I'm throwing My Black Pro Mist Filters In The Trash...

[@Sup90210]

For anyone who is interested; when Tiffen created Pro Mist filters they created the different strengths in order to provide a consistent level of filtration across the range of focal lengths because the filtration effect increases as the focal length of the lens becomes more telephoto. A 1/4 pro mist (black or white) will be much stronger on an 85mm lens than it will be on a 25mm lens. A common formula for using Pro Mist filters is 1/2 for 18mm and wider, the 1/4 for 25-35mm and 1/8 for 50mm and above. This principle applies to all diffusion filters. I hope this information is useful.

[@legacyautofocus]

I got a cpl from tiffen and it was trash. I gave off some weird glare.. Now I'm bias with tiffen products. I use k&f concept, never been let down.

[@jonnynoakes9070]

Super useful!! 🎉🎉🎉❤

[@i.shuuya3231]

Thank you!!! I remember knowing this info years ago and now, when I needed it, I forgot so you saved me 😆

[@superultragiggachigga]

Thanks so much for this! As a beginner I didn’t know any of this.

[@SinisaTrifunovicWeddings]

Helps a lot! Thank you so much!

[@IAMLXGEND]

I still use my Pro Mist on everything, lol. I want my overall style to look dreamy. There are some times where I need the absolute most sharpness so I’ll take it off but that’s few and far between. I love that thing.

[@AfoteyAnnum]

Same

[@Joshua.Wheeler]

have you tried out the tiffen glimmerglass filters? i’m abt to get one and heard it gives a more subtle softness and a little more contrast

[@ElayneOkaya]

Which one specifically do you use please?

[@francisenaje]

What is your pro mist? 1/4?

[@IAMLXGEND]

@@francisenaje 1/2

[@VFXRefugee]

Been doing a mist/haze bg effect as a practical effect recently but without putting anything in the air, and that extra work helps me really think about it. I like the intentionality in your approach here.

[@ntchi]

Interesting topic. Hard to "ruin" a shot with an 1/8 BPM 1/4 is more obvious. Plugins are cool but not similar to real light photon going through a glass filter. Just like an analog compressor sound better than those dsp plug-in. Close but not the same. 80% I'd say. Most of these glow filters are based on luminance level and thresholds on a flat 2D image. A real filters has photons hitting the glass from all angles creating subtle organic bloom before getting baked-in. It's a look.

[@herfinnur-filmmaking4326]

I’ve started playing around with Texture Pop in Davinci Resolve Studio, and I find that I can get that analog softness by increasing fine details while decreasing the coarser detail sliders

[@bluefilmsltd]

The real thing is always better

[@AlecKinnear]

Thanks for this tip. I was wondering about the best way to soften iPhone and very sharp mirrorless footage. I've played around with radial blur and motion blur with some success but this sounds better. I do something similar with photos in DxO PhotoLab: increase fine contrast to 20 while lowering microcontrast about 10 or 15.

[@1234filmsgr]

In ancient Greece there was a proverb: "μηδέν άγαν" which translates in "do) nothing in excess · avoid extremes". We all have been in some similar situation in our lives, thanks for sharing.

[@MateenManek]

I relate to this so much! I bought a Pro Mist a year or so ago and used it as a leave-on filter, and really didn’t like how some of my shots came out. So I stopped using it. It gives you a look, and you have to decide whether that look is what you’re going for with your film. I ended up selling the BPM and picking up a Glimmer Glass filter, as I like that it blooms highlights without being too hazy, and gives a nice skin polish. But also, that tip on warmer light on brown skin tones is clutch!!!! I always wondered why my lighting didn’t always look amazing - definitely gotta try this now!

[@captaincarl1603]

That's what you young people get for ditching the old hot-lights. Nothing beats a well diffused 3200K tungsten for face close-ups. Get your gloves on 😅

[@hitthestreetsphoto1253]

@@captaincarl1603 Exactly. They like going from gimmick to gimmick trying to emulate someone else’s work and can’t quite slow down enough to learn about light.

