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July 8th, 2011, 05:52 PM | #16 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Gabe, are you getting the same clarity/sharpness when the kit lens is fully zoomed in, with the Heliopan rotated for 0 effect, as you do when it is at a wide angle? I would shoot zoomed in with the ND filter off, then with the camera still running, screw it on, set at 0 effect, then repeat that with the kit lens set at the wide angle. I am just interested in the effect of the filter on the kit lens set at 0 ND. Also have everything on the camera set to AUTO. Judge the results by playing back directly from the camera to the TV. Thanks.
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July 8th, 2011, 08:08 PM | #17 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Galen,
Unfortunately, there is no '0' setting on the filter. It goes from 1 to 6.6 stops of ND. So even with it dialed back all the way, you notice a difference between having the filter on and having it off the lens, it blocks a little light, even set at the lowest setting. Of course, I basically leave it on if I am going to be shooting outside......I was shooting outside last night at 10pm and still needed a little ND on the shots. As for if there is any loss in clarity or sharpness at different focal lengths, if there are, they are so small that I can't notice them with just my eyes. I'm watching on my 27 inch Samsung 1080P TV in the edit bay, and I also tested the footage on my 42 inch 1080P set in the living room. Footage is just amazing on them both, no loss of clarity, sharpness, or color shift that I can tell just 'eyeballing' it. This camera actually amazes me more, the more I use it. I am just looking at the shots I took last night of a sunset over the ocean and it's literally the most beautiful video footage I have ever seen....and I had the Heliopan filter on the whole time! |
July 12th, 2011, 11:34 PM | #18 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Thanks for the tests Gabe. I'm in the market, and given the sizable outlay this is a decision I want to get right. Keeping detail is a big concern for me...I'm wondering if testing at f20 without the filter is giving you a less sharp image, compared to the filter f stop which is more optimal for the lens. In which case we may not be able to accurately observe potential detail loss. I wonder if this is a valid concern?
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July 13th, 2011, 01:49 AM | #19 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Well, given that if you don't have an ND filter, you are going to have to
shoot at F 20....or F 25, I'd say it's kind of a moot point. If the shot looks as good at F 5.6 with the filter as F 22 without the filter, those are basically your choices. Unless, you want to kick the shutter speed way up. I guess I could do a test at F 5.6 with no filter and the shutter speed at 1/10,000 and one at F 5.6 with the filter and 1/48 shutter speed (shooting at 24p). I was thinking that most people would not want to use the shutter speed method unless that was their only option, because it can make motion look a little strange. |
July 13th, 2011, 04:43 PM | #20 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I'm not sure what Steve is thinking, but in our pursuit for the perfect image, we still have the non-variable ND filters as an option, which may have a more proven track record with less expense (and therefore are less risky, albeit less handy) than a variable ND filter. I wonder why variable ND filters are not subject to quantitative tests that make it clear what you are paying for before you buy. Has Heliopan offered any quantitative test comparison?
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July 13th, 2011, 05:55 PM | #21 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I haven't seen any test from any ND filter maker, which is why I was
posting tests with and without the filter. I looked around for tests before I bought the filter and could not find any, so I thought others may be interested in seeing something before they bought it. |
August 9th, 2011, 01:40 AM | #22 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I haven't been following the forum for quite a long time, so please update me:
- is the Heliopan filter Gabe has tested, the Variograu 0.3-2.0 model? - any news on the announced availability of a version with front thread (for screwing on a sunhood)? Thanks Piotr
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August 9th, 2011, 01:18 PM | #23 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
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August 15th, 2011, 01:57 PM | #24 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I just received my Heliopan ND. I have a 67 - 77 step up ring for use with the stock lens. I heard that there wouldn't be vignetting with this ND, but at the widest, which is 18mm (29mm with this camera), I get the bottom left and the upper right vignetting quite a bit. This seems to be alleviated if I open up the ND filter more. Did I get a bad filter, or is that just what I should expect?
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August 15th, 2011, 02:08 PM | #25 | |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Quote:
Yup, the one I tested was the 0.3 - 2.0 model. I have not heard anything new, but apparently, according to my contact at Heliopan, they are aware of the desire for a sunhood and are looking at making some kind of 'snap on' sun shade that would work with the Heliopan. That's all the info I have. |
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August 15th, 2011, 02:12 PM | #26 | |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Quote:
I do not think this is the Heliopan. Instead, it is the effect of using a step ring. What happens, is that now your Heliopan is further out in front of the lens, which makes it more likely to vignette. I would get the thinnest step up ring you can find....that will help. I found very very slight vignetting, but I was using a step up ring, then a sunshade screwed onto the step ring, then the Heliopan screwed into the front threads of the sunshade (this sunshade had both back and front filters which I thought would work well with the Heliopan, giving it a sunshade.) It did work well, but from 18-22 or so, there was slight vignetting. So I took off the sunshade and screwed the Heliopan right into the thin step ring, and got rid of the vignetting. What would be nice, would be a sunshade with 67mm threads in the back and 77 in the front so it could serve as a combo sunshade and step up ring. |
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August 15th, 2011, 02:19 PM | #27 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Which step up ring did you get? I got this one. Seems pretty thin.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/60514-REG/Tiffen_6777SUR_67_77mm_Step_up_Ring_Lens.html |
August 15th, 2011, 03:48 PM | #28 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
Ryan,
That looks like the same step ring I got, not 100% sure as I bought a 'thin' Tiffen step up ring from Amazon. Are you seeing vignetting at the widest (18mm) setting on the lens? Is it constant, or only when the ND filter is dialed to maximum strength? I don't see it on mine, but I have heard of some people seeing it when the ND filter is dialed into maximum strength. And to be honest, I have not tested mine pointed at a white wall or something, I just haven't noticed it in 'normal' shooting, unless I attached the sunshade as well. |
August 15th, 2011, 04:25 PM | #29 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I see it from maybe 18 - 22 and when its at max strength. If you test yours at 18mm @ max strength, let me know what you find out.
EDIT: Also the weird thing is that its only dark on the bottom left and upper right corners - not all 4 corners. If anyone knows why this may be happening, please let me know. I'd be forever grateful :) EDIT again: I linked the wrong step up ring... This is the one I got - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/11687-REG/B_W_65069434_67mm_to_77mm_Step_Up.html Last edited by Ryan Creason; August 16th, 2011 at 01:41 PM. |
August 22nd, 2011, 08:23 AM | #30 |
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Re: Heliopan fader ND
I have tested my 77mm Heliopan for just a couple of days, and mainly with my fast Canon FD primes. Today for the time I put it on the (otherwise surprisingly good) kit zoom lens, and - unfortunately - there is some vignetting at the lens' widest, and the Heliopan "closed down" more than half way...
I wonder what the thickness is of your 67-77mm step-up rings, Gabe and Ryan? Please post your measurements here, if you will. Mine is the the Marumi brand (made in Japan), and is only some 3,5 mm thick (excluding the thread) - and yet I can see shadows at the frame extremities... Piotr
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