrote:
The larger filters are expensive, but so is buying multiple ones. I'd suggest you buy in the size of the largest lens you'd want to use it on.

But keep in mind the potential flare & lens hood issue mentioned above. Personally I like the highlight bloom effect these filters produce, but the flare can be too much at times.

One solution, albeit a rather extreme one, is to use a matte box. I do cinematography as well as photography so I already have a matte box, but it was set up to mount on rails; I couldn't attach it to my stills camera. I have since bought a clamp-on mount so now I can just clamp it directly onto any of my lenses. Note that this only works if the lens doesn't have a rotating front element, otherwise the matte box will spin around as you focus.

Small, lightweight clamp-on matte boxes are available from manufacturers such as smallrig, Wooden Camera, Tilta, and others. They are more bulky and way more expensive than a lens hood, but they're very effective at controlling flare. Most are designed for inserting rectangular cinema filters (which are super expensive due to all that glass) but you can insert a lens with a filter screwed into it and use the matte box that way, no problem.

I settled on 77mm filters (in retrospect I should have gone larger because it limits my lens options somewhat) and I use step-up rings from Duclos Lenses because they come in standard 80mm outside diameters that fit perfectly into my matte box. The Duclos step-up rings also come with rubber caps, so you can leave the step-up ring on all the time and cover your filtered step-up ring with a perfectly fitting cap if you're not using a matte box.

I use the Wooden Camera Zip Box Pro, which was pricey but it's very light, very well built, and adaptable to a wide variety of lenses. I mainly use it for cinematography but I've tried it on my vintage Minolta Rokkor lenses on my stills camera and it's helpful -- those old lenses are prone to veiling flare; sometimes that's what I want in the image but when I want to avoid it the matte box eliminates it. The matte box is not something I'd bring on a hiking trip, but for applications like outdoor portraits it comes in handy.

Apr 09, 2021 at 04:26 AM

rscheffler
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p.2 #9 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

nehemiahphoto wrote:
... my Tampon 70-180 ...

theHUN wrote:
Typo of the year.

nehemiahphoto wrote:
Vaseline and Tampons�this thread is superb. By page 2 we�ll be talking about how to builds patios and keto diets

Haha... no patio building this year - have you seen the price of lumber?? Crazy! I did keto about 4 years ago and went from a high of 95kg down to ~78. I'm 6'2"/188cm. My wife is Asian and can't survive without rice/noodles/carbs, so have had to compromise and settled at around 85kg now. But at least I've convinced her to reduce the amount of rice/noodles in dishes.

But seriously, I look forward to seeing the filter's effect (if any) on the Tamron at f/8. My preference is definitely for one of the diffusion filter flavors that does not reduce overall contrast or lift the blacks. Rather, one that subtly smooths fine details. I'd have to go back through the Schneider and Tiffen catalogs to recall the models that appealed to me most.

Apr 09, 2021 at 05:02 AM

Andre Y
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p.2 #10 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

r3w1nd wrote:
Do people here suggest buying the filter thread size for the largest lens you have? The only reason I ask is that my largest filter thread is also for my longest lens, which will likely call for a different diffusion strength than my shorter focal lengths, that and the larger filter threads are much more expensive

You might want to, but this is a personal taste thing, since some people might like more or less diffusion. I've found a huge difference going from a 12-35 zoom on an M43 sensor to an 85mm lens on a full-frame sensor, where it was perfect on the short end of the 12-35 zoom but way overdone on the 85mm lens. This was a BPM 1/4, but YMMV. It also depends on the environment you're shooting in: if you're shooting into the light with backlit subjects or have light sources in frame, then you'll probably notice the filter's effects more.

For example, the first shot here on the beach is just the bare Panasonic 12-35/2.8 (on a GH5), while the second scene in the garden has the BPM 1/4, but is also backlit, with the sun in the frame, as opposed to the front-lighting of the first scene:

Apr 09, 2021 at 01:21 PM

r3w1nd
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p.2 #11 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Has anyone had any experience with stacking these, particularly with the screw on filters?

Apr 09, 2021 at 03:22 PM

realVivek
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p.2 #12 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

To me, the RX1R II rendition is like having a very mild diffusion filter on the RX1.

Lower contrast.

Apr 09, 2021 at 04:31 PM

MJKoski
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p.2 #13 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Breathing to the lens usually works very well. And when the shot is ready, lens is ready for traditional photos again. I wonder if setting of a firecracker on top of some old UV filter would create a nice splash pattern.

Apr 09, 2021 at 04:45 PM

Paul.S
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p.2 #14 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

@ realVivek, its interesting you say that. I was looking at some of the images in this thread and thought the rxii has a silimar effect with the veiling flare, maybe not as pronouced. Ive seen pictures taken with the zm 50mm 1.5 that do the same as well. I enjoy the look these filters offer, interested to see how the 70-180mm tampon

performs as well nehemiahphoto. Good work all.

Apr 09, 2021 at 05:54 PM

nehemiahphoto
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p.2 #15 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

rscheffler wrote:
Haha... no patio building this year - have you seen the price of lumber?? Crazy! I did keto about 4 years ago and went from a high of 95kg down to ~78. I'm 6'2"/188cm. My wife is Asian and can't survive without rice/noodles/carbs, so have had to compromise and settled at around 85kg now. But at least I've convinced her to reduce the amount of rice/noodles in dishes.