[@thebunn]

Smoothest ad transition EVER! Excellent video and topic as usual. Forever thankful for your sharing of your wisdom. Longtime viewer, rarely comment. Stoked for the next one!

[@_MJ07_]

Its like everything, these things are just tools. Sometimes we get a new tool and we think its cool, so we use it for everything. This is what happened when gimbals came out, I'd go out and see people standing still holding their camera on a gimbal instead of just using a tripod.. Not every tool is for every purpose. You don't use a screwdriver as a hammer. Know when and why you're using what you are using.

[@Kevinmadefilms]

Breaks my heart when I see wedding videographers use a gimbal all day, no tripod in sight. Tripods are an absolute necessity for a ceremony, especially if you want multiple angles without hiring assistants

[@NathanKatash]

@@Kevinmadefilms gimble is a very usefull tool in 2022 and if you know how to really get the best out of it in wedding then for sure most of the time you will use it

[@RyanREAX]

@@Kevinmadefilms youre supposed to use multiple cameras. 1 on tripod and 1 on gimbal

[@ajphelps16]

@@RyanREAX use whatever works

[@400hdfilms4]

@@ajphelps16 I smoke weed when i shoot my music videos I feel like i am the tripod and the gimbal lol

[@charliemcgrain]

Great point and totally agreed. You can add all of this stuff in post and have way more control over the degree of any filtering.

[@JonathanPalfrey]

So glad you made this video. I think a lot of new filmmakers don’t realise the importance to shoot a clean, sharp image especially for a client. After all it’s the whole reason we shoot log or Raw so we have flexibility in post. Using these filters is fine for personal projects or were your client/director has a clear understanding of the style and feel they are going for, however that’s unfortunately rarely the case.

[@RandomMotoThings]

Honestly you probably needed it for previous cameras as your current camera has a naturally slight softer image. C200 also has a softer image. Cameras like gh5, Panasonic S series, canon r5 and 6 are more digital/sharper. I don’t necessarily think you were doing anything wrong outside of using them on your more recent camera (c70 and c200?)

[@GuyThomsonVideography]

I think the 1/8 is pretty subtle I've not had a shoot yet where it's been too extreme or ruined any shots. The benefits outweigh the cons for the work I do. The 1/4 is definitely more obvious, stylistic and should be used deliberately.

[@OfentseMwaseFilms]

Agreed.

[@the180degreerule3]

Glimmerglass is the one, try it

[@GuyThomsonVideography]

@@the180degreerule3 Cheers I'll check it out 👍

[@the180degreerule3]

@@GuyThomsonVideography enjoy!

[@truchotpierre8070]

Well said

[@Malick333]

You kinda forgot to mention that a lot of the “look” depends yeah on the camera/sensor BUT ALSO the lenses you’re using. Some lenses are crazy sharp, some aren’t. So the same diffusion on the same camera but on different lenses will look different. Big difference of course between a Canon FD and an RF.

[@dathofilms]

Exactly my thoughts, RED sensor with some crazy sharp clinical sigma art lenses would definately benefit from Promist, but not Arri with some vintage glass on it There is time and place for everything.

[@NeoPlatina2009]

Thanks man. I needed to hear this from somebody else too. I was using until now black mist filters for everything. From now on, not so much.

[@obiwanmartyn]

the 1/8 is subtle enough but if you want to dial it back even more while retaining some contrast in the image too the tiffen glimmerglass gives nice halation with a bit of blooming - not as intense as the pro mist

[@zimmhone]

Hey man, I watched Cooper Films in the beginning with his pocket cinema camera. Waay before he went t red and delisted his early stuff. I remember thinking - yeah, maybe I should invest in good lights first. He bought drecast lights before he upgraded to red. Very particular as you said. I wish I had that clarity of vision he had. But I think directors just wither have that or they don't. I just care more about entrepreneurship and producing than I like actually looking through a lens or adjusting lights. But I took some of that clarity to my business development - steady, slow, build upon each success...

[@OtayMedia]

Been starting to take off my diffusion filter more too. I regained an appreciation for the images my camera produces and I’ve been liking the extra flexibility I have in post by being able fully shape my images instead having a baked in look all the time. Filters do tend to degrade some important sharpness and add too much halation and ghosting to my images. So it’s been refreshing to pull back on using diffusion filters and seeing what my camera can do without baking in a look.

