Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Benefits Of Cylindrical-Lens Streak Filters Over Traditional Surface-Etched Streak Filters

By Emma Curtis




The most immediately apparent benefit obtained from the new Cylindrical-Lens Streak Filter construction is camera operators can get much more than Clear Streak Filters to use; they can employ many other brilliant colors, such as the ever-popular Blue Streak Filter, as well as Green, Violet, Red, Pink, Yellow, and Orange Streak Filters, all of them easy to use, matte-box-friendly, and affordable. But this isn't the only benefit. I will explain.

The Surface-Etched method for Clear Streak Filter construction is decades old and uses acid to etch the series of thin lines in the exterior surfaces of clear glass filters. By their nature, these etched lines only imperfectly simulate a partially cylindrical lens, as they are really just troughs carved into the glass and can't ever be completely cylindrical. Actually, they hardly ever form even a semi-cylinder in shape. They more often are relatively irregular in their texture and shape. In Contrast, this Cylindrical-Lens method of building Streak Filters embeds consistently smooth, completely cylindrical lenses inside the glass, which allows for far more efficient refraction of light, and produces brighter, cleaner, clearer, stronger, and more effective streaking flare lines. On top of that, instead of like the etched lines being on the vulnerable dirt-prone surface, these cylindrical lenses are securely contained on the inside of the clean glass.

Having said that, Cylindrical-Lens Streak Filters do have a functionality that is familiar to people who have used traditional Surface-Etched filters. The lenses and lines of both types of filters make Streaks that emanate in a perpendicular fashion. This means that with the usual application, vertically oriented cylindrical lenses and lines produce Streaks that are horizontal. Streak Filters of this new Cylindrical-Lens variety are usually used in matte boxes that allow rotation for aligning the effect as desired, which requires the user to select the size and aspect ratio to avoid vignetting.

There have been great improvements in Streak Filters with the new Cylindrical-Lens method of construction, but the traditional standards of high quality in filter manufacture have been maintained. The new Streak Filters are fabricated with optical-grade water white glass. They're made to order for you: you choose your desired combination of Color (Clear, Blue, Orange, Green, Pink, Yellow, Violet, and Red); Size (5x5, 4x4, 4x5.650, 3x3, 5.65x5.65, and 6.6x6.6 square and rectangular sizes, and round sizes coming in the near future); and Strength (from 1mm to 4mm line spacing, with 1mm giving the broadest and longest Streaks and 4mm giving the finest and shortest Streaks).

These new Cylindrical-Lens Streak Filters have strong advantages over the old Surface-Etched Streak Filters. Additionally, besides the production-enhancing new Blue Streak Filters, they come in a range of Colors than can truly multiply your creative abilities. You just have to give them a try.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment