New Soft Tone, Blender and ND filters help to cure HD horrors. Leading filter manufacturer, Formatt Filters today announced it is shipping an expanded collection of the HD diffusion, refraction and enhancing lens filters it launched successfully at NAB last year.

Designed specifically for High Definition picture acquisition, the new HD Soft Tone, Blender and Neutral Density (ND) ranges meet industry demand for improved HD image quality. The filters give cinematographers new creative options as they shoot with HD cameras, and peace of mind to actors and presenters the when working in front of cameras that can pick up even the most minute of facial blemishes.

The new filters will be shown at NAB 2007 (c/o Bogen, Booth #C5917) and the Scott Billup, Geoff Boyle CML event (invitation only) in Las Vegas.

Launched at NAB last year, Formatt’s HD Neutral Density, Clear UV, Soft, Soft Gold, Supersoft Gold filters, plus HD linear and circular polarizers are already revolutionising the way in which High Definition images can be controlled.

New at NAB 2007, the first filters in the Soft Tone range offer an even greater set of options for image softening and skin enhancement. The Soft Blush, Soft Lilac, Soft Pink, Soft Cool, Soft Turquoise and Soft Bronze, produced in three grades, deliver global softening of the image with subtle skin tone enhancement. Additional filters are in development and will be added to the range later in the year.

"High definition cameras highlight far more detail, quite harshly at times, and there’s a necessity for an enhancing range of filters for facial close-ups," said David Stamp, managing director of Formatt Filters. "Many presenters and actors have found that their most minute facial blemishes are being highlighted on screen. With the new filters we are launching in 2007, we offer cinematographers the widest choice in image enhancement for both HD and film."

Formatt is also launching a range of new Graduated Blender filters. Standard graduated filters affect the top part of the image whilst leaving the bottom undisturbed, and are most commonly used with skylines. The graduated filters are available in soft or hard-edged varieties. The blender is the same as a graduated filter, but with the transition taking place gradually over the whole length of the filter rather than in the middle. They are available in all colours in which Formatt manufacture graduated filters, including NDs.

All Formatt Filters are manufactured to the highest optical standards, using the very latest in materials technology, to ensure colour consistency when being in using High Definition production.

HD Soft Tone filters:

The soft tone filters are a completely new development in diffusion. They combine a new and unique softening pattern together with a very subtle skin tone enhancement in a range of shades, sufficient to take the edge from the harsh images which can be created by HD. They give the cinematographer a complete range of different looks to enhance facial images. The initial colours – blush, pink, cool, lilac, turquoise and superfine bronze – will be augmented later in the year by further options.

Graduated Blender filters:

Formatt has always produced extremely high quality graduated filters in soft edge, hard edge and razor edge varieties. Blenders (also sometimes known as Attenuators), in which the colour graduation starts at the bottom of the filter rather than the middle and works gradually to the top of the filter, are becoming increasingly popular and give the user further options in manipulating images.

About Formatt Filters

Formatt Filters develops a range of optically superior filters and gels for use in film and broadcast production, as well as a range of lighting for use in industrial manufacturing, museums and high-street retail outlets, where light filtration and the quality of light are critical factors. The company’s products combine scientifically advanced molecular-level technology, ultra high-quality components and meticulous manufacturing processes to achieve technical excellence. Formatt Filters won a Queen’s Award in 1981 for its work in molecular dyes, unrivalled work that to this day keeps Formatt at the leading edge of the industry. For further information visit www.formatt.co.uk, or telephone +44 (0) 1685 870 979.

Contacts & Information:
David Stamp
Formatt Filters
T: +44 1685 870 979
E: david.stamp@formatt.co.uk

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