From: "Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" To: "'eos@avocado.pc.Helsinki.FI'" Date sent: Thu, 6 Jan 2000 09:10:56 -0800 Subject: EOS: Making a Softar-like filter for portraits Send reply to: eos@avocado.pc.Helsinki.FI Hey EOSnuts, I wanted to pass along a simple and easy way to make a $150 filter for about $5, I have used this fir years and it works flawlessly. This will soften that all too sharp Macro or other lens. Gte a filter (UV or sky is best) and using clear nail polish place drops symmetrically on one side of the filter. The tighter the drops the softer the effect. If you make a mistake and want to redo it, nail polish (acetone) will clean the glass perfectly (and no it won't remove any coating). If you use put drops on both sides the effect is also softer. White or black (or fo that matter color) nail polish works to add an effect like a white glow or black mist. Try it, it works. After all the softar filter Zeiss makes and sells for $150+ are only glass with small concave circles in them placed symmetrically. One thing to remember is that as you stop done to F5.6 then F8 and so on, you lose more and more of the softening effect. This works best in the wider apertures like F2.8 F4 or wider if you have a faster lens. Best of luck and best of light. Peter K