So lots of research, lots of examples and opinions and you know what?
I think I will give this diffusion thing a miss.
Several reasons have surfaced, so I will tackle each in turn.
Availability.
The ones I really want to try are the Tiffen Black Glimmmmerglass and Black Satin in the weaker 1/8 or 1/4 strengths. The problem is high price and patchy availability in Australia making it a risky investment sight unseen.
Camera sharpening.
For my needs, I have reduced sharpening to -5 and contrast of my 1080 to -3, my 4k to -5 for both. The lower res of 1080 and its unprocessed use (immediate social media) means that dropping it a little looks smoother, but without post, dropping it all the way down is a little much. I also have to consider the B-roll camera, the OSMO, that does not give me the same controls (although Freewell does make mist filters for it!).
The look.
Photographically, I was a child of the ‘80’s and back then you had to chose a side, misty of not. I went not. The work of Greg Gorman appealed for a while, but it was glamour, well executed, black and white and very on-trend. When that faded over time, so did my interest. After a day of comparisons, I can honestly say, I did not like most of what I was shown as opposed to a week researching cinema colour, that was transformative.
Tools at hand.
I have already had some mild success making my own filters and there have been some really good ideas on line to try. Add this to the antique 25mm’s “Hazy” wide open performance and the as yet untried Helios 44-2 I found down stairs and you have the makings of a workable “Hollywood” look if requested.
If I were to go for a filter and that would be a big “if” at this point, it would likely be the K&F Black mist 1/8 strength, because it looks to be the most invisible and gentlest of the lot, but if they made a 1/16….. . Second would be the Kenko 0.5 for the same reasons, but smoother (ed. I went for the Kenko).
The wide open madness that is the ancient 25mm. At F4 the thing really cleans up its act, but at 2.8 it is “special”.
Me (and my needs).
My tastes and needs are found far from here. Do I need to go all “Netflix” to get the job done? I feel not. My favourite films are generally hard-real, suitably lit, using colour for mood*. If softening is needed beyond what I have managed with lighting etc, then a little post maybe. I need to remind myself where my needs lie. For now that is small time video and the occassional TV grade shoot.
Interestingly, one reviewer who clearly knew his stuff, tried a genuine fish-net stocking and that came close to the money. That is actually what the old shooters mean by “black net,”, not a sheer silk number. I was always led to believe in the early days that black nets were used to soften, but keep contrast up, while white based filters softened and reduced contrast. The Gorman work bares this out.
Softness can take many forms.
Smoke and mirrors.
There are other tools. Smoke or haze (actual mist), or reducing sharpness further in camera, looking into the character of lenses new and old, softening in post, soft lighting (always), exposure and depth of field all have a role to play. The filter is the most obvious and I feel the least natural looking. It is a look, not a natural effect.
The look is described as “cinematic” and it is I guess, but it also depends on what cinema you watch.
*
One thing I was reminded of here is the rabbit hole that online research can be.
Most reviewers, depending on the question you ask, are advocates of these filters generally or one type over others, so a day of saturation can lead to a “must have” mindset.
The reality is, most major productions do use filtering, but they also use multi thousand dollar lenses and cameras, sometimes film, sometimes massive amounts of post, light rigs etc., so filters are just a small part of a very large whole (hole!). Apparently, there are whole rafts of people out there who do not use them. Go figure ;).
Monitors, filters, lighting, cages and rigs, sliders etc all have their role to play, but let the need determine the purchase, not internet fuelled impulse.
I need to constantly remind myself to drop out of this cycle mid stream and look at the overall picture before committing.
Obsessive much?
Yes, but aware of it.
*Putting this to the test, Meg and I recently watched the 11th series of Vera and straight away noticed the heavy “glow” added. Apparently they had a lot of issues with COVID, so maybe it was a technical necessity, but both my wife and I find the look less appealing.