Filter That Raises Blacks But Doesn't Flair

I've got a beauty fashion based shoot coming up with a star "of a certain age." She looks really good but time has worked it's magic. Last time I shot her we used a Mitchell B with something like a low con 1/2 or 1. The Mitchell did away with the wrinkles and the other slightly raised the blacks and lowered the contrast.
This time I'm going to use the Mitchell but I'm looking for a contrast filter that a little subtler than the low con. Also I'm going to be shooting against hot windows a lot and I don't want the contrast filter to white out.

Any suggestions for something sweet but soft?

Thanks,

Marty Mullin
DP
www.martymullin.com
Los Angeles

Hi Marty,

Please review or ask Mark Bender at our New Burbank office for a set of our new SATIN'S to test. We have produce a SATIN and a BLACK SATIN. Designed to reduce resolution and contrast to differing effect, with the black version being a little dirtier ! These are subtle, not comparable with SFX or ProMist / Black ProMist. Apparent sharpens is retained in the eyes and fine detail with a pleasing lowering of contrast. One could also try our new PEARLESCENT, this has a creamy halation effect giving greater lowering of contrast in a more dreamy way, but remaining sharp without breaking up.

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The aim of our new diffusion lines is to keep the resolution of modern lenses whilst giving DOPs' the ability to add subtle diffusion without offending on set monitor watchers !!!

Of course, format, codec & lens choice will all bring a bearing to your final choice.

Carey Duffy
MPTV Filter Group Consultant
Tiffen International Ltd
Pinewood Studios.

' I've got a beauty fashion based shoot coming up with a star "of a certain age." ' Marty Mullin.

Marty, I'm biased of course, but here at Cooke we have designed a special soft focus attachment for stars "of a certain age". It fits our 65mm and 75mm S4's, and you can control the degree of softness with aperture. At the
time we designed this attachment we were looking very carefully at the whole soft focus thing for our large format PS 945 professional (stills) portrait lens, and investigated high tech "Fourier" optical low pass filters at one end and Vaseline etc at the other, and came to the conclusion that such devices are a "fudge" as far as getting a really quality look is concerned, and that using a subtle aberrational method of softening is much more sympathetic. We've had good reports back on the effectiveness of this approach on some famous stars, who shall of course remain nameless.

Jon Maxwell
Consultant to Cooke Optics Ltd

Hi Marty,

have a look at the Schneider Classic Soft, it uses small lens dot type things that diffuse part of the image whilst allowing a degree of sharpness through. Can create cool effects shooting into windows as well.
Just be careful with large focal depths.

Cheers
Ben

Ben Hair
Lighting Cameraman
UK

"Ben Hair" wrote:

>>have a look at the Schneider Classic Soft

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I included it in this filter test : http://public.fotki.com/makofoto/work/black-glimmer-and-m/

Mako/Makofoto, S. Pasadena, CA

>Hi Mako, thanks for the test and pics. Very helpful and informative! I just wondered what’s the difference between normal glimmer glass and black glimmer glass?

Thanks,
Neel
Paris-based

NEEL POTGIETER | Director of Photography | Steadicam
+33 621532327
www.neelpotgieter.co.uk

Nell,

BlackGlimmerglass was a combination filter, made up of the Black GlimmerGlass element and another Tiffen Optical reduction filter. It has now been rebranded as BLACK SATIN, along with its new family member SATIN. The Satin having no black element in it only a silver / white element along with a optical resolution reducing element.

The SATIN range is designed to reduce contrast plus the added benefit of reducing fine line resolution to differing effect between the Satin & Black Satin, akin to ProMist & Black ProMist were when developed.

Please see Tiffen's web site for official announcement.

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http://www.tiffen.com/press_release_black_satin_filters.html

As to finish of the answer to your question normal GlimmerGlass dose not reduce fine line resolution as it has no optical resolution element in it to do so. There currently is no Black GlimmerGlass as a standalone effect available in the market today. Of course you never know !!!

Carey Duffy
Tiffen International Ltd
MPTV Filter Group Consultant
Pinewood Studios.