[@scottievee330]

Wow. I literally went thru this yesterday. My bad. I should have tested more. It was the 4th time covering a car giveaway. I normally shoot all RF but I tried a Sigma 24-70 2.8 with a 1/4 Pro mist. When I got home and started editing I was shocked. Soft... slow to focus. Thank God I shot enough in focus B-roll to cut into the really obvious flubs. Pro Mist out and the Sigma will only be used on set shots with minimal movement. This is shop on. Never start dull. Start sharp and work backwards if that's the look you want.

[@quickpickle]

I agree 100%.. and with the high quality of effects out there, you can easily add bloomand softness and it looks great.

[@katlis]

I think YT (not YC) deleted my original comment just after the video dropped because I think I had a link in it? But I just wanted to mention again that it's almost never ideal to use a Mist filter in daylight unless you really want that dreamy/vintage look (eg. "The Box" 2009). For daylight exteriors I suggest looking up their Digital Diffusion/FX series of filters which are "a softening and diffusion filter specifically meant to appear invisible, as if no filtration is being applied. Compared to other diffusion filters, this filter offers virtually no flare or loss of contrast for more subtle applications. It helps to lessen facial blemishes, wrinkles, and gently smooth textured backgrounds while maintaining sharp focus." While it's quite easy to replicate most of the characteristics of diffusion filters in post, Hollywood still uses physical filters frequently because it's hard to replicate certain nuances like bloom/streaks/etc that can overlap foreground elements in a natural way. Anytime you see a dark scene in a film with large background bokeh, look for the dotted patterns in the lights, a clear sign of a filter. That being said, unless you're doing Hollywood features with actresses asking you to use a DDFX4, you definitely don't have to shell out hundreds on these filters if you fiddle with the detail and highlight rolloff in your editor hah.

[@producer55]

Great advice! Its cool to share your trials and experiences with the community. I do agree its easy to get caught up in a particular piece of gear and not realize that your over using it when you don't need too.

[@roy65467]

probably the smoothest ad transition ive ever seen on youtube. good job bro

[@shaunmaddox]

Sounds like someone has graduated to the next level. You are a very talented young brother. Trust your gut!

[@ShevonSalmon]

That ad was smooth asf

[@akshayanthayaparan6805]

welp, lost the editing challenge. congrats to the editor who won!

[@ShotByCurt]

Pro mist is definitely fire! And the tungsten/warmer I picked up on that just recently

[@photo2000]

excellent video! baking in something to media has a host of disadvantages. Thanks for highlighting this.

[@zamarinwahdat740]

thanks for this! I honestly was overusing it aswell for a couple of shorts since I got so excited! In the end the shorts did well and the director liked it but when i watched the footage I just did not like how the camera drew so much attention to itself! So thanks! Using it intentional and with care is the key!

[@77dris]

I hear "Pro Mist filters" everywhere for the past year or so. It reminds me of a fad, sort of like VSCO presets/filters for photos 10 years ago.

[@hugocalvovisuals]

Thank you for drilling that into our heads. Intentionality is key.

[@CFloPhotography]

Promist 1 with a circular polarizer and ND filter on a 22 year old 1DS all the way. It comes out like those dreamlike vintage postcards that look like paintings

[@robertcollins3061]

This is the winning editor I’m assuming 🙏🏽 nice it different is A good extension of your editing smile

[@keyadade]

The way you added that commercial in was super smooth. I almost didn’t notice it was an ad

[@rodrigoabreusantos]

Thats awesome, bro! Loved the opportunity to edit one of your videos. Learned a lot just from that. Congrats to Shane! Beautiful edit bro!

[@wilcurran3377]

Coop's a boss. I've got a tab in my browser permanently reserved for one of this short films.

[@keithnisbet]

Wow what a clever transition into your Artist Ad. So smooth.👍🤗

[@nealhope6127]

Cooper!!! This is the second video this week talking about this topic. If I need mist haze machine.

