How To Film Incredible Dancing Footage In Your Wedding Films!

How To Film Incredible Dancing Footage In Your Wedding Films!

There are some things that you can learn by reading books and manuals, but some only come through years of experience. In my wedding tutorial vlogs, I attempt to distill all my years of knowledge into easy to understand tips and tutorials to give you a “shortcut” so you can improve quicker. My goal with these tutorials is to not only tell you how I do something, but why I do it.

To date, some of my favorite videos tutorials to create have been “A Wedding Filmmaker’s Guide to Posing The Couple,” and my “Establishing Shots: Why they are important and how to film them!”  I only wish I had more things like this when I was starting out. This one fits right in with those, along with how wedding filmmakers can get along with photographers.

Matt holding a blue ARRI 150 fresnel light beside his face, string lights glowing behind him
I love this light!

Today, in the same vein as those favorite tutorials I bring you a new one, all about how I film dancing at a wedding reception. In it, I cover four key tips that should help your improve your footage of people dancing during a wedding reception. The open dance floor doesn’t have to be boring or intimidating! It can be a lot of fun, I promise.

Nighttime timelapse of a glowing wedding tent under a starry sky, captioned 'From The Film: Scotland Meets Texas'

Tip One: Talk To Everybody Before The Day

This goes back to my entire philosophy for how I film weddings, honestly, which is that you should be talking to everyone you possibly can and doing as much pre-production ahead of time as you can get away with. For the dancing specifically, that means three separate conversations.

The couple. Ask about their colors and their venue. Colors matter more than people realize, because sometimes they’ll hire an uplighting specialist who shows up and floods the room in bright green, and you’re standing there watching skin tones fall apart on your monitor. Any time you can talk to them ahead of the day and offer a constructive suggestion, not a demand, about what’s going to photograph well, that’s a win. Then look up the venue online and see what other people’s footage from that room actually looks like.

The coordinator. Get to know them, be friendly, and if they’re helping make any of the color decisions, offer the same constructive input. A coordinator who likes you makes your entire day easier, and that’s true whether or not the lighting ever comes up.

The DJ. This is the one nobody thinks to do. Couples hire a DJ, and the DJ says he’ll bring uplighting and stage lights and handle the whole dance floor, and sometimes those are LED fixtures that band on camera or throw purple and green across everybody’s face. So I reach out and ask: are you bringing lights, what kind, what colors were you thinking? These are weird niche questions that a DJ probably never gets asked, and every single one of them makes the video better.

Tip Two: Bring Your Own Light

Ideally, for the dance scenes, you want the venue’s lights turned down. And I already hear you: Matt, I don’t have an a7S II, I can’t shoot in the dark, why are you telling me to do this. I’m not saying don’t bring light. I’m saying don’t use the venue’s light. Bring your own.

I use the Arri 150, which is a 150 watt spotlight balanced to 3200K. It doesn’t flicker in slow motion, which by itself rules out a lot of cheaper fixtures, and it gives beautiful skin tones. It’s also beam focusable, so there’s a knob on the back that takes you from a tight spot to a wide wash depending on how big the dance floor is. I usually leave it wide.

Matt holding an Arri 150 light fixture with a surprised wide-eyed expression, string lights behind him

The barn doors are sold separately and you want them. They’re how you keep the light off the wall behind the dance floor and off the head table and pointed where you actually want it.

Matt holding the same Arri 150 light with a furrowed brow, mid-sentence

And here’s the real reason this matters. If you’ve talked to the couple and the coordinator and the DJ and they still want the purple uplighting, this light saves you, because whatever it’s shining on has good color. You’re not fighting the room anymore, you’re just overpowering it on the one patch of floor that ends up in your film.

Stands And The Cheap Alternative

For stands I use CheetahStands, which spread their legs out automatically the second you set them down. That sounds like a small thing right up until you’re speed-walking across a reception hall with a light in one hand trying to get set before the first dance.

And if the Arri is too rich for your taste, the Lowel Pro-light does most of the same job for a fraction of the price and I genuinely love that light too. You don’t need to spend a fortune here. There are other well-regarded spotlights out there as well, but between those two you’re covered.

