Just ordered a center filter for my Schneider 28mm XL

[Enda Cavanagh]

Just ordered a center filter for my Schneider 28mm XL. As usual the MF world ran into full swing to inform me that the thing exists, even though 28mm users have been screaming out for it. I only found out about it because I was randomly browsing throughout the Alpa website.

Canon/Nikon marketing operates in a slightly different way I guess

[gazwas]

And there is also one now for the 43XL which, IMO transforms the 43XL from very good lens into an amazing one! It will never leave my front of my 43 again.....

[aviv1887]

You even use the Cf for the 43mm when you are centered or work with very little shift?

[Enda Cavanagh]

Ya that's interesting you need it for the 43mm. I've the 47mm and I don't need it. I do use one on my 35mm xl though.
Can't wait to start using it. It has been a royal pain noting all movements with the 28mm and keying in the adjustments for every image. I blend up to 2 sets of 7 images for panoramics so you can image how much time that takes.

[Paul2660]

I agree, the CF for the 43mm is a great addition and really finishes out the 43mm.
A few things I have found since I added it, (I leave it on also)

1.  Capture one is a bit overzealous when processing a LCC with the CF on the 43mm, and IMO you have to really pull down the light falloff slider most of the time. (exception is
     when I use a CL-PL on the lens and the CF. 

2.  On center, you don't think it is doing much, however it does.  It's hard to judge on the LCD of the camera but when you load the LCC file in Capture One, you can see
     a definite improvement.

3.  On shifts, it's a huge help as the the light fall off on the 43 is more than one realizes. The CF is also close to 3 stops which surprised me, as I recall this is even more than
     the CF for the 35mm Schneider, which is 2.5 X.  You will see an improvement in noise. 

4.  There is a bit of relief on the edges of extreme shifts from going harsh magenta, but unfortunately on a 60mp back, the 43XL is only good to about 15mm of horizontal shifting
     before you see detail smearing and loss of color saturation.

There is also a new filter for the 60XL, but I don't see the need for it, even with shifts to 30mm on the 60XL.  The 60XL is the king of shifting.

Paul

[Paul2660]

Enda,

Here is a great review of the 28XL, and about half way some great shots showing the filter on a cambo system.

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/lens-accessory-reviews/34991-rodenstock-28mm-hr-vs-schneider-super-digitar-28xl.html

Paul

[Enda Cavanagh]

Guys
My center filter just arrived and sweet mama but it's fantastic. It's huge and it needs to be. I just pretty much maxed out the movements on the cambo wide DS before vignetting started to happen. I was getting up to 17 rise or shift combined with about 7 or 8mm in the other direction before vigetting jet started to appear. As long as low contrast areas are located in the outermost corners of the image anything is possible with this filter/lens combination. Noise is much more controlled in shadow areas in the corners than the Schneider digital filter. That would be a pretty obvious result of course because it's a correction at the source rather than digitally done later.  Once the equalize intensity tool is used it removes any bit of additional vignetting. Although some may wish to keep that. I haven't tested it yet for reflections from say spot lights. I have 2 architectural shoots next week and I can't wait to start using it.

Bottom line is this is phenomenal for a lens this wide and I am delighted with it.

The one thing I have a problem with is Schneider have gone from one extreme to the other with the cap. It's almost welded onto the filter. This may be an issue when you are shooting the same scene over different exposures but want to keep the filter protected from say water spray. It's so tight there is a risk of causing a slight movement of the camera.

Paul thanks so much for your info. I'll give the post a good read. Have you tried the digital centre filter on the 43mm. It's not as wide as the 28mm so you might get better results. I use Phocus myself and I hear the lens correction is much better in Capture One so I can't pass many judgement on it.

[gazwas]

You even use the Cf for the 43mm when you are centered or work with very little shift?

Yep, sure do and it improves thinks massively.

I use my 43XL on a 60Mpix sensor and I feel it reduces the colour cast and evens out the exposure at the edges than if not using any filter. IMO its essential to use the 43XL with a centre filter to get the most from this little gem of a lens. The attached picture is straight from C1 without any form of LCC (cast or falloff) corrections applied. The 43XL and CF was mounted on an Rm3di and shot with a 60Mpix sensor with about 6mm of rise. Without the CF and 6mm of rise the sky would have darkened at the top and edges and you would be asking software to correct this fall off. As you can see with the CF this is just about spot on with a very gentle graduation of tone towards the edges of the frame that has a very pleasant look IMO. Also to my eyes the colour cast is not obvious and I could quite happily deliver this to the client as seen here. However, the busy nature of this shot does help reduce the colour cast effect in this example.

To say I'm extremely pleased with the CF on the 43XL would be an understatement and at just under £200, a bargain.