Re: Effect of different zoom settings

Bob,

To set black levels in the field you must have a proper chip chart and a waveform monitor. Set the flare at 13ire and the super black at 7.5-10ire depending on your preferance. It's best to use a remote control CCU so that once you disconnect the camera reverts to it's "proc set" (at least with my Ike cameras, Sonys must be returned to "standard" by pushing a button, or returning the menu control to where you started). I would make such adjustment (time allowing) anytime I'm directed to use a behind the lens net, whether multicamera or not.

Wayne is absolutely correct that you must check the backfocus after applying anything behind the lens, or for that matter, any time the lens is removed and re-seated. The most foolproof means of checking and adjusting the backfocus is to use a backfocus chart. They are often given away by the lens manufacturers and look like a circle with alternate black and white pie slices. While it is difficult to make backfocus adjustments without the chart, it is quite a bit easier to so with the chart and any monitor or even in the viewfinder.

The rear net, or any heavy diffussion will definately change its effect with different focal lengths. It is the convention in film to use a heavier diffussion in close ups and less in wide shots for a better match. This is a problem with the behind the lens nets, as they really only create one value of diffussion; you'll find that the wide shots look more diffussed! All you can do in this case is to add a glass filter in addition to the closeup (like a SoftEffect 1/2 or 1).

If your goal is to cleanup a pocked faced business man in your industrial, I'd recommend a filter like the Schneider Classic Soft in 1/2 or #1 designation. This way, as opposed to the net, you will not be creating a mismatch in color, black level, etc. with the rest of your non-filtered material. If the whole show is closeup portraiture, then go ahead with the net!