Put a UV Filter on your Camera!

For God's sake, put a UV filter on your prosumer camera lens, people!

If you are on this site, then you are already doing some due diligence and chances are you have long been aware of Rule Number One.

However, you have no idea how many people I know who run out and (apparently on a whim) buy a Canon XHA1, Panasonic DVX or HVX, or even a Sony EX1 and then run around with nothing but the lens hood on front. You shouldn't even be using a remotely decent SLR lens for your still camera without protection. But not protecting your built-in lens on a $3,000 to $7,000 camera?

A UV filter costs $20 (or less) to $100.



Chances are I am preaching to the choir here, but there are many people out there who are not yet converted. And if you don't want the (minor) color tinting that can result with the filtering out of UV rays on your prosumer cam, then just get a clear glass protector. They screw right on the front and you never have to think about them again. Plus, they're much easier to clean with your microfiber wipes than the lens itself.

What are you gonna do when some sneezes or flings stage blood on the bare lens of your $5,000 camera? Or puts their finger on the lens and leaves a permanent thumbprint? Throw a protector on there and the Wrath of God can attack the front of your camera and all you'll have to do is spend $50 for a new filter.

I know this is beyond basic, but there are a lot of people with cameras out there still learning and trust me, you don't want to learn this lesson the hard way.

For your reference, the following cameras have the following lens thread measurements...

Canon XHA1: 72mm

Canon XLH1: 72mm

Canon XL1 and XL2: 72mm

Panasonic HVX: 82mm

Panasonic DVX: 72mm

Sony PMW-EX1: 77mm

Below are a couple links to some UV filters online to give you an idea on prices...



And here is an example of a FORUM THREAD on the topic.

Finally, here is ANOTHER THREAD which shows that some people recommend using a UV filter only in situations where there is a tangible physical threat to your lens (such as sand blowing on a windy day at the beach). My personal choice is to use a filter at all times unless there is a strong tangible visual / cinematography reason to not have the UV rays filtered. You will ultimately determine your own comfort level, visual preferences and risk tolerance.

Accessories: IndiSlider, T-Slide and Competitors...

For those independent filmmakers building their kits and making decisions about what is a must-have, what would be nice but isn't quite necessary, and what is simply just a gimmick, one item that has probably crossed their paths is a tripod-based slider.

These items are essentially a substitute for a dolly and have a track length of two to five feet along which a sled (with the camera mounted) can smoothly travel.

Examples of such items are the INDISLIDER and the T-SLIDE.

These items will generally run somewhere from $500 to $1,000, depending on track length and other accessorization like optional tripod heads.

A FORUM POST that deals with these items also has some discussion on the practical advantages and drawbacks of these accesories. Generally speaking, in order for them to be fully functional with a camera move that sends the camera to the far end of the track, the ends of the track should be supported with additional (not provided) structures like monopods in order to ensure stability. Others are sandbagging the primary tripod on which the sled is mounted for peace of mind.

All in all, it seems like a good tool for very short dolly moves, short "pushes in" and reveals from behind doorframes, etc. But it does not seem like it is necessarily an ultra-convenient tool that you just keep on your tripod, barely notice it's there, and turn every locked down shot into a dollly shot with barely any setup time. By that standard, it would fall into the category of "if it seems too good to be true..."

But there are many satisfied customers and people do speak well of the entrepreneurs themselves that have developed these products, in terms of professionalism and support.

Here is an example of a MOVIE TRAILER (No Greater Love), where the makers stated that the majority of the visible dolly moves were performed on an IndiSlider.

Also, at first glance, this does seem to be one of the accessories that would lend itself more easily to a DIY solution than some devices with more complex engineering.

In that vein, here are a couple of forum discussions on developing your own "DIY IndiSlider"...

THREAD 1

THREAD 2