But seriously, I look forward to seeing the filter's effect (if any) on the Tamron at f/8. My preference is definitely for one of the diffusion filter flavors that does not reduce...Show more →

My sister-in-law in Sri Lankan. We always joke about taking away her rice--but she can't be parted with it

Here is your requested head shot with @135mm.

My conclusion: the digital FX filter 1/2 I ordered is not strong enough. I know the filter is suppose to be invisible...but it's a bit too invisible, though I do see a hair of softening (pun). As longer FL's, one needs greater strengths of diffusion filters. I am guessing for a modern 135mm, I'd need a 1 or 2, meaning it would be 2 of 4 times more powerful. Anyway, here you go.

Tampon 70-180 @f8 w/ FX diffusion filter (1/2 strength):

Tampon 70-180 @f8 naked:

Apr 09, 2021 at 06:32 PM

nehemiahphoto
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p.2 #16 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

Also, I order a "Pearlescent" filter, with hopes of softening up files for more for portrait lenses. I deem this filter a success for my intended purposes. The difference is quite apparent, even on unedited RAW files posted below. As I've stated above, putting this on a 35mm versus a 75mm makes an immediate differences.

This lens on the Pentax 31mm and Sigma 35i, and the affect was greater, but I did not tripod this one. I am happy with it--adds warmth, some softness and lesser clarity.

Samyang 75mm @1.8 naked:

Samyang 75mm @1.8 with Pearlescent 1:

Apr 09, 2021 at 07:17 PM

rscheffler
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p.2 #17 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

nehemiahphoto wrote:
My sister-in-law in Sri Lankan. We always joke about taking away her rice--but she can't be parted with it

Here is your requested head shot with @135mm.

My conclusion: the digital FX filter 1/2 I ordered is not strong enough. I know the filter is suppose to be invisible...but it's a bit too invisible, though I do see a hair of softening (pun). As longer FL's, one needs greater strengths of diffusion filters. I am guessing for a modern 135mm, I'd need a 1 or 2, meaning it would be 2 of 4 times more powerful. Anyway, here you...Show more →

Thanks, much appreciated! I'd probably need access to a full set of filters in order to determine the look I prefer...

Apr 10, 2021 at 12:08 AM

ftllens
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p.2 #18 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

For doing comparo and quick changing between a filter you can use these things.

I did notice sometimes it might affect sharpness. I don't know if it was the gap or angle or filter I used before lol

Apr 10, 2021 at 12:30 PM

nehemiahphoto
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p.2 #19 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

rscheffler wrote:
Thanks, much appreciated! I'd probably need access to a full set of filters in order to determine the look I prefer...

Yes...I think so. I think I will download the software, and try to use that as a guide for future orders. I have my test photos with different strengths filters, so should an illustrative guide.

Apr 10, 2021 at 06:24 PM

fuzzykeys
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p.2 #20 · Diffusion Filters! (or Effect Filters in general)

This is a great thread! My wife recently got me a Prism Lens FX "Dream Filter" as a gift, which has really piqued my interest in diffusion filters. I am interested in adding some more diffusion filters to the kit for my portraiture work, especially ones that will give me more highlight blooming in softer light with minimal resolution softening. I think the Black Pro Mist is probably the way to go but I'm not sure what strengths to get.

Contrary to what its name and marketing might suggest, I think the Dream Filter may actually be a bit subtler overall than a 1/4 Black Pro Mist from what I've been seeing here and elsewhere online. Similarly to a BPM, it diffuses highlights, gently lowers contrast and keeps more of the resolution intact than other diffusion filters do. However, it also works in a totally different way. It does not use black particles to scatter the light. There seems to be a higher threshold at which the highlights will start to bloom. The effect is most pronounced and can be quite dramatic when you have direct hard highlights, but IMHO it is very subtle in soft light or shade. I don't usually do a ton of test shots with gear but here are some extremely bad photos that hopefully give you an idea of what it does. These were all shot handheld with a Sigma 50 Art on an a7iii.

First up, a light bulb @f1.4. Pretty straightforward. Looks like it is blooming about as much as a 1/8 Black Pro Mist might under these circumstances?

Sigma 50 Art Naked @1.4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @1.4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

LED light at @f4. Hard light is blooming, contrast is reduced but the image is still quite sharp.

Sigma 50 Art Naked @f4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @f4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Very hard light @1.4. Here you are seeing tons of blooming and glow in the harsh light.

Sigma 50 Art Naked @1.4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @1.4 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Curtain being hit by soft indirect exterior @3.2. Very little impact on the image here.

Sigma 50 Art Naked @3.2 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @3.2 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Curtain 100% by Test Shots, on Flickr

Hard light again @3.5.

Sigma 50 Art @3.5 Naked by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @3.5 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Hard Light 100% @3.5 by Test Shots, on Flickr

In the shade @2.5. The effect is very subtle here even on the specular highlights.

Sigma 50 Art Naked in Shade @2.5 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter in Shade @2.5 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Door Knob in Shade 100% by Test Shots, on Flickr

f6.3 in shade. 1st one is naked. 2nd one is with the dream filter. 3rd one is the dream filter with blacks -27 and clarity +12 in LR. 4th one is a 100% crop with naked on the left and the LR edit on the right. Still lots of resolution.

Sigma 50 Art Naked @6.3 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @6.3 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Sigma 50 Art w/ Dream Filter @6.3, Blacks -27, Clarity +12 by Test Shots, on Flickr

Yellow Building 100% Edited by Test Shots, on Flickr

Another from distance at f1.4. Lots of blooming from the silver reflective surface. Interestingly, the blooming hides the purple CA fringing here.