[@Matt.Gillard]

Yes! Be intentional! Also I've loved following CooperFilms, he has a way of capturing the soul of his subjects in a way I wish I could. I don't know him, but I bet his communication style wis his talents would be something we could all get value from!

[@erlvng]

Yes, it happens. I watch a lot of KZbin videos, and some people say they use it in everything they shoot. Then other people who would say use it when it is necessary. The yellow filters do wonders for darker skin tones. Keep shooting, and don't stop experimenting

[@MarioSoMedia]

Agreed! I have definitely regretted using my mist filter on some videos I shouldn't have used it with.

[@magicari]

love you bro but the random plant is distracting.

[@anthonypc1]

Thank you! You persuaded me with these good points.

[@Visible-soul]

Just know when to use it … don’t need to throw em away at all!! On my vintage lens a pro mist and nd/cpl goes a long way!! Although it’s naturally soft, in natural lighting, tbe light seems to wrap evenly on the subjects skin! But for sure not good to always use as you stated, can’t fix it in post

[@rokah1391]

You have your answer in your question. It's a tool. Normal to not use it everytime . Just like a ND filter you don't need everytime you use it. Using fd lenses also you don't need everytime that soft cinematic . if i have controlled interior light i use my pro mist filter . Some time for some feels when its foggy at night or morning i use it too. But i won't use it outside most of time. (only maybe by night) .

[@DANAMIONLINE]

Good point about intentionality.

[@Joshuuwaah]

I would be super interested to see your process in post to create the Pro Mist look.. I was going to purchase a Pro Mist one day.. Hoping too.. but if you can create this cinematic look in post.. I’m down with that 😁

[@XxLuke117xX]

Love that this video turned into me learning and seeing another awesome artist. As always, thanks for sharing and awesome video man.

[@alpiasker]

Not a lot of people here on KZbin admits their mistake and shows real improvement. Thank you for sharing your experience

[@rawmediapaul]

Appreciate this video!! Honest feedback when trying to determine to shoot in camera or add in post!

[@albertm208]

This is the video I was looking for. I wanted to over invest into the Polar Pro Everyday and Chroma filters with mist. I just got the ZV-E1 with a 24mm f1.4 so I figure I get filters without mist so that I can learn to use them as tools and not as a default. Thanks!

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

Very interesting comments on managing skin tone… made me think of a few things I’d like to try out

[@rezjrprod]

Totally agree. I work on TV shows and rarely do they use promist... In the film days it was relevant..I worked with Barbara Walters and are knew cameras she would come to and request full promist to make her skin look softer..I was told that was the intention of the filter in the first place..

[@he.smile_]

Nice to hear how Morgan Cooper inspired a lot of us lol Also nice ad and outro 👍🏾

[@EddiksonPena]

Diggin the foreground effect .. different .. I like it

[@obiwanmartyn]

using vintage lenses and haze works wonders too

[@ikonmediafilms]

I felt just lke You man! I didn't use Black Pro-Mist though cause they are a lil heavier than Schneider HW filters (i do have a Tiffen black satin 1 filter though). I shot everything on those filters ; 1/8, 1/4/, 1/2, and then I was having issues correcting some of the footage until I go some SLR magic Lenses and decided one day to go without the filters and Mayne! that lens wide open is a dream! so the camera and the lens were shining through nicely and I got way more confident. I still wanted to shoot with my diffusion filters but i knew something was off when I was looking at what i was getting vs other DP's with the same setup. I went back to the foundations of physics concerning light refraction (Cinematography is very much practical Physics and art being BFFs) and BAM! it hit me like a tonne of bricks. There are two things to consider: 1. Screw on Filters become a part of the grouping of the lens elements and that will change the character of the lens. I bought a 3 stage matte box with hard Mattes and got square versions of all my filters (it did cost me quite a bit) and while I love a lot of what I did before... what I'm doing now makes me really confident in my abilities. The image changed nicely, my flares were coming through and not washing out the image every time direct light hits it. 2. diffusion is caused by tiny dots on the filters and each of those dots becomes like an LED when the light hits it so your lens and camera will bloom. my advice, go down to your lowest strength diffusion or just take it out when shooting towards highlights.

