JDinPA's Full Review: Hoya 49mm Misty Spot Windmill Filter
Want to add some quick drama and creativity to your shot? Want to focus just on the subject in a small concentrated section of the picture? Do you need to blur some surrounding objects in the scene to get a better shot? If any of these things are needed, then the Hoya Misty Spot Windmill Filter may be just what you are looking for.
The Hoya Misty Spot Windmill Filter provides you with a sharp central image with a soft whirly swirly blurring of the entire surrounding field. The "whirly swirly" effect gives the illusion of turning movement in a circular fashion around the center image. You can still see the background and colors through the soft turning blurr, but you may see the colors and objects "streaked" into the swirling effect.
This effect does give some extra drama to the shot, and definitely brings focus right into the center spot where your subject is. This filter seems to work best with portraits, animal head shots, and shots of just one object that needs to be highlighted. The blurred effect will also help to disguise some unwanted background objects or parts of a scene that you really do not want to include in the focused area of the picture.
Hoya Misty-Spot Filters are available in four different types - The Windmill, Halo, Gradual, and Breeze. Each of the four types all provide you with a sharp central image, but have different types of blurring. For example, with Halo, the blurring effect seems to come from the edge of the photo, with Gradual the blurring seems to come out and and away from the center and appears to have the effect "shooting out" toward the viewer. With Misty Spot Breeze, there appears to be diagonal streaked line blurring around the central spot. Of all of these the Halo is my least favorite look as it just seems so "fake" to me. The other blurring effects all look pretty cool and could help add to a picture.
The Hoya Misty Spot Windmill Filter, as well as the other 3 versions of the "Misty Spot," have Hoyamachined aluminum frames. All of these aluminum frames provide you with a slight give in the event your camera or lens is jarred or bumped. The frames are rigid and secure but having that "give" will help to protect your camera.
The filter frame itself fits securely right on to the camera lens; you can easily screw the filter right on to the thread ring at the end of your camera lens. The threads have always worked well for me and I have not encountered snags or burrs within the threads. Tighten until secure - you do not have to force tighten the filter on, which could do damage to the threads of both the lens and filter.
This filter is a 49mm, but you may find it in other sizes to fit your specific camera. Use of a filter adapter ring (which goes onto your camera lens and then add the filter is added on top of that) is a quick and easy fix when you cannot locate an exact size match. These "Step-Up" or "Step-Down" filter or adaptor rings can be found at your local camera shop or by browsing camera supply shops on-line.
There are many different types of Hoya filters that you can experiment with and add to your accessories. There is no end to all the combinations and special effects you can achieve with the variety of special effects, colored, soft focus and general filters available!
For more information on Hoya, contact them at:
USA THK Photo Products, Inc. 2360 Mira Mar Ave.Long Beach, CA 90815 Tel: 562-494-9575 Fax: 562-494-3375
INTERNATIONAL Tokina Co.,Ltd. 120-4 Nozuta-Machi, Machida-Shi, Tokyo 195-0063
You many want to check out Hoya's website that showcases their products at: http://www.hoyafilter.com Their website lists distributers that you can contact as well.
Hoya also has an on-line catalog at http://hoyafilter.com/pdf/HOYACatalog.pdf At this site you can see pictures and examples of what the different filters can do for you and your photograph.
Special effects filters can be a fun and very exciting addition to your photographic hobby. They definitely have their place in the field of photography and they are well worth some experimentation and trials.
Special effect filters can lead to new ways of seeing a scene or adding excitement to a mundane setting. Give one or more a try!
Available in four types: Gradual, Breeze, Windmill and Halo. They heve a sharp central image with a pleasant blurring of the outer field. With Gradual...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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