Epic + Canon + (Which Filters)

[Mohamed Younis]

I own the 24, 32, 85, and 70-200. I've used the 24-70 a lot and i think it's nowhere near as sharp as the primes. It's not a very good lens for the price.

[Mike Van Laanen]

Thanks Mohamed. At this point I will get the primes and the 70-200. Once the X arrives, I can do some testing with 24-70 to see if it will work for me. Want to get a complete Canon set filled out - primes and zooms, then branch off to a new set of RPP's. Really appreciate the help and advice here guys, thnaks.

[Stephen Pruitt]

I completely disagree with Mark P.

We positively LOVE the 50mm f1.2L and use it wide open all the time. And I mean ALL the time. There must be an issue with his particular lens, as our copy is glorious wide-open and otherwise. In fact, it (and our 85mm f1.2L) is our single favorite lens!

Stephen

[Stephen Pruitt]

Now, with respect to ND filters, you will need to make sure you have IR+ND. And since you are using DSLR lenses, you will need to avoid the Pancro IR+ND filters, as these NDs are notorious for producing wicked ghosts when using some DSLR lenses. We used to have Pancros and had to sell them because of this issue (they were unusable). We went with Formatt IR+ND filters, and have not had a single ghost since.

Ours are Panavision size (4x5.65) and, yes, they are expensive.

Stephen

[Mark Phelan]

I've never had an issue with ghosting using the Pancros, which lenses caused problems for you Stephen?

[Stephen Pruitt]

Hi there, Mark.

The ghosting issue with Pancros and DSLR lenses is well-established by many DSLR lens users on this forum. We experienced SEVERE ghosting with every Nikon lens we owned. It rendered the Pancro filters completely unusable. Apparently, some lens coatings are much more susceptible to ghosting with Pancros than others. There are many fewer reports of ghosting when using PL mount lenses (although there are some). There are no reports of ghosting with Formatt IR+ND filters to our knowledge and we have been unable to even make a ghost when we tried when using the Formatts. The difference, as they say, was night and day.

Stephen

[Josh Beadle]

The 24-70 has very little breathing from the tests I have seen.

I use the Singh-Ray range of filters. They have a killer Variable ND which is ideal for knocking down ambient

http://www.singh-ray.com/

[Mike Van Laanen]

Thanks for input guys, really appreciate the help here. I have read conflicting reports about the need for the IR + ND - the M needed it where the MX and the Epic didn't need it due to a change in the internal camera filter. Any thoughts on this?

[Josh Snyder]

HOYA ND and PL filters and HD protectors when filters are not used (the best and still well priced).

[Stacey Spears]

I have been using the Formatt screw-on Hot Mirrow / ND filters (0.6, 0.9, and 1.2) with good results. They ship from the UK and sometimes takes several weeks to receive, depending on stock. If you are using screw-on filters, you may also want to get a push-on lens cap to use with them. For my 77mm filters, I use the 80mm Kaiser. I just orderd some 82mm filters and the 85mm Kaiser.