[@Collective-ss1zt]

Congrats Shane! Exciting to see you a part of the YC team!

[@MVPMoneyB]

Amen!🙏🏼 💯

[@kreative7135]

Awesome and thanks for all the info

[@Narsuitus]

Two of my eight soft focus/diffusion filters are Tiffin Black Pro Mist. Which filter I use depends on the subject, the lens, and the desired effect.

[@thomas.kovacik]

I recently stopped using mine too, came from picking up vintage lenses and leaving the filter off. Now, I shoot my sigma 24-70 without it and I love it wayyyy more

[@Elemino]

Just going to throw you a like for how smooth you slid into that ad spot.

[@Chase-Video]

I used to use Black Pro-Mist 1/4 all the time but man, the bloom was way over-the-top sometimes. I switched to Pro-Mist 1/8, which is an improvement but I still go back and forth on whether or not I like the look (I think it’s the low contrast that bugs me now). I heard that Hollywood Black Magic filters give a similar look but with better contrast, so I’m gonna look into getting a set.

[@garrisoncollier]

also anytime i’m filming anything i be on set telling people this is how ycimaging does it so this what we doing hahaha so i can really relate to doing what cooper’s doing lol

[@fcmas]

I don't think I've ever been this close to an upload's drop. 😂

[@Govvind333]

I must agree

[@hejakma4682]

Tiffen even offered their bpm filter as a digital version, but they also said that the effect can't be replicated to 100% in post.

[@Scriptshepherd]

Haha I just ordered mine a few days ago after a year of putting it off. Great timing

[@ShotByChuka]

YC imaging is me and I am YCimaging. I feel exactly the same way. I've been hesitant to get the pro mist filters because of the same reasons you mentioned in the video. Like why should I use the filter when I can add the effect in post. Granted, the results may not be as good as when you use the filter but baking the effects straight into the camera and not being able to remove it later on in post if needed is even worse. A lot of people say they use pro mist filter to shoot everything and I'm like, I actually prefer the way most footage come out straight out of camera without the Pro mist filter. All in all, its a specialty filter just like you said. To be used only when needed and not for all shoots.

[@calahad]

Every creator 2 years ago: OMFG, get a pro mist filter, super analog feel! Moment's cinebloom is even better! Every creator these days: Lol the hype is over. Diffusion filters are trash.

[@iZephiroth]

The segue into the sponsor was probably the smoothest I’ve ever seen. Smoother than LinusTechTips. Lol. Good stuff man. 😅

[@DreyMedia6]

If you are going to throw them in the trash anyways can I have them? 😂 Great video as always

[@tptrsn]

Such a helpful video, thank you!!

[@KevinLe]

OK. Funny enough. I thought you were promoting some new gear, but you actually spoke to a problem i found in a recent job. I found that i didn't really like having the BMP in all my shots. Even in some situations where i was shooting towards windows and my highlights became way to bloomed and it really made the image too diffused. Then when i went into post i found that i could actually diffuse and add blooming to my shots lol. So to your point, just like any other tool, there's a time and place for it but it doesn't need to be all the time. Thanks for this!

[@troywalt4834]

Hey, how do you diffuse and add blooming on post, I am curious? 😉

[@KBFilms2]

Guess it just depends on what Camera and lens you are using. For the BMPCC6k w/ Sigma 18-35 ( or any modern lens) i feel it is necessary for it is waaaaaaaay to sharp and looks like Cellphone Footage imo lol

[@TheFilmGuyOfficial]

The Rodger dekins rule, use the sharpest lenses you can and give it a look with your lighting and in post.

[@dna8269]

The 1/4+ super bloomy pro mist KZbinr look is so bad lol, so many people over doing it in the last year or two. Great video bro

[@jolyoncox]

Thanks Chrystopher. Would you consider making a follow-up video with your workflow in post to achieve the same effect? I, for one, am here for it! Cheers.

