Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
I’ve had the great pleasure of using a few different types of filter holder systems over the years, but this one is different. Let’s take a look at H&Y’s version of the 100mm filter holder.
I just wanted to take a note of the box art. I find it rather pleasing. Possibly as they remind me of the various Sigma boxes, I’ve had over the years. But we are not here to look at boxes, so let’s get onto what’s inside.
Vaxis, typically better known for its wireless video transmission systems is branching out. They’re getting into the world of filters and they’re kicking it off with a line of 4×5.65″ cine FX filters. Designed to slot straight into the industry-standard 4×5.65″ filter slot in your matte box (sorry, PolarPro users), the new range of filters offers a variety of different lighting and flaring effects for your shot.
There are five filters in total, with three of them coming in three different options to produce slightly different looks. Being 4×5.65″ filters they’ll work with most of the lightweight matte boxes out there these days from companies like Tilta, SmallRig as well as the vastly more expensive systems.
Kolari Vision has announced a new set of clip-in magnetic filters for the Canon EOS R5. They mount inside the camera body in front of the sensor but behind the lens. It’s compatible with native RF mount lenses or when using the EF to RF adapter. Kolari initially announced the clip-in filter system for the EOS R system last September.
Now, though, it’s finally here. There are two types of filters available. One fits the EOS R, R5 and R6. The other is for the EOS RP. Both are available in various flavours, designed to work with cameras converted to full-spectrum (seeing both IR and UV, as well as visible light). The filters allow you to cut the range back down to see just the wavelengths you want.
Clearer, sharper, brighter!
In recent years, we’ve spent a lot of money investing in expensive camera tech and lenses that produce flawless and crystal-clear imagery (ironically, that’s a dated expression given that we actually want images to be a lot clearer than crystal). But, is it really necessary? Do we really need to remove all traces of the image making process from our photographs? Have our images lost some of their uniqueness along the way?
Well, if you’d been thinking about picking up Canon’s EF to RF drop-in filter adapter, Breakthrough Photography might’ve just made your decision a little easier. They’re the first third-party company to produce drop-in filters for the Canon adapter, and they’ve kicked off the range by launching a whole bunch of them at once!
Amongst the list of filters for your Canon full-frame mirrorless adapter are several circular polarisers (some with included ND) regular straight NDs as well as variable NDs, a Night Sky filter, infrared filter, a couple of clear filters and a number of interesting coloured polarisers specifically for shooting black and white.
Launched last June, Lensbaby’s OMNI filter system has opened up a lot of creative effects for photographers. More importantly, it’s opened up a lot of consistent creative effects due to its magnetic holders for each of the crystals and doodads it allows you to stick in front of your lens. It lets you position your flares and effects exactly where you want, knowing that they’re not going to budge.
Its abilities have grown, thanks to the release of of the Color and Crystal expansion packs, and now they’ve grown again as Lensbaby announces a new Flare Expansion Pack. It offers four new glass Effect Wands you can place in front of your lens to create new looks and offer even more creative options.
I’m a big fan of step-up rings. I buy all my circular filters in 77mm diameter (the largest diameter of all the lenses I own) and then use step-up rings to be able to use them on lenses with a smaller diameter. It’s a great approach that saves you an absolute fortune because you don’t have to buy your polarizers and variable NDs in five different sizes. You buy the largest size you need and then spend $1-2 each on step-up rings.
But this new device, the REVORING looks like it wants to be the only step up ring you’ll ever need. It’s currently launching on Kickstarter, where it’s already more than quadrupled its goal, and it’s a pretty interesting concept. Although, it’s not going to be ideal for everybody just yet.
Filters were once common to all but compact and disposable cameras for shooting a vast array of topics. I’ve got about 20 here that I can pick from when I’m shooting black and white film, for example. But aren’t filters all just irrelevant now with digital photography where we can change the colour and contrast in post?
Well, no, not all of them. In this video, the team at DPReview TV takes a look at four filters that they say you still need for digital photography. Personally, I’m only really inclined to agree with three of them, but have a watch for yourself and make up your own mind.
Adobe Photoshop Camera was launched as a preview way back in November last year. And now, it’s finally out. It packs a bunch of AI features using Adobe Sensei, the same technology that you’ll see in Photoshop CC. And unlike most Adobe products, this one is completely free to download and use.
As a landscape photographer, I find it both a convenience and an inconvenience to use filters. For example, using filters for balancing light in a scene, eliminates the need for bracketed shooting. This saves space on my memory card and on my hard drive. On the other hand, sometimes things happen so fast that mounting filters spoils the moment. There are also instances when using a filter to smooth the water in a waterfall will save me from blending exposures in Photoshop. On the negative side, adding filters to the backpack takes up space and adds weight.
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