Get the lights, stands, and dimmer I talked about in the video on my reception lighting Gear page.

Buy A Dimmer, And Boil The Frog

This is my favorite trick in the whole video and it cost me about twenty bucks. Get an inline dimmer with a control knob so you can set your light anywhere from low to full.

Close-up of a dimmer switch labeled VAR/OFF/FULL with a Low-to-High power dial, on a wood table

Here’s why. I set my light up the moment I get to the reception, before anybody is even in the room, so it’s already part of the furniture by the time guests walk in and nobody ever has that “whoa, what is that” reaction. I run it somewhere between low and medium at first. Then, all night long, I creep it up. It’s the boiling a frog thing, where you raise the temperature slowly enough that the frog never notices. In this case the guests are the frog, and I would like to slowly boil them.

By the time we’re deep into the open dancing and everybody’s had a couple of drinks and is going crazy out there, that light is at maximum, and nobody blinked at it once. That’s when I get the bright backlight, the lens flares, the whole look.

Groom in a white shirt and tie laughing while dancing, captioned 'From The Film: My Breath of Life, My Other Half, My Cinderella'

Whatever spotlight you pick, having one opens up options you simply don’t have otherwise. You can put it behind people and shoot into it for backlight and flares. You can push it off to the side for nice side lighting. And if your camera isn’t great in low light, you can just shoot from the side the light is on, and hey, people are lit and they look good.

Woman with pink-streaked hair looking aside on a dim dance floor, captioned 'From The Film: Meant To Be Together Since Grade School'

Tip Three: Get In There

This is the camera technique that totally blew my mind whenever I started doing it, to the point that I wondered why I hadn’t been shooting everything this way the whole time. Put a 50mm or an 85mm or a 135mm on your camera and get close. Not “zoom in from the edge of the room” close. Actually in there, near people’s faces, moving with them.

Two women dancing arm in arm, captioned 'From The Film: Meant To Be Together Since Grade School'

People on a dance floor are already packed together like sardines, so nobody thinks it’s weird that you’re in there too. And the difference in the footage is enormous, because you get the energy and the feeling of it. When I started shooting weddings I’d stand off to the side with a 70-200 zoomed all the way in going “okay, that looks good, those people over there,” and the footage always felt removed. Sterile. Like watching a party through a window instead of being at one.

Red-lit close-up profile of a man dancing with his arm raised, captioned 'From The Film: High School Sweethearts In The Hill Country'

And yes, this means handheld. If you’re about to tell me you don’t have in-body stabilization, that’s fine, because I used to shoot handheld dance floors on a Sony FS100 and they looked great. Whenever you have high tempo music and fast cuts, people forgive the shakiness completely, and honestly it adds a bit of that shaky frenetic energy that never quite worked in the movies that overused it but works beautifully here.

Young man singing joyfully under colorful lights with friends behind him, captioned 'High School Sweethearts In The Hill Country'

Close in on the action, spotlight behind them, fast cuts, good music, and suddenly people watch your film and think “man, that dancing looked fun, I hope my wedding is that fun, I should hire this guy.” Just saying. It works.

Tip Four: Use The Buddy System

Not like swimming. Like filming. If you’re shooting with a second shooter, do not send them off across the room to cover something random. Keep them with you and tag team.

The way it works is that whenever you’re filming a couple dancing, one of you films one person and the other films the other person, roughly at a 90 degree angle so you’re never in each other’s shot. My wife and I do this constantly. I’ll be on a 50mm on one of them, she’ll be right next to me on an 85mm on the other, and the different focal lengths mean the two shots cut together instead of looking like the same shot twice.

Woman in a red dress dancing at the reception with groomsmen blurred behind her, captioned 'My Breath of Life, My Other Half, My Cinderella'

And this is the part that pays you back later, because in the edit you’re no longer stringing together random dancing shot, random dancing shot, random dancing shot. You have couple shot one, couple shot two, couple shot three, and the whole sequence ties itself together. It’s almost editing itself.

The Films I Pulled Examples From

One note if you’re reading this years later: the prices I quoted in the video were current in 2017 and the fixtures have moved around since. Check what things actually cost before you buy.

More Gear And More Help

You can check out the rest of the gear I use for filmmaking at my Gear Page or over on Kit. Here’s what’s in the bag now:

Everything is color graded with my own WhoisMatt LUTs, and the music comes from Sound Stripe (coupon code “WHOISMATT” for 10% off), Art List (free extra 2 months through that link), and Musicbed. Whenever I need help with an edit I use Archaius Creative, who’ll knock 10% off your first project.

If you want to go deeper, my wedding film editing course covers the whole edit, there’s a free Learn Wedding Filmmaking Facebook group, and I have a free quick tips guide on how to book more wedding film clients.

Oh, and in the video I mention that my Mavic Pro review is coming eventually, after I went through three of them before getting one that worked. I did finally make it: here’s a wedding filmmaker’s review of the DJI Mavic Pro.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave one below or get in touch. You can also follow along on Instagram.

I am also now offering one-on-one personal filmmaker consulting! Wanna talk about cameras, lighting, or booking clients? Let’s do it!

How To Export HD Video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Vimeo

How To Export HD Video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Vimeo

Save time and download my free 1080p Export Preset for Premiere Pro!

This is the second video in my tutorial series all about the video settings that I use when rendering my videos in Adobe Premiere Pro CC. While first video and text tutorial was all about my 4K export settings, this one tackles my 1080p export settings. If you are using Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, CS 5.5, or CS5, I have an earlier blog post I wrote back in 2012 detailing my 1080p export settings for those programs.

This tutorial is significantly shorter than my 4K export settings tutorial due to me not going nearly as in-depth about my reasoning for choosing the settings that I use. So if you are watching this video or reading the text tutorial below and are confused about why I am using a certain setting, I would highly recommend watching the 4K export settings video, as many of the settings that I go over are similar and include explanations.

Want to export even faster? Instead of creating your own export preset, just download and use mine!

Lastly, if you would rather read how to export your videos in 1080p instead of watch, I have included a text tutorial with screenshots below, detailing my exact export settings.

Premiere Pro CC 2017 workspace with seagulls flying over a shipping port loaded in the source and program monitors
Premiere Pro handles 1080p footage easily.

My text guide for how to export 1080p video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Video

First, make sure you have Adobe Premiere Pro installed. Don’t have a copy of Premiere?! Download a free 7-day trial from adobe here.

SEQUENCE PRESET SETUP

Before I get to my export settings, I need to discuss the sequence preset that I use. Premiere uses the term “sequence” to describe the timeline that you will use when editing your video. It is important to select a sequence preset that is the same as the video settings that you used when filming with your camera. You can use “Ctrl + N” or go to “File > New > Sequence” to open the new sequence dialog box. For the video clip I use in this project, I filmed in 1920×1080 resolution at 120fps with the Sony A7Sii. I then used Premiere to interpret the footage to 23.976 fps and that is what we will be exporting today. I need to select a new sequence preset that is the same as these video settings. Select Digital SLR > 1080p > DSLR 1080p24. Name your sequence in the dialogue box below, and click “OK.”

New Sequence dialog with DSLR 1080p24 preset selected under Digital SLR in the Sequence Presets list
The New Sequence Preset Window

EDIT YOUR VIDEO

Your video is now ready to be edited as you would normally on the timeline. Once you have finished editing and are ready to export your video, go to the next step.

SET YOUR IN AND OUT POINTS

Once your video is edited and ready to render. You need to set your “In” and “Out” points. Do this by moving the video playhead to where you want the opening frame of your rendered video to begin and press the “I” key on your keyboard. Then move the playhead to the end of your video and select the “O” key on your keyboard. The timeline will turn a darker color where your in and out points are selected. It is now time to export your video! With the timeline selected you can either press “Ctrl + M” on the keyboard, or navigate to “File > Export > Media” in the menu.

Premiere Pro timeline with sequence in and out points set on a palm frond clip, shown as a blue bar in the ruler
Set your “In” and “Out” points.

BEGIN CHANGING YOUR EXPORT SETTINGS

You’ve now opened the “Export Settings” dialog box and there’s approximately 3,000 settings you could change. Don’t freak out though, we’re going to tackle this one section at a time. First, under the “Export Settings” heading on the left, next to “Format” select “H.264” from the drop down menu. For Preset select, “Custom.” Click the blue text next to “Output Name” and select a name and location to save your video file. Make sure both the “Export Video” and “Export Audio” boxes are checked.

Export Settings dialog with Format set to H.264, Width 3,840 and Height 2,160, and CBR bitrate encoding at 1 Mbps
How the export settings dialogue box looks upon opening it for the first time.
Export Settings summary panel showing H.264 output at 3840x2160 CBR versus a 1920x1080 source sequence
The export settings heading of the dialog box.

BASIC VIDEO SETTINGS AND BITRATE SETTINGS FOR YOUTUBE, VIMEO, FACEBOOK, AND OTHER VIDEO SITES

If you are uploading your video to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or any other video site, I recommend using the below settings. The file sizes will be quite large, but this will ensure that your video retains its quality when you upload it to these sites and they convert it into different formats and resolutions. Also, if you want to know my reasoning for choosing these settings, please watch my 4K export settings video.

Select the “Video Tab” in the middle of the export settings dialog box and set “Profile” to “High” and “Level” to “4.2”. Then make sure your “Width” is set to “1,920” and your “Height” is set to “1,080”. Set your frame rate to “23.976”, and check the “Render at Maximum Depth.”

I put together How To Export 4K Video In Premiere Pro CC 2022 For YouTube, Facebook, & Vimeo, How To Export High Quality HD Video In Premiere Pro CC 2022 For YouTube, Facebook, & Vimeo, and Best Export Settings For Premiere Pro For YouTube as well, which cover the part I skipped over here.

Under “Bitrate Settings” set “Bitrate Encoding” to “CBR” and your “Target Bitrate [Mbps] to “40.” Lastly, check “Use Maximum Render Quality” at the bottom.

Basic Video Settings at 1,920x1,080 with CBR bitrate encoding and Target Bitrate slider set to 40 Mbps
HD Video export settings for YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.

BITRATE SETTINGS FOR GIVING YOUR 1080p VIDEO TO CLIENTS

If you are not planning on uploading your video to an online video site, and instead are giving it to a client, I would recommend using these bitrate settings because the file size won’t be nearly as large. 

For “Basic Video Settings” use the same settings as you would if you were uploading to an online video site. For “Bitrate Settings,” change “Bitrate Encoding” to “VBR, 2 Pass.” Set “Target Bitrate [Mbps]” to “15” and Maximum Bitrate [Mbps] to “40”. Lastly, check “Use Maximum Render Quality” at the bottom.

Bitrate Settings showing VBR, 2 pass with Target Bitrate 15 Mbps and Maximum Bitrate 40 Mbps
HD Export settings for rendering your videos for clients.

CHANGE YOUR AUDIO EXPORT SETTINGS

Click the “Audio” tab in the middle of the Export Settings window and for “Audio Format” select “AAC”. Under Basic Audio Settings, set the “Audio Codec” to “AAC”, Sample Rate to “48000 Hz”, “Channels” to “Stereo”, and “Audio Quality” to “High”. Lastly, for “Bitrate Settings” set “Bitrate [kbps]” to “320” and under Advanced Settings set “Precedence” to “Bitrate”.

Audio export tab with AAC codec, 48000 Hz sample rate, Stereo channels, and 320 kbps bitrate
Audio export settings.

SAVE YOUR VIDEO PRESET

Now that you have created your video settings, click the down arrow icon to the right of your “Preset” at the top, and name your new Export Preset either “1920×1080 23.976 cbr 40” or “1920×1080 23.976 vbr 15,40” depending on whether you are saving the 40mbps CBR preset or the 15,40 VBR preset.

Choose Name dialog saving an export preset named 1920x1080 23.976 vbr 15,40

EXPORT YOUR VIDEO

You are ready to click “Queue” or “Export” at the bottom of the dialog box and render your video!

I hope this video and tutorial has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave one below or get in touch.

How to export 4K video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Vimeo

How to export 4K video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Vimeo

Save time and download my free 4K Export Preset for Premiere Pro!

Way back in 2012 I wrote a blog post about my export settings for high definition videos in Premiere Pro. That post went on to become one of the most popular posts on my site. Wanna know what the second most popular post was? My video export settings for Instagram videos in Premiere Pro.

