Do you have filter(s) and hood on your rig?

[kruzer]

I would love to see what ya got in a way of filters and hood for the HV20.
Post a photo or video if you wish as how your rig looks.

Also, it would be helpfull to know what are those items and where you got them, so others can buy it as well. I am interested to buy filters and a cool/functionnal hood for my rig.
There is too much reflections in my video from the tripod legg.

Now am asking some technical advice as well; what is your experience with filters to bring out the (white) clouds better? Any tricks that you know about using filters?
Discount any camera adjustments for the time being. I know it can be done by making adjustment.

I saw several filter setups some of you have here and it would be nice to concentrate this thread by talking about it and why use one filter over another and what effects it produce.

Is is really worth to use filters if you could do FX in post?

Please post your experience with filters here and if possible photos and maybe a short video would be perfect to see the difference of with or without shots.

thanks in advance

[Dr. Benway]

Hey Kruzer, this is my set-up: HV20 - 43mm Tiffen Haze-1 - 43mm-52mm Step-Up - Hoya Circular Polariser or Tiffen ND .6 (-2 stops) and if I can find one I'd like to try a Tiffen Ultra Contrast 3 or 5. And finally a Hama M52 lens hood with a homemade aluminium hood extension (I am currently making a new one, larger and deeper, much like a small matte box) for extra protection in the rain, in concert with a raincape!

A good quality CPL (Circular Polariser) will add contrast and enrich the colours, including your clouds. I am about to ditch my Hoya CPL in favour of a Tiffen 52mm CPL as I find the Hoya too dirty; a little grey. The Tiffens are much cleaner and offer more contrast.

Do you remember, or have you seen the cloud scene in which Crockett and Tubbs are flying across the Caribbean in Michael Mann's 'Miami Vice'? He is a polariser nut.

I like the little rectangle Hama M52 lens hoods; I have one on my Mamiya C33 too, but they can be hard to find. I think the Fotodiox ones on eBay are pretty similar except with the Hama there is less chance of vignetting as they slip over the outside of your filter ring and clamp on; they are not the screw-in type like the Fotodiox and others.

Most items can be found on eBay.

I prefer getting the highest quality image in-camera and then post is much easier.

I'll post some pictures when I can, when the new hood is fitted, it'll take 3 days for fabrication and paint. And I am ditching my D.i.Y. steadicam in favour of a modified tripod leg, which is now essentially a monopod that I am using to stabilise my cam, along with the permanent bracket that it is mounted to. I prefer light and mobile due to regular travel.

Cheers.

[kruzer]

Cool!
Now, that's a detailed message with lots of usefull info.
I am looking at Tiffen filters and I like the square holder and hood.

Yeah, on 'Miami Vice" that guy did a nice job on the original TV shows as well.
Kinda miss that crazy show