Simulating a Tiffen Black Pro Mist filter in post

[kye]

The other thing I thought was strange in the video is when he says that people put stockings over the end of the lens, but I thought they put the mesh filters between the lens and the sensor, so at the inner end of the lens.  I wonder if that has an impact on the effect.  He also put a stocking and then complained that the effect was too strong, but there are many meshes available that wouldn't have so much coverage and therefore wouldn't be as strong.  Lots of stuff online about different meshes and their effects.

[zerocool22]

12 hours ago, kye said:

The other thing I thought was strange in the video is when he says that people put stockings over the end of the lens, but I thought they put the mesh filters between the lens and the sensor, so at the inner end of the lens.  I wonder if that has an impact on the effect.  He also put a stocking and then complained that the effect was too strong, but there are many meshes available that wouldn't have so much coverage and therefore wouldn't be as strong.  Lots of stuff online about different meshes and their effects.

Yeah exactly have tried a bunch of them some years back, some worked way better then others, but I prefer the black pro mist filters.

[kye]

This video that @heart0less shared in another thread is also interesting as it compares a modern lens + BPM with a vintage FD lens.

So just get some vintage lenses and forget your BPM filters!

One of the things that people talk a lot about with the Contax Zeiss lenses is the T* coating, saying that the coating is where the lovely look comes from, which is essentially performing the same function, so this isn't a new concept by any means.

 

[leslie]

i'm curious is the bpm 1/8 the weakest filter strength ?

[heart0less]

It is the weakest strength of the circular BPMs. 

You can get a 1/16 Black Pro Mist in a 4 x 5.65" format. 

[zerocool22]

I imagine 1/16th not being visible a lot. Even 1/8 isnt that noticeble and subtle (could be what you are after though)

[leslie]

thanks for that info heart0less. I think for now a circular 1/8 in 58mm will cover most of my lenses and is cheap enough to experiment with. I kind of like a subtle look, less is more, well that's the way I'm leaning at the moment 😀

[kye]

I've looked at the filter range (although I haven't actually shot with one) and thought that they all seemed quite strong.  Maybe it was that the sample images all have direct light-sources in them.

Anyway, depending on the shot I would have thought that you'd want the freedom to add more or less to kind of balance out the look.  Especially if you're using a lens wide-open as well as closing it down, which can provide a wide range of contrast and resolution.

In this sense, getting a 1/8 might be a good investment as if you later added a 1/4 then you could use 0, 1/8, 1/4, or 3/8, making it a very flexible setup.  

[rawshooter]

 

 

These two videos cover the subject:

 

[leslie]

i kind of think if the 1/8 is too weak, then perhaps it can be enhanced in post. You have dedicated a whole thread to making something from nothing, not that i am knocking your efforts at all. My mentality is its easier to physically fill a hole than it is to dig a hole, so if i carry that over to the digital realm i would rather add than subtract. I feel that for my way of doing things, its better / easier (perhaps) to do it in camera, then if you have to enhance it in post you have that option. 

damn it kye, now your costing me money as im now curious as how a 3/8 would work and how it would compare to a 1/2 and i dont even have a 1/8 yet 🙄

actually for a bit of a theological side debate, do you guys feel that an image will hold up longer if your add "effects" to it as opposed to subtracting an "effect" and  it would break sooner ? Hmm not sure i articulated that well enough, hopefully you get the idea