There’s a trend here, and I realized that with the advent of 4K video, I had the opportunity to create a new text and video tutorial about the settings that I use when shooting with my Sony A7Sii. As I prepared to create this tutorial, I decided that this would be the perfect time to revisit those posts about my high definition and Instagram export settings, and create videos for them as well.

Premiere Pro timeline with a palm frond clip loaded in the Program monitor, project panel empty above
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2017 doesn’t look very different from CS5.

My text guide for how to export 4K video in Premiere Pro CC for YouTube and Video

First, make sure you have Adobe Premiere Pro. Don’t have Premiere Pro?! You can download a 7-day free trial here.

Wanna save time? Download my 4K export preset for Premiere Pro!

SEQUENCE PRESET SETUP

Before I get to my export settings, I need to discuss the sequence preset that I use. Premiere uses the term “sequence” to describe the timeline that you will use when editing your video. It is important to select a sequence preset that is the same as the video settings that you used when filming with your camera. You can use “Ctrl + N” or go to “File > New > Sequence” to open the new sequence dialog box. For the video clip I use in this project, I filmed in 3840×2160 resolution at 23.976 fps with the Sony A7Sii. I need to select a new sequence preset that is the same as these video settings.

New Sequence dialog with Digital SLR 1080p folder expanded and DSLR 1080p24 preset selected
The New Sequence Preset Window

SEQUENCE PRESET SETTINGS

Once you have opened the New Sequence window, you have many presets to choose from. Because there aren’t any available for 3840×2160 footage, I would instead select “Digital SLR > 1080p > DSLR 1080p24” and then select the “Settings” tab at the top of the window. Under the “Video” heading, change the “Frame Size” to “3840 horizontal” and “2160 vertical”. Keep the rest of the settings the same as the preset.

New Sequence Settings tab with Frame Size set to 3840 by 2160 and Editing Mode set to DSLR
New Sequence Settings

SAVE YOUR NEWLY CREATED PRESET

Click “Save Preset” at the bottom and save your settings as a new preset. I named mine “3840×2160 23.976fps” so I can easily remember it when editing future videos. Next select your newly made preset, and edit your video clips on the timeline you have created.

Save Sequence Preset dialog with the name field filled in as 3840x2160, 23.976fps
Save your sequence preset.

SET YOUR IN AND OUT POINTS

Once your video is edited and ready to render. You need to set your “In” and “Out” points. Do this by moving the video playhead to where you want the opening frame of your rendered video to begin and press the “I” key on your keyboard. Then move the playhead to the end of your video and select the “O” key on your keyboard. The timeline will turn a darker color where your in and out points are selected. It is now time to export your video! With the timeline selected you can either press “Ctrl + M” on the keyboard, or navigate to “File > Export > Media” in the menu.

Premiere Pro timeline showing in and out points set around a palm frond clip in the Program monitor
Set your “In” and “Out” points.

BEGIN CHANGING YOUR EXPORT SETTINGS

You’ve now opened the “Export Settings” dialog box and there’s approximately 3,000 settings you could change. Don’t freak out though, we’re going to tackle this one section at a time. First, under the “Export Settings” heading on the left, next to “Format” select “H.264” from the drop down menu. For Preset select, “Custom.” Click the blue text next to “Output Name” and select a name and location to save your video file. Make sure both the “Export Video” and “Export Audio” boxes are checked.

Export Settings window opened on the Output tab showing H.264 format with a 1280x720 custom preset
How the export settings dialogue box looks upon opening it for the first time.
Export Settings summary panel listing H.264 format, Custom preset, and the 4K Export Settings.mp4 output name
The export settings heading of the dialog box.

BASIC VIDEO SETTINGS AND BITRATE SETTINGS FOR YOUTUBE, VIMEO, FACEBOOK, AND OTHER VIDEO SITES

If you are uploading your video to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or any other video site that supports 4K, I recommend using the below settings. The file sizes will be quite large, but this will ensure that your video retains its quality when you upload it to these sites and they convert it into different formats and resolutions. Also, if you want to know my reasoning for choosing these settings, please watch the tutorial video.

