Filter options
 

A producer friend of mine wants to rent my XL-H1 to shoot a lowbudget feature and I would like to use this opportunity to build a filter kit. I hoping that the more experienced of you could offer suggestions as to what such a kit would include. I'm buying a mattebox and followfocus as well, so the filters would be 4x4.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Have a read of this, particularly what Taylor Wigton says 7 or 8 paragraphs down. I'm no expert myself, but according to this DP a range of NDs in combination with a polarizer are essential for controlling light into the 1/3" HD chips.

http://www.showreel.org/memberarea/article.php?141

Josh (and the DP's) is right ND's are your best bet as a lot of filter effects can be done in post these days, it might not hurt to get a 1/2 soft FX filter or 1/8 pro-mist or black promist as well. But starting out ND's are the smartest move you can make.

Filters that I think are a must, and that I carry with me always are: (Tiffen)

1/2 SoftFX, 1/2 Warm SoftFX, 1/8 ProMist, 1/4 Promist, ND.03 Grad, ND .06 Grad, Polarizer, Warm Polarizer.

I tend to shoot people more than scenics, so I don't use full NDs all that much (because of the hassle of pulling and inserting filters when working fast). But you'll probably want 3 NDs too - .03, .06, .09 -

I use a Polarizer as an ND most of the time. It cuts exposure same as an .06 and allows you to dial in contrast and reflections.

I use Warm filters for facial close-ups, especially of women. However, you can dial in "warmth" with the H1 with the White Balance wheel. I use the filters out of habit, though, and because I have them. I use Warm Polarizers often for exteriors because it takes the curse off of the blue "video" look and allows me to rely on the Daylight Preset, again while working fast...

By the way, the Chroziel 3x3 clip-on matte box works well with the 20x lens. It's lighter than the 4x4 (I have the heavy 4x4.56 Chroziel with the built in compendium) and 3x3 filters are lighter and take up MUCH less space if you carry them in a vest - and interestingly, the 3x3 SoftFX filters seem to have a better, less distracting "look" with 1/3" cameras, don't know why. But I do have all of the above filters in 3x3, 4x4 and Panavision sizes.

I don't like to add much in post with HDV because of the compression issues, but I have discovered some filters from 55mm that work well when absolutely necessary.. Steve Rosen