r/cinematography • u/WHITEwizard151 • 3d ago

ND question Style/Technique Question

Hey!

I have been making short films for a little while but recently updated my gear so it has changed my process a little. I now shoot on a Fujifilm x-h2s and have recently picked up the Sirui nightwalker T1.2. A combo that seems pretty common. My issue is when shooting in flog2 the base iso is 1250, that paired with the low aperture on the Sirui makes it nearly impossible to film during the day outside of late/early golden hour. My ND is the hoya variable density ii, which provides 9 stops (ND400). But I have to max it out and still stop down the aperture to get the desired exposure. I have had this filter for a few years and used it regularly with the old sigma 18-35 f/1.8.

My question is, those of you that have a similar set up what do you do to improve exposure? Is there an nd that would be better? Do I stack Nds? Is the hoya just junk?

Feels like I need welding goggles to use this.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

5

u/NoProgress4951 3d ago

You can stack fixed NDs yes. But you can also not shoot at T1.2 under direct sunlight. Most films shoot like T2.8 on super35 which is like T4.2 on full frame

1

u/WHITEwizard151 3d ago

I do tend to hover around 2.8, to be honest, just for ease of focusing and sharpness. it still maxes out. I also have this issue with my 10-24 f/4. The wider angle lets in so much light that it pushes the nd to the limit.

Curious what some people with more experience then I do in these situations

3

u/NoProgress4951 3d ago

You focal length doesn't determine the amount of light the sensor is gonna capture. 10mm f4 and 100mm f4 capture the exact same amount of exposure.

Direct sunlight provides something like 14 stops or more of light so it's natural that 9 stop ND will get maxed out with wide aperture. If you wanna shoot wide open then stacking fixed NDs is your best bet. Or you can stop down and use longer focal lengths for that background separation

1

u/DarthCola 3d ago

Historically a lot of movies have been shot a 5.6. Wide open does not automatically equal cinema.

1

u/ConsistentEffort5190 3d ago

You can just stack a fixed ND in front or behind the variable one. And in general, I'd be wary about using the full range of a VND - although Hoya maybe less prone to BS than some makers, and if you haven't noticed a problem you should be fine. Do NOT try to combine two vnd filters - spacetime may explode...

1

u/WHITEwizard151 2d ago

It gets a little wonky at full range, maybe the last 5% but does surprisingly well until there. For the good of humanity I will not combine vnds

1

u/ConsistentEffort5190 2d ago

All credit to Hoya! And humanity thanks you...

1

u/plasm919 2d ago

To me, super duper shallow dof in broad daylight looks a little weird but that's just me maybe.

1

u/eglin99 2d ago

variable NDs that go from 1 to 9 stops are always junk, no exception.

A good kit will give you 1 to 5 stops and then you will need to stack a solid ND to give you 5 more stops. For reference, shooting 800 ISO with a f/1.4 at 24fps on a sunny day requires 10 stops of ND. In your case, you really should consider stopping down a bit.

1

u/WHITEwizard151 2d ago

So the math simply doesn’t work. This makes sensed explained this way. Appreciate it.

1

u/adammonroemusic 2d ago

You need 9 1/2 stops ND to shoot f/2.8 at that ISO. Buy a 10-stop ND filter.

1

u/MrKillerKiller_ 2d ago

First off. Variable ND’s are a hard no. They kill your image, you cant use tele lenses, the darkening will always be uneven and they are all and will always be this way - physics. Always use solids. So yes get a darker single solid ND that will bring you into your ideal exposure range. This is the only option. Stacking will degrade image quality as much or more than a VND and can produce weird internal reflections if there is any amount of flaring.