Adding a full-blown matte box to a camera rig is not for everyone’s taste, budget, or workflow. Therefore, screw-on filters are often a smarter choice. To serve the needs of its customers better, Tiffen has just started to add 39mm filters to its product line.
Some lenses for APS-C formats (e.g. XF 27mm F2.8 R WR for FUJI X-mount) and other lenses with even smaller sensors to cover use 39mm front filter threads, so there seems to be an increasing demand for such filter sizes.
Tiffen has begun adding 39mm filters to its lineup, starting with the popular Black Pro-Mist filters as well as UV protection filters and circular polarizing filters.
Tiffen 39mm screw-in filters
Using step up/down rings to fit an existing filter to the thread in question is not always possible or practical, so working with native filter sizes is recommended, I think. Especially since these smaller sizes are not exactly super expensive.
The Secrets of Optics
Ever been confused by focal length? Lens breathing? How about crop factors? What is the “Cooke Look”? In this course you’ll learn the basics of lenses - what they do, how they do it and what types of lenses there are.
The Black Pro-Mist ones sell for $65 each (strengths available: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1 & 2) while the circular polarizer (in 39mm) sells for $20. Lastly, a 39mm UV protection filter is yours for a mere $10.99.
While the black pro-mist, UV, and circular polarizing filters are among the most popular, it would be nice to see more filters added to the new 39mm category. Glimmerglass, Pearlescent and regular ND filters would definitely be on my list.
To conclude this article, I would like to ask you if you prefer optical filters to apply effects to your images? Or do you use a naked lens and add effects in post-production? For my part, I think that at least contrast-reducing filters (Black Pro-Mist, Glimmerglass, etc.) are pretty important tools to get pleasing images in the first place, with the same results being hard to achieve in post. And of course, if your camera doesn’t have built-in NDs, these filters can’t be substituted at all.
Link: Tiffen website
So what do you think? Share your experiences in the comments below!
