The use of optical filters in photography
Optical filters have always played an important role in photography. Not only can with them certain effects are generated, but they also help exposure times to extend and on various light situations to be able to react flexibly and quickly. For this reason, Marvin Schmidt tested under real conditions how an innovative rectangular filter holder in connection with the appropriate photo filters can become a versatile and reliable tool that you can also use for your creative visions implement with ease.
A summery snapshot with the F:X Pro filter holder Mark III
The Purpose of the practice test was to create a summery beach atmosphere in the local area at the Uerdinger-Rheinbrücke in Krefeld. The challenge for the photographer: the Krefeld chemical park and the city center. With the right equipment, a precise preparation and a creative image composition he wanted to create an aesthetically pleasing shot without the city center and the chemical park becoming the focus of the shot. The fact that there are not many places in the area that offer fine sand as a foreground was particularly challenging for him with this shot. For the most part, only meadows or rocks can be found at the location, which, from the photographer's point of view, would not have created a summery atmosphere at this point. At first glance, the options that Marvin Schmidt had in this case were correspondingly small.
The preparation of the shooting: composition and image design
For Marvin Schmidt it is important to have a fairly precise idea of the picture before the shoot and with it F:X Pro Master Kit Square Filter Mark III to be able to draw from the full. In order to be able to wait for exactly the right moment at the Rhine bridge, he used well-known apps that showed him the exact position of the sun at a certain point in time. As an eye-catcher, the sun, captured as a sun star, should be directly under the bridge. That meant only a few minutes were left for the recording.
Arriving at the location, Schmidt recommends not setting up the tripod and attaching the camera right away. In the first moment, he always picks up the camera first and tests a wide variety of perspectives. "Close to the ground, at eye level or a good middle ground in between, without a tripod you are much more flexible when testing perspectives," says the photographer. Once the potential perspective was found, that could tripod set up and the composition then in detail planned become.
For this recording, Marvin Schmidt "tricked" and refined the composition by hand. The trunk placed at the bottom left was not originally on the spot, but fulfilled several tasks in its composition. First and foremost, the trunk from the lower left edge of the picture served as a leading line into the picture and as a direct one Extension of the sunbeam.
"Here the viewer of the picture is confronted with it for the first time main subject, the sun shining through the bridge," the photographer explained the idea behind his composition. Another function of this stem was that it functioned as a "blocker," meaning that when the viewer's gaze wanders, the gaze keeps coming back In addition, the embankment served as another leading line which, in combination with the bridge, also drew attention back to the main subject.
To be on the safe side with his composition, the photographer made sure the sun was in the right place perspective was. The sun's brightest reflection was pretty much right on that Intersection of the rule of thirds. In addition, the composition was divided roughly according to the rule of thirds in a ratio of 1:3 (2/3 background, 1/3 foreground). This contributes to a subconscious harmonious perceived composition at.
The photo equipment in practical use
When the photographer was satisfied with his image composition, it was time to prepare the equipment. From his point of view, this was a tripod absolutely necessary as he is with long shutter speeds wanted to work from 6 seconds. Only with a camera tripod could he ensure that these shots would be successful and not blurry.
For his shoot at the Uerdinger-Rheinbrücke he sat next to the F:X Pro filter holder Mark III on the following equipment:
- Sony a7III
- Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
- F:X Pro polarizing filter
- F:X Pro ND64 rectangular filter
- C6i carbon tripod
He deliberately chose a combination for the motif Pol and ND filters set. The Pol filter is usually used by Marvin Schmidt as soon as he Water photographed. He explains this by saying that the filter, on the one hand, depends on the positioning reflections can filter from a variety of surfaces (such as water, rocks, and more). This often results in not just one interesting image effect, as Schmidt finds, but the Colors, both in heaven and in water stronger. In this way, clouds could also be wonderfully worked out with a polarizing filter, if any are present.
With a ND filter he took the chance longer exposure times and the depiction of a mirror-smooth Rhine. Due to the strong current in the Rhine, a n F:X Pro ND64 rectangular filter sufficient to achieve the desired effect. Especially on the stones on the right edge of the picture you can see the achieved effect see the result wonderfully. It looks much calmer than with a fast shutter speed, as can be seen in the following image without using an ND filter.
So that it is as beautiful as possible sunstar can be captured in the pictures, the photographer recommends the cover close. In most cases, he works with an aperture of 18.
"For example, at an aperture of 22, the image would start to not be 100% sharp. I calculated the shutter speed of 6 seconds in advance, knowing that I wanted to use an ND64 filter," explained Schmidt of his decision , mostly to work with the above aperture. He adds: "At long exposures it is important to set the focus manually in advance, the autofocus no longer works with the filter advanced. It should therefore already be before inserting the filter all Ideas (except for the shutter speed), the composition should be right and then the filter can be inserted."
So he could optimally image section and then in the advanced ND filter desired effect test and get the following result.
| camera | focal length | ISO | cover | exposure | ND filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony a7III | 20mm | 100 | f/ 18 | 6 sec | F:X Pro ND64 rectangular filter |
In the event that Schmidt was not yet able to achieve the effect with the ND64 filter at that point, or if he had wanted a shutter speed of more than 30 seconds, he would have had the option of inserting another ND filter into the filter holder . Here he notes, however, that most cameras do not have exposures longer than 30 seconds, so-called Bulb exposures, enable. In order to avoid this, one would have to remote cable release be resorted to.
A tip from the photographer: More motif options
As soon as the main subject has been successfully photographed and the perfect snapshot has been taken, the photographer advises taking some more time with the current location. Especially after that sunset can by inserting the blue hour interesting pictures for potential secondary motifs are created.
Marvin Schmidt was also able to switch to a different lens and the F:X Pro ND1000 rectangular filter capture another theme. What may seem like a completely different location was actually just a few steps away from his main subject. The filter used produced a small fog effect on the detail shot, in that the water, as in the previous shot, blurred became.
| camera | focal length | ISO | cover | exposure | ND filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony a7III | 75mm | 100 | f/ 18 | 30 sec | F:X Pro ND1000 rectangular filter |
The conclusion of the shooting and the used F:X Pro filter holder Mark III
After the shoot, Marvin Schmidt was convinced. In addition to his preparation, the F:X Pro filter holder Mark III be quickly attached to the camera lens for use. The magnetic polarizing filter could be attached directly to the Base ring attached be and sat through the magnetic mount firmly, which prevented slipping in this case. Even the base was about the new Easy lock system extremely quickly attached to the base ring. About the two filter rails it would have been possible to combine different ND filters or even add gray graduated filters.
The whole precise processing from milled aircraft aluminum and the simple way of working with the F:X Pro filter holder Mark III impresses the landscape and nature photographer Price-performance ratio. Due to the simple construction and the flexible use of different filter types, Marvin Schmidt can only recommend the F:X Pro F:X Pro Master Kit square filter Mark III including the new filter holder of the third generation.