This section details 4" x 4" drop-in filters for matte boxes. Filters are important in any filming environment, be it indoors, outdoors, close-up portraits or wide aspect landscapes. Lenses add that special, professional-edge and make the difference in visual quality, from a decidedly ordinary shot...
More Info
The main camcorder accessory that is very often overlooked by many is the filter. Many amateur photographers and videographers fail to appreciate that professionals very rarely shoot without some sort of filter on the lens.
Filters will commonly come as two standard options:
- Screw-in, which will come in many sizes to suit your camcorder, the primary sizes being 37 mm, 58mm, 72mm and 82mm.
- Drop-in, which comes in either 3x3, 4x4, 4x5.65, 5x5, 6x4 or 6.6x6.6 inch sizes
UV & Polarizing Filters
The most basic and by far the most important filter is the simple UV. Designed primarily to absorb stray ultraviolet light, its main feature is as a protector for the camera lens. Alternatively there is the polarizing filter, which perhaps will give you the most for your money, as far as filters go. Polarizing filters rotate so they can be adjusted to just the right angle to cancel out indirect light. The filter allows you to stop light that is bouncing off of an object that interferes with the shot.
Reinforcements For Filters
It is far less expensive to replace a cracked filter than it is to replace a cracked lens, although in many cases with today's equipment you would need to replace the entire camcorder if anything ever happened to the lens. We advise that cameras should have some kind of protective filter on the lens at all times to avoid costly mistakes. From here there are many choices of filter for a variety of locations and conditions, please take time to look through our products as I'm sure we can provide a solution for any of your filter needs.