STC Filters Clip in - any verdicts/reports/compatibility from m43 users?

[Bagrphotography]

Hi folks.

https://shop.stcoptics.com/

I have seen some good results from a motorsports 'tog using A7 and A9 cameras (Sony) with a STC Optics Clip-in filters.

Has anyone with a micro-four-thirds system camera had any use with that system?
Has anyone with Olympus and Panasonic used one (type?) of filter into the other body? (According to the STC Optics website, they are available for different bodies - panasonic/bmcc and olympus have a different shape. Apparently). Has anyone found they are 'shaped' to one body rather than the other? What sort of colour cast (if any) has appeared.

I anticipate that I will drop the $80odd plus postage on one of these filters as it will certainly be cheaper than getting an ND16 for lens with a 72mm thread (or for folks who have fisheye lenses )

Cheers

 

[JensM]

Never knew such existed, but it seems to ease up on the need to convert anything permanently to IR. Am keen to try that.

 

[Petrochemist]

Hi folks.

https://shop.stcoptics.com/

I have seen some good results from a motorsports 'tog using A7 and A9 cameras (Sony) with a STC Optics Clip-in filters.

Has anyone with a micro-four-thirds system camera had any use with that system?
Has anyone with Olympus and Panasonic used one (type?) of filter into the other body? (According to the STC Optics website, they are available for different bodies - panasonic/bmcc and olympus have a different shape. Apparently). Has anyone found they are 'shaped' to one body rather than the other? What sort of colour cast (if any) has appeared.

I anticipate that I will drop the $80odd plus postage on one of these filters as it will certainly be cheaper than getting an ND16 for lens with a 72mm thread (or for folks who have fisheye lenses )

Cheers

I use one on my A7ii, but didn't know they made any for MFT (fairly sure they didn't when I got mine, but it might just have been that their MFT range is listed as Olympus only while my MFT cameras are Panasonics).
I would expect them to be restricted to a specific set of camera models, if STC don't list your camera body the chances are it won't fit - but you can always ask them. Note the later Sony FE models have a different range from the earlier ones.

I've found mine rather fiddly to fit & remove without getting fingerprints on the filter. Apart from this it works well for most lenses, but has caused some edge vignetting on very long lenses.
FWIW mine is a hot mirror type that returns my converted camera to normal operation.

 

[retiredfromlife]

Wonder how these work as sensor protectors, would be far easier to clean.

 

[Petrochemist]

Wonder how these work as sensor protectors, would be far easier to clean.

Certainly far easier to replace if you mess up the cleaning!
I wouldn't expect dust to get past them so they'll work quite well. Dust on the filter itself will be far enough from the sensor to make it much less visible, but it will still show if smaller apertures are used.

 

[retiredfromlife]

Certainly far easier to replace if you mess up the cleaning!
I wouldn't expect dust to get past them so they'll work quite well. Dust on the filter itself will be far enough from the sensor to make it much less visible, but it will still show if smaller apertures are used.

Thanks for the reply.
I notice they have one called sensor protector, would these clip in filters cause any image IQ loss?

 

[Petrochemist]

Thanks for the reply.
I notice they have one called sensor protector, would these clip in filters cause any image IQ loss?

I suppose there might be some, but nothing noticeable. Unlike filters before the lens you won't find some lenses magnifying flaws.
The only one I've used makes a huge difference to the image, without it my camera sees something like 300-1100nm & with it only 400-610nm so I get much less CA with the filter. If it is causing any softening the change in wavelength range completely masks it.
Light hitting these clip in filters should be relatively straight on - no chance of light at more than 30° to the vertical which will help control flare even without coatings to deal with it. (I've never seen any).

 

[Bagrphotography]

good point. ..

 

[Mack]

I use one on my A7ii, but didn't know they made any for MFT (fairly sure they didn't when I got mine, but it might just have been that their MFT range is listed as Olympus only while my MFT cameras are Panasonics).
I would expect them to be restricted to a specific set of camera models, if STC don't list your camera body the chances are it won't fit - but you can always ask them. Note the later Sony FE models have a different range from the earlier ones.

I've found mine rather fiddly to fit & remove without getting fingerprints on the filter. Apart from this it works well for most lenses, but has caused some edge vignetting on very long lenses.
FWIW mine is a hot mirror type that returns my converted camera to normal operation.

I've been thinking of getting either one, or their kit of four, IR filters for my full-spectrum converted camera. I'm tired of playing with step-up rings and the vigentting with some rings and filters on the wide-angle lenses. I found I can use the 7.5mm Laowa with a 46>72mm step-up ring to a 720nm filter and it's okay, but anything smaller vignettes badly, even a 46mm filter, but the large stp-up seems to help. I used another 72m>82mm step-up ring as a lens hood since a normal lens hood (Even a 72mm rectangular cine one.) vignettes too.

I've been playing around with a 720nm filter on a Olympus E-M1.1 converted to full-spectrum by Lifepixel, but my take on the 850nm was it's too much and maybe only good for B&W only as it appears the RGB pixels are overlapped in FastRawViewer so any color would be fruitless. The 720nm isn't bad, but was wondering if going lower to maybe a 590nm might be better for color edit plays?

Their kit offers a 590, 720, 850, and a UV-IR Cut 635 which I'm guessing is the filter to make the Full Spectrum into a normal operating camera as if the stock OEM filter was attached to the sensor but unsure. I played with one of their Astro clip filters and it looked to be more normal in color, aside from being temperamental to get clipped into the body as they are tight!

 

[Petrochemist]

I've been thinking of getting either one, or their kit of four, IR filters for my full-spectrum converted camera. I'm tired of playing with step-up rings and the vigentting with some rings and filters on the wide-angle lenses. I found I can use the 7.5mm Laowa with a 46>72mm step-up ring to a 720nm filter and it's okay, but anything smaller vignettes badly, even a 46mm filter, but the large stp-up seems to help. I used another 72m>82mm step-up ring as a lens hood since a normal lens hood (Even a 72mm rectangular cine one.) vignettes too.

I've been playing around with a 720nm filter on a Olympus E-M1.1 converted to full-spectrum by Lifepixel, but my take on the 850nm was it's too much and maybe only good for B&W only as it appears the RGB pixels are overlapped in FastRawViewer so any color would be fruitless. The 720nm isn't bad, but was wondering if going lower to maybe a 590nm might be better for color edit plays?

Their kit offers a 590, 720, 850, and a UV-IR Cut 635 which I'm guessing is the filter to make the Full Spectrum into a normal operating camera as if the stock OEM filter was attached to the sensor but unsure. I played with one of their Astro clip filters and it looked to be more normal in color, aside from being temperamental to get clipped into the body as they are tight!

Unfortunately I cracked mine a couple of weeks ago. I took it out for some IR shots & hadn't quite got it seated properly when I put it back. Refit the lens & crack £160 up the spout.

 

[Bagrphotography]

owwwww!
Edit - with two G85 camera bodies, I would be inclined to keep a filter in one body all the time and attach a polariser as required to whichever lens is on (excluding fish-eyes of course... those are tricky in that situation ;D)

 

[John Mowry]

I got the light pollution filter and it fits well. I had a bit of trouble getting it out because I don’t have any fingernails. Can’t comment on filter performance because the weather in Indiana didn’t cooperate before I left for dark sky country. The shipping fee is high, but it’s quick air freight from Taiwan.

 

[Bagrphotography]

Annnnd after some time I bought some.

Rather helpful for cutting down the light, especially since base ISO is so damned high. The ability to drop 3 or 4 stops of light is good.