Accessorizing Your Video Camcorder

[John Diel]

Filters are all screw mounted. They screw right onto the lens assembly (you will see a thread on the inside ring). So, you will need to know what size thread to get, this can be found in the camera documentation or on the web. The filters aren't really all that big (just a light metal ring with a thin piece of glass) so the weight they add is minimal. You won't be using more than one or two filters at any one time.

Batteries? Well, you should know that one.

If you get the wide angle and/or telephoto adapters, they do the same thing the filters do, screw right onto the lens assembly. Do not screw the adapter onto the filter! This will throw your focus off. Not by very much, but it will throw it off. If you think you'll need filters for the adapters, then find out what the filter size is for the adapter, you will thenm have two sets of filters.

Yeah, it's cumbersome and a pain, but if you're planning your shots for a specific look or feel, it's worth it. Filters and adapters are not conducive to "off the cuff" shooting. They need to be used in a planned method.

The C/PL filter is used to remove glare from the sun. You rotate the ringe which changes the polarization and thus the amount of glare removal. It als enhances a nice blue sky. Remember though, if you're panning, the amount of polarization changes as you move the camera as well. So you will either be rotating the ring as you pan or accept the lessening effect as you pan. Most people don't pan more than a few degrees of axis anyway, so it's not a big issues, but if your trying to pan a 180 horizon, you WILL see the difference.

Hope that helps a little bit, but I'll bet more on it becoming more confusing as it goes along. It takes time and effort to learn the real art of videography, just like it does for still photography. You can point and shoot like 95% of the world, or you can produce really good stuff with a little knowledge and forethought. The results are worth it in the end.

 

[fplowman]

Originally posted by Edward Ballou
Thanks all for the input. Much appreciated.

One lingering question is how do all these filters, polarizers, and lenses fit on the front of the camera? It seems like there's so much stuff for the front of the camera, I just wonder how it all fits.

Just buy one UV filter like for that came I think is 37mm??? please verify before purchase.. They are about $25. Thats more or less a lense protector

There is already a built in auto nuetral density filter in that camera.. Dont worry about other lenses.. any particualr"look" can be done in post editing.. Hope that helps..

Fred

 

[Tyler Allison]

Originally posted by John Diel

A Circular Polarizer. Tiffen is always a good bet for quality.

I was at the store looking at filters and got a nose bleed from all the options.

What's the difference between Polarizer and Circular Polarizer? Other than price of course

Also do you run the UV filter and the polarizer at the same time?

 

[Laura Duchesne]

Hi Tyler,

A regular polarizer won't allow you to adjust the amount of polarization you want.... therefore it is better to get a circular polarizer... basically you just turn it to adjust the amount of polarization you want.

You only need the uv filter when you aren't using a polarizer... a polarizer will make things darker, it's more noticeable in lower light situations... you basically just want something that will protect your lens from getting scratched. You usually don't need to use both at the same time.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Linear polarizers still allow you to adjust polarization by rotating the filter. If you use an auto-focus/auto-exposure camera, however, you'll want a circular polarizer.

See http://www.mat.uc.pt/~rps/photos/filters_uv_pol/#polq2 for more.

From http://www.geocities.com/cokinfiltersystem...m/polarizer.htm

What is the difference between the Polarizer and the circular polarizer ?

A circular has an additional quarter-wave plate or scrambler behind the (still linear) polarizing foil. Although not scientifically correct, it more or less restores the natural 50/50 vertical/horizontal balance of polarization, without affecting the initial pictorial result.

Only by restoring this natural balance it will allow the light metering and AF sensors to work properly, as they use polarizing beam splitters. With a linear filter, you would risk a cross-polarizing effect, ie a black-out. Bad for both light metering and AF.

In spite of what most people will tell you: the main reason to buy a circular polarizer is *not* the AF sensor, but the light metering system. You can *see* when AF goes haywire (it won't shift focus, it just has more difficulty to lock on), but you can only guess what happens with your light meter!

Actually, the first circulars were required long before AF existed, and are still required for non-AF cameras today (Rollei 600x series is a nice example).

 

[Marc Austin]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Sony High-Fidelity or Surround sound mics for the DCR line of camcorders? I'm really looking at getting one and I didn't know if surround sound would be the way to go or if I should just stick with the high fidelity stereo mic. Any information would be appreciated.