Sometimes the best creative tools in your filmmaking tool belt are also the cheapest. Like a shower curtain to diffuse light, a rug to kill the room echo, or even a vape pen to create instant fog. Ok, some cheap effects are more addicting than others. Freelensing, or lens whacking as it’s also called, can also give you a ton of bang for the buck. You can create a dreamy visual look, with light leaks and focus shifts that are impossible to achieve with post-production plugins. And best of all, it’s cheap. All it takes is an old manual lens. And a camera of course. But that’s it, just an old lens and a camera. Plus an SD card to record. And a battery. And maybe some gloves if it’s cold outside. Image Credit: Philip Bloom What is Freelensing? Free lensing is a photo or video technique that involves an interchangeable lens camera, and a lens that you hold freely in front of the camera sensor, without actually mounting the lens. Image Credit: Philip Bloom In the first lesson of Philip Bloom’s Cinematic Masterclass – which is completely free to watch – you can see a hands-on demonstration of freelensing. Philip shows you his favorite lenses to use for the effect, as well as some tips to ensure good results. Lens Whacking and Flange So how does freelensing actually work? First you’ll want to think about the flange, which is the distance between the lens mount and the sensor. It varies depending...
Published By: CineD - Wednesday, 19 January, 2022