Select the “Video Tab” in the middle of the export settings dialog box and set “Profile” to “High” and “Level” to “5.2”. Then make sure your “Width” is set to “3,840” and your “Height” is set to “2,160”. Set your frame rate to “23.976”, and check the “Render at Maximum Depth.”

Under “Bitrate Settings” set “Bitrate Encoding” to “CBR” and your “Target Bitrate [Mbps] to “100.” Lastly, check “Use Maximum Render Quality” at the bottom.

Basic Video Settings panel with Bitrate Encoding set to CBR and Target Bitrate at 100 Mbps
Basic video settings and Bitrate settings.

BITRATE SETTINGS FOR GIVING YOUR 4K VIDEO TO CLIENTS

If you are not planning on uploading your video to an online video site, and instead are giving it to a client, I would recommend using these bitrate settings because the file size won’t be nearly as large. 

For “Basic Video Settings” use the same settings as you would if you were uploading to an online video site. For “Bitrate Settings,” change “Bitrate Encoding” to “VBR, 2 Pass.” Set “Target Bitrate [Mbps]” to “40” and Maximum Bitrate [Mbps] to “60”. Lastly, check “Use Maximum Render Quality” at the bottom.

Basic Video Settings panel with Bitrate Encoding set to VBR 2 pass, Target 40 and Maximum 60 Mbps
Basic Video Settings and Bitrate Settings for clients.

CHANGE YOUR AUDIO EXPORT SETTINGS

Click the “Audio” tab in the middle of the Export Settings window and for “Audio Format” select “AAC”. Under Basic Audio Settings, set the “Audio Codec” to “AAC”, Sample Rate to “48000 Hz”, “Channels” to “Stereo”, and “Audio Quality” to “High”. Lastly, for “Bitrate Settings” set “Bitrate [kbps]” to “320” and under Advanced Settings set “Precedence” to “Bitrate”.

Audio tab of Export Settings showing AAC codec, 48000 Hz sample rate, and 320 kbps bitrate
Audio export settings.

SAVE YOUR VIDEO PRESET

Now that you have created your video settings, click the down arrow icon to the right of your “Preset” at the top, and name your new Export Preset either “3840×2160 23.976 100mbps cbr” or “3840×2160 23.976 40,60 vbr” depending on whether you are saving the 100mbps CBR preset or the 40,60 VBR preset.

Choose Name dialog saving an export preset titled 3840x2160 23.976 CBR 100mbps
Video Export Preset

EXPORT YOUR VIDEO

You are ready to click “Queue” or “Export” at the bottom of the dialog box and render your video!

I hope this video and tutorial has been helpful to you. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave one below or get in touch.

A filmmaker’s review of the Vizelex ND Throttle lens adapter

A filmmaker's review of the Vizelex ND Throttle lens adapter

Way back in December of 2015 when I posted my review of the Sony A7Sii (and subsequently started vlogging about reviews, gear, etc.), I mentioned that I had ordered a revolutionary new lens adapter: the Vizelex ND Throttle. Many of you began asking for my thoughts on this adapter, and I promised in my replies that I would post one “soon.” Well, soon ended up being over one year later, but I’m pleased to announce that my video review of the Vizelex ND Throttle Lens Adapter is finally here!

Vizelex. You really can’t help but pronounce it that way whenever you see it, because it’s just such a cool name. It sounds like a super villain.

My Bag Of Lens Adapters

Over the past 9 years of creating videos, I have amassed quite a collection of lens adapters for my cameras. Since switching to Sony E-mount in 2012, this number has grown considerably.

Bearded man holding up a small black mesh storage pouch with an empty hand extended below it

This is the bag of lens adapters I bring to every single wedding, and you’re probably thinking, Matt, that is total overkill. But whenever you’re shooting with two A7S bodies and an FS100 and sometimes a Canon 70D thrown into the mix, you have a lot of lenses across a lot of different camera systems, and you need to make every lens work with every body. So I’ve got Nikon to Canon, Canon to Sony, Nikon to Sony, speed boosters, plain manual adapters, and now adapters with variable ND filters built right into them. I love that we keep seeing this miniaturization of technology, and I hope to see even more nifty features crammed into lens adapters in the future.