[@ErikPelyukhno]

I appreciate this channel a lot. You not only describe things in detail in an entertaining way, but you show really good examples as you’re talking about something so it’s super clear what you mean. Notifications ON

[@hogg1izmtv140]

just shot a outdoors day event (lowrider picnic) using A BLACK PRO MIST FILTER 1/8 stacked with a ND filter. These really improve the visuals big time. I shoot with a D3200 Nikon Crop Senor DSLR and 35mm kit lens. Also, I used my Mavic Mini drone.

[@BenPhanStudios]

Hell yeah bro! I'd love to see how you do it in post. Thanks!

[@tmoon1351]

Love your videos, I never got the PRO.M in the end maybe because of what you said now you said it and it changes strength with the f-stop and becomes hard to handle that way

[@Jwallsmedia]

Man I was doing this too, had to realize it has its place, and it’s mostly in my low light work, or if I’m going for vintage look. I was doing the same thing though throwing it on every shot

[@ClaytonOrgles]

Agreed 100%! I bought one a few years ago when they were trendy, and I've barely touched it lately because I quickly figured out how to approximate the look in post by shooting reference, which I've found I prefer because it's a lot more flexible.

[@jonathantylerkemp8192]

That was the cleanest ad integration I’ve ever seen…

[@VlogCity]

100% retention achieved with that outdo 😂

[@CFloPhotography]

If you know the look you’re going for Get it right in the camera lens instead of editing in post. any editing alters the linear rgb curves. Literally stretching the data values mathematical algorithms. When you stretch data you start to get data banding, you start losing smooth natural gradients. That’s why everyone is going 10-bit and HDR now days, to increase the resolution of the data so that the “editing stretch marks” are harder to see, but they’re still there. The best way to appreciate your sensor’s tones is to keep it linear. The fundamental idea of photography is to capture what you intend to see.

[@senalirving]

I use to use it for every photo shoot but now I use it intentionally. For certain vibes and lighting conditions, it works perfectly. so I agree with you!.

[@Marco-zp7nb]

Thanks you. Please, how do you do this cool photos with white frames? Can you please describe. It looks so good.

[@chleepy]

lmao this cracked me up yc: lemme use this misty filter yc: too misty, i hate it

[@garrettkim2429]

Every time I put a pro mist filter into my BH cart, I come back and watch this video to snap myself out of it.

[@leedonohue]

bro i feel you, i put mine away as well and invested in glimmer glass. it has that "film-like" look without being as overbearing as the promist

[@TreW9808]

I just switched to the glimmerglass 1 filter a few months ago and even though I haven’t gotten to use it much it looks so much better than my black pro mist which I plan to give away soon.

[@TheSickPollo]

Love seeing how much you’ve grown as an artist. I must admit, I too was tempted on using the pro mist look for every shoot. Question? How do you achieve the bloom highlights in post?

[@pieceofwork014]

You can achieve some decent looking bloom using the 'Halation' effect in Davinci Resolve Studio. Hope this helps.

[@Dubb2D]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnrMYp5og9ZmacU

[@verifiedccp]

Do you advice me buying the pro mist or do it in post

[@zacbaillie5266]

great video mate. thanks

[@hendrixg]

Great advice and awesome content!

[@MattGotCameras]

That was a great transition into the sponsorship

[@joshuadtaft]

This is why I don't really use filters at all, even with photography, except if it's necessary, like ND filters. Cameras are so capable these days that you can do almost everything in post to get the look you want, and have plenty of room to experiment. Why lock yourself in to a look, and why carry the extra gear?

[@captaincarl1603]

There is also a difference between shooting white talent and talent of color. My experience is that white skin more often have color shifts that would require un-natural amounts of make-up to even out. Then a pro-mist filter may help. Brown skin on the other hand is often more even-toned and a touch of powder to reduce shine is often all I need.

[@TonyXOriginalz]

Immediately subbed! Thanks for the advice

[@jimmynguyen4361]

That's a bad habit of mine. I love my pro mist and use it on everything instead of as needed lol. Definitely getting shots without that filter now, after using it for so long, you realize how unnecessary having it on the lens was in some shots. That was also a smooth sponsor transition haha