Feature Question: Filtertray

[laguun]

A feature i always liked very much about our Sony HDCAMs and am missing in many other cameras is the in-camera dual filter wheel.

This is very handy for many shooting sceanrios, especially handheld/steady/lightweight/spacerestricted.

In the 750/790/900/900R, you have two wheel equipped with 4 filters each.
We have them filled with 3 NDs and clear in tray 1, polarizer,2 colors and clear in tray 2.

This often makes the use of a mattebox unnecessary, reduces weight, size and inceases speed of shooting (as one only rotates the filterwheel inside the camera instead of swapping), protects the filter and reduces the amount of items on packing & control list.

It would be great if red could use the free space inside the camera to (optionally) integrate such a filtertray.

[Pawel Achtel]

Because of IR contamination issue with heavy ND filtration, which HDCAM is not immune to, it is better to use an external IRND filter instead of internal ND. A filter wheel, whilst handy feature, is a compromise and it compromises image quality. Perhaps Scarlet? But, I would not want it in Red One or Epic.

[Brook Willard]

Being a professional narrative cinema camera, I hope that Epic does not have this feature.

[laguun]

Being a professional narrative cinema camera, I hope that Epic does not have this feature.

why is that?
you can always set clear/clear if you want to have no filters so there are no disadvantages to anyone who wants to use filters in front of the lens, weight is minimal (i think its ~100 grams empty) and it can shave off almost 2 pounds of a decent handheld rig.

As option i would buy it for sure.

[Pawel Achtel]

why is that?
you can always set clear/clear if you want to have no filters so there are no disadvantages to anyone who wants to use filters in front of the lens, weight is minimal (i think its ~100 grams empty) and it can shave off almost 2 pounds of a decent handheld rig.

As option i would buy it for sure.

1. Clear is always a piece of glass and always compromising image.
2. Internal filters require high tolerance of their thickness and refractive index - another compromise and significant cost.
3. Internal filter wheel adds to cost, even if an option.
4. Internal filter wheel can be a source of foreign particle contamination.
5. Questionable ability to clean the filters unless behind yet another piece of glass.
6. You still need a decent shade or a matte box except in cases when you do not care about flare and ghosting (never?). So, you would be saving ~100g on a filter itself only.

[Hans von Sonntag]

Hi Jan,

as much I like blurring video and film into one thing that takes the best out of both worlds I doubt that a filterwheel will work with 35mm sized sensor cameras. Probably the filterwheel will be so big that a sleek integration seems not possible. One has to ask a lens-professioninal though.

Hans

[laguun]

hmm.....

pawel, our filters are really "clear" if clear - no glass in it.

but i do understand the objections - especially the glass 35mm size one....

otoh, dont you guys think that such a tray might be a valuable addition to your shooting scenario here and there?

for me, steady/handheld seems to benefit from internal filter glass.

[Nick Gardner]

pawel, our filters are really "clear" if clear - no glass in it.

It doesn't work that way. If you use behind the lens filters, you have to compensate the back focal distance by 1/3 the thickness of the filter. There fore you always have to have a filter in place, even if it is just clear glass.

I hate those filter wheels, as well. How about a gell filter slot like Panavisions? Satisfy everyone? Then Red could make a cool little gell filter cutter, no one would use it, and everybody could say "yeah the Epic has this cool gell filter holder!".........

[Brook Willard]

If the Epic tries to pretend that it lives in both worlds, it will fail at both.

[laguun]

Ok - it seems this proposal doesnt find to many fans (sadly :))