The maximum range of the Cinefade effect is 5 T-stops.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, FAQ, Education, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 28, 2018variable depth of field, adjustable depth of field, depth of field transition, depth of field calculation, light meter reading, exposure calculation, Cinefade range, 5 T-stops, variable ND filter, initial light loss

Which cameras are compatible with Cinefade?

The Cinefade system is compatible with all analogue film and digital cameras.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 26, 2018camera, film camera, digital camera, analogue camera, Arri, Canon, Panasonic, RED, JVC, Nikon, DSLR, 35mm, 65mm, Amira, Alexa, Alexa Mini, Alexa 65, Monstro, FS7, FS5, VENICE, Sony, Arri 435, IMAX, large format, shallow depth of field

What are the best lenses to use with Cinefade?

In our experience the Leitz Summilux-C, Cooke S4i, ARRI Zeiss Master Prime and Panavision Primo 70 Series work well with our system.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 24, 2018lens, cinematography, Leica, Leitz, Cooke, Arri Zeiss, Panavision, accurate lens markings, bokeh, background blur effect

Are there any changes in polarisation effects when using the cmotion Cinefade VariND?

There are no changes in polarisation effects, such as reflections in glass and changes in blue skies when using the cmotion Cinefade VariND.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, FAQ, Education, Motorised Polariser, Variable depth of field, Variable ND filter, MotoPolaOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 22, 2018matte box, Motorised Polariser, Static Polariser, polarisation effect

Is it possible to combine a Cinefade with a Dolly-Zoom shot?

Yes, it is certainly possible to combine a so-called Vertigo effect with the Cinefade variable depth of field in-camera effect and the results are amazing.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Commercial, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 21, 2018Dolly Zoom, Cinefade, Trombone shot, Hitchcock effect, Vertigo effect, experimentation, Alura lens, Motion Control rig

What is the initial light loss of the cmotion Cinefade VariND?

The initial light loss of the cmotion Cinefade VariND is 1.5 T-stops. It is then possible to achieve a 5+ stop Cinefade range (ND0.4-ND1.9).

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, FAQ, Variable depth of field, Variable ND filter, MotaPolaOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 20, 2018initial light loss, exposure compensation, Motorised Polariser, Static Polariser, Cinefade effect, Variable ND filter, one stop polar, MotaPola, RotaPola

Which lenses are compatible with Cinefade?

The Cinefade system is compatible with all cine-lenses that have manual aperture control and accurate lens markings.

Which matte boxes are compatible with the cmotion Cinefade VariND?

The VariND occupies two filter slots and fits perfectly into the recommended ARRI LMB 4x5 matte box and is compatible with all ARRI LMB matte boxes, including the ARRI LMB 4x5, LMB5 and LMB25. On some matte boxes the VariND may however not fully slot into place, as the integrated top-mounted motor can present an obstruction.

Which lens control systems are compatible with the cmotion Cinefade VariND?

The Cinefade system is only compatible with the cmotion cPRO lens control system with compatibility for the ARRI WCU4 planned for a future software update or licence key.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Motorised Polariser, Standalone Polariser, Variable depth of field, Variable ND filterOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 12, 2018lens control system, LCS, cmotion cvolution, ARRI WCU4, Preston, Tilta, cmotion cPRO, compatibility

How much light is required for the Cinefade effect?

Due to the nature of the effect, a lot of light is required to be able to transition from a deep depth of field to a shallow depth of field in one shot. The effect lends itself well to daytime exteriors and artificial lighting or a light sensitive camera sensor is required for studio shoots, interior locations and night shots.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 9, 2018exposure, light meter reading, T-stop, ISO, lighting, EXT, INT, cinematography, exposure compensation

What is the optimum T-stop range for the Cinefade effect?

A good Cinefade effect is one in which the depth of field noticeably changes so that the viewer perceives the effect. In our experience, a minimum 4-stop Cinefade over 1-3 seconds is required to make the effect visible and 5 stops are ideal.

What is the ideal focal length to use with the Cinefade effect?

In our experience focal lengths between 24mm and 50mm produce the best results for medium close up shots.

Cinefade, Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 7, 2018lens, focal length, 50mm, 29mm, M, MCU, Medium close up shot, shallow depth of field, deep depth of field, Leica, Summilux

Is it possible to achieve a variable depth of field in post-production?

It is certainly possible to emulate the Cinefade effect in post-production or with consumer mobile phones. We would however argue that it is a creatively inferior and more expensive method of achieving a depth of field transition.

Cinefade, Cinematography, Education, FAQ, Filmmaking, Variable depth of fieldOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 6, 2018post production, computer software, iPhone Xs adjustable depth of field effect, Huawei P10 depth of field, blur effect, mobile phone, cellular phone, mask, roto-scoping

Can the cmotion Cinefade VariND be used without a lens control system?

Yes, it is possible to use our cmotion Cinefade VariND as a standalone variable ND filter or standalone Motorised Polariser without a lens control system in VariND and RotaPola mode.

Cinematography, cmotion Cinefade VariND, FAQ, Motorised Polariser, Standalone Polariser, Variable ND filterOliver Janesh ChristiansenOctober 4, 2018variable ND filter, standalone ND filter, neutral density filter, professional, Motorised Polariser, standalone polariser, MotaPola, RotaPola, lens control system, LCS

Frequently Asked Questions