neutral density filters at DVinfo.net

Scott Brickert · July 17th, 2007, 09:05 AM

The PD cam's have two neutral density filters built in, which I've come to rely on. Now that I'm fiddling with the HV20, I'd like to imitate those filters. Anyone know what the built in filters correlate to in terms of what's available from Tiffen, Hoya, etc.

thanks.

Tom Hardwick · July 22nd, 2007, 01:29 AM

Not sure what you're saying you'd like to do here Scott. The HV20's inbuilt ND filters (I assume they're internal and not user selectable) may well be grads, in that they vary their density as the light changes.

tom.

Scott Brickert · July 23rd, 2007, 12:00 PM

The HV10 and 20 do have built in ND's, and maybe the HC7 does as well. But they aren't giving me the control I'm looking for, namely a wider aperture at lower shutter speeds. So, I was hoping to imitate the PD's user-selectable ND's by adding external ones.

Another way to ask the question is, when one selects ND1 on the PD, to what ND from Tiffen or Hoya does that compare?

...with chagrin, I discovered that the manual does answer the question better than my cynically low expectations. It says ND1 reduces the light to 1/4 of what it was (2 stops down, if I'm not mistaken), and ND2 reduces it to 1/32 of what it was (5 stops down).

So, in terms of external ND filters, a Tiffen ND.6 reduces the light by two stops, matching what the ND1 provides on the PD cams.

Huh, imagine that reading the manual actually provided the answer.

Happy shooting...

Tom Hardwick · July 23rd, 2007, 12:10 PM

You don't have to read the manual, just the aperture readout when you switch in the filters.

Camcorders without manually switchable ND filters generally let the lens stop down to f/4 (so only one stop down in telephoto), then they bring in more and more ND as light levels rise. Only when all the ND is used up will the aperture go smaller than f/4. So adding external ND doesn't help you very much.

tom.

July 17th, 2007, 09:05 AM	#1
Scott Brickert Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Crested Butte, CO Posts: 576	neutral density filters The PD cam's have two neutral density filters built in, which I've come to rely on. Now that I'm fiddling with the HV20, I'd like to imitate those filters. Anyone know what the built in filters correlate to in terms of what's available from Tiffen, Hoya, etc. thanks. __________________ Scott Shot-By-Scott

July 23rd, 2007, 12:00 PM	#3
Scott Brickert Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Crested Butte, CO Posts: 576	The HV10 and 20 do have built in ND's, and maybe the HC7 does as well. But they aren't giving me the control I'm looking for, namely a wider aperture at lower shutter speeds. So, I was hoping to imitate the PD's user-selectable ND's by adding external ones. Another way to ask the question is, when one selects ND1 on the PD, to what ND from Tiffen or Hoya does that compare? ...with chagrin, I discovered that the manual does answer the question better than my cynically low expectations. It says ND1 reduces the light to 1/4 of what it was (2 stops down, if I'm not mistaken), and ND2 reduces it to 1/32 of what it was (5 stops down). So, in terms of external ND filters, a Tiffen ND.6 reduces the light by two stops, matching what the ND1 provides on the PD cams. Huh, imagine that reading the manual actually provided the answer. Happy shooting... __________________ Scott Shot-By-Scott

July 22nd, 2007, 01:29 AM	#2
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Not sure what you're saying you'd like to do here Scott. The HV20's inbuilt ND filters (I assume they're internal and not user selectable) may well be grads, in that they vary their density as the light changes. tom.

July 23rd, 2007, 12:10 PM	#4
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	You don't have to read the manual, just the aperture readout when you switch in the filters. Camcorders without manually switchable ND filters generally let the lens stop down to f/4 (so only one stop down in telephoto), then they bring in more and more ND as light levels rise. Only when all the ND is used up will the aperture go smaller than f/4. So adding external ND doesn't help you very much. tom.