Four lens mount adapters lined up on a wood table, including a Vizelex NIK G-NEX ND Throttle
SO MANY lens adapters…

Why All Of This Works: Flange Distance

The reason all of these adapters can work with Sony E-mount cameras comes down to something called flange distance. And I’m sure you’re thinking, flange distance, Matt, that sounds kind of dirty. Hang with me.

Close-up of the adapter's red-ringed mount attached to a Sony camera body with tape on the grip

Flange distance is the distance between the back of your lens and the sensor of your camera. E-mount cameras have a very shallow flange distance, meaning the sensor sits very close to the back of the lens. The benefit is that you can adapt nearly any lens system onto E-mount, because there’s room to put an adapter in that gap. There are adapters for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Hasselblad, Pentax. Pretty much everything except some micro four thirds lenses, which won’t cover a full frame or even a Super 35 sensor. Outside of a few outliers, you can adapt nearly anything to this camera, which is amazing.

I could honestly talk about lens adapters for hours, and sometimes I do, and it tends to annoy my wife. But regardless of the status of my marriage, let’s talk about this specific adapter.

Why The Nikon Mount Version

The one I’m reviewing is the Nikon lens mount to Sony E-mount version, which adapts Nikon lenses onto Sony cameras. The reason I’m on the Nikon version is that I run Sigma Art lenses in Nikon mount.

Why Nikon instead of Canon? Because I got tired of dealing with the electronic connection between the lens and the camera. Sometimes there’d be flickering, and changing aperture through different adapters was a hassle. So I said forget it, let me switch everything over to manual control.

Extreme close-up of a finger pressing the aperture pin inside the adapter's rear lens mount

Nikon lenses have a little lever on the back, and whenever you move it, it physically opens and closes the aperture of the lens. So adapter makers build adapters that interface with that lever, which gives you real manual aperture control with no electronics involved.

The Vizelex NIK G-NEX ND Throttle adapter alone on a dark wood table, teal ND ring visible
Look how pretty it looks!

Vizelex Nikon G to NEX ND Throttle adapter sitting on a wood table, its rear glass elements visible

That’s why the Nikon version of the ND Throttle is the good one. It has two separate rings on it. A blue ring that controls the intensity of the ND filtration, and a black ring that controls the aperture of the lens. So you get manual aperture control and manual ND control, both living on the adapter.

Close-up of the adapter's rear lens mount and teal aperture ring resting on a wood surface

What An ND Filter Is And Why You Need One

This part is honestly super basic and I’m sure half of you are going to say dumb Matt, we already know this. But I want to cover it.

For all intents and purposes, an ND filter is a set of sunglasses for your camera.

Imagine you’re a photographer shooting outdoors on a sunny day, and you want to shoot wide open at f/1.4 for that beautiful buttery bokeh. All you have to do is turn your shutter speed up. A 250th, a 500th, a thousandth, whatever gets you a proper exposure. Done.

Now, if you’re a filmmaker who wants to go out into the bright hot sun and shoot that same buttery f/1.4, because who doesn’t, it is not in your best interest to just crank up the shutter speed until it’s exposed. Why? Because of a little thing called motion blur.

Bearded man gesturing with one open palm raised and the other hand pinched near his chin while talking

Look at my hand waving here, kind of like an idiot but also kind of like a bearded Miss America, which is honestly kind of cool. It has a decent amount of motion blur, because this camera is recording at 24 frames per second with the shutter at a 50th. The general rule is that your shutter speed should be double your frame rate.

And you’re thinking, wait, I’m no math genius but 24 times 2 is 48, and that isn’t 50. Correct. Most mirrorless cameras and DSLRs won’t let you set exactly double your frame rate. You get a 50th instead of a 48th. It’s close enough that it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is what happens when you start cranking the shutter up. Six clicks up and we’re at a 200th.

Bearded man leaning toward the camera mid-sentence with one hand extended toward the lens

Now that same hand wave looks completely different, doesn’t it? Really sharp and jaggedy. That’s amazing if you’re filming a Jason Bourne fight scene, look how fast I’m punching, it looks so awesome. If you’re filming a wedding, that is