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Skylight 1A filter
The skylight 1A filter has a very slight pink tinge to it, designed to counteract
the very blue light that can occur on cloudless days. The effect is more noticeable
on SLR camera use, (and camcorders with manual white balance), as the camcorders
auto white balance tends to 'correct' any effect produced. This filter also makes
an excellent lens protector against finger marks, rain spots, general dirt and dust
and accidental damage. They are easy to clean, and, if it becomes scratched or broken
then simply throw it away and buy another one. The average camcorder lens assembly
would be in excess of £100 to replace, and may be out of action for some time.
A useful trick with these filters is to smear Vaseline around the edge to produce
some interesting effects (don't try this with your lens!) If you buy no other filters,
one of these is an absolute must! SIZES & PRICES
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Also available, superior quality skylight filters, made to provide the best results
with digital cameras SIZES & PRICES
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Polarising filter
This filter has the same effect as Polaroid sunglasses, ie it eliminates unwanted
reflections and helps colour saturation. It will deepen the blue of the sky and make
clouds stand out more strongly. Particularly useful on holiday - it helps to make
the sea look a little more like it did in the brochure! There are two types of polarising
filter available, circular and linear. Broadly speaking all camcorders should use
only the circular type, whereas manual focus SLR cameras use mainly the linear type.
Polarising filters can be freely rotated once fitted, this allows you to find the
desired position for maximum effect, but beware the autofocus as this sometimes rotates
the lens barrel! It can at first be difficult to gauge the effect of a polarising
FILTER through a mono viewfinder, and it is best to become familiar with the filter
by using your TV as a monitor. Another little known fact is that a polariser also
reduces the overall amount of light by around 2 'stops', ie a similar effect to that
of an ND4 filter. Altogether, a polariser is possibly the most useful filter you
can buy. SIZES
& PRICES |
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Also available, superior quality circular polarising filters, made to provide
the best results with digital cameras SIZES & PRICES
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Ultraviolet (UV) filter
The ultra violet filter is a very pale yellow and is designed to absorb ultra violet
rays and so reduce the blue haze from distant landscapes or seascapes. Very useful
for protecting the lens surface, it can be left permanently attached. SIZES & PRICES
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Also available, superior quality UV filters, made to provide the best results
with digital cameras SIZES & PRICES
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Cross screen (star) filter
Sometimes called a 'star' filter, these are available in 4,6 and 8 point versions.
The effect is to turn any bright light source in the picture into a star. Very effective
for night time city shots, disco scenes etc. If your camcorder has manual iris then
the effect can be manually altered to suit, although even on auto exposure satisfactory
results can be achieved. SIZES & PRICES
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Neutral density ND4 filter
This filter is purely designed to reduce the amount of light entering the lens, without
affecting the colour tones, ie a neutral colour shift. Particularly useful in strong
light and high contrast situations for example, snow or Mediterranean beach scenes
where the camcorder's auto exposure can be operating out of its normal range. It
can also be used to force the camcorder to use a slower shutter speed for creative
effects. SIZES
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Multi-image filters
Available in 3 face triangular, 5 face star and 6 face parallel. Make your own Bohemian
Rhapsody video! Produces multi picture in picture type effects. The filter can be
rotated once fitted to vary the effect. SIZES & PRICES
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Centre spot clear filter
As befits its description, the image is very misty around the edge and gradually
becomes clear until, at the centre, the image is unaffected. Used sparingly it can
produce very nice effects on wedding videos and family shots. SIZES & PRICES
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Soft focus
There is a big difference between out of focus and soft focus! Next time you have
the opportunity to study an old Hollywood Marilyn Monroe film for instance, look
carefully at the difference in effect between a close up shot of the leading lady
and a close up shot of the leading man. Almost always the camera trained on the leading
lady is fitted with a soft focus filter. It takes away any harshness from the lighting
and generally makes things 'easy on the eye', giving a more misty, romantic feel.
It can be used with considerable effect in a wide variety of situations, not just
close up portrait shots. If your camcorder has manual iris control then the effect
can be slightly enhanced or decreased. SIZES & PRICES
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Graduated filters
These filters change from clear at one edge to coloured at the other, and are designed
to help you cope with extremes in contrast. When filming outdoors, the sky is usually
brighter than the foreground and the camcorder will 'average out' the overall exposure.
This usually makes the sky look rather washed out. A graduated filter, positioned
with its coloured area over the sky, can greatly enhance scenic shots by giving a
more natural result. There are three types of graduated filter to be commonly found
- blue and grey, both of which darken the sky without altering its colour significantly,
and tobacco, used mainly to enhance sunset/sunrise shots. Note that the filter rotates
within its housing once fitted, so if your camcorder thread rotates when focussing
you should ideally switch to manual focus, focus and then position the filter correctly.
Be wary of panning or tilting when using a graduated filter. SIZES & PRICES
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Warm filters
These filters are slightly orange tinted and have the effect of making anyone in
shot appear to be suntanned. It will enhance the gold of sands and mellow out any
harsh light. On cloudless days, the mid-day light can be very blue and the footage
can appear almost cold. The warm filter gives the effect of warm evening sunlight.
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Blue (colour correction) filters SIZES & PRICES
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Close up filters
Strictly speaking a lens, but it is in this section because it has more in common
with a filter. There may be occasions when you will want to video small things such
as photographs, stamps, coins, insects and so on. The problem is that you can not
get a sharp image of anything that is at a distance less than your camcorder's minimum
focussing distance. This is when the close up filter comes into play. Acting something
like a reading glass, it enables you to focus, use most of your zoom range and maintain
a sharp image whilst working very close to the subject. The magnifying strength of
a close up filter is quoted in diopters (the number of times the focal length of
the lens can be divided into 1 metre) - the higher the number the greater the strength.
If you haven't used one before, start with something around the 3-4 diopter value.
Our close up filters come in sets of three, one each of +1, +2 and +4 diopters. The
individual lenses are fully stackable so, for instance, the +1 lens could be combined
with the +4 lens to obtain the same effect as of a +5 lens, and the set covers the
range of +1 to +7. SIZES
& PRICES ** TIP ** Camcorder shake will also be magnified, so it is
best to use a decent table top tripod. |
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Other filters SIZES & PRICES
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