Sodium Flare or Didymium filter for EX1

This is a related discussion on possible CMOS damage from shooting with the sun in the shot:

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/142/860245#860271

- Don

David,

The majority of your shots will likely be composed in a way that you can see most of the glass blower, and some background of the shop - medium to wide, making the extreme brightness of the blower small enough to not be a concern, so if you light it up (your shot), increasing the brightness of the rest of the scene, you will reduce the difference or contrast of the torch. Add to that a circular polarizer, and even a single ND and you should be fine.

For your cut-away CU b-roll shots and any artistic XCU of the glass blowing, try a second ND, the circular polarizer, and if that doesn't provide enough protection, try this: shoot for a moment through the glasses you mentioned in the first post that the glass blower uses. If it's a shield, (helmet) all the better, and if not, just try to position the EX1 to shoot through one side of the glasses, and see what the difference is; what color is being added, if any. See if you can match that color with a full sheet of either a Rosco gel, or a Lee filter. They're only about $4 each. Brand new, they are as clear as glass, and if you can position the gel flat and tight, along with the polarizer and ND you should be in a position to get very creative and artistic CU shoots for your b-roll.

I've tied two strings across a room so that I can clothes line clip the top and bottom of a gel in order to get a tight flat still sheet to shoot through. Saves from buying a large square frame, and works very well.

Let me know how it goes! -Stephen

Stephen May
Keystone Media Productions
Freelance Videographer

Hello David. I don't know if you've found your solution yet but I've seen some really great footage that Gary Adcock (from the FCP Cow Forum) shot on an early EX1. I can't remember if it was glass blowing or jewelery making using a flame but the footage was great. Unfortunately I was admiring the composition and capabilities of the camera and wasn't necessarily paying attention to what it was... You may want to try to track him down and ask him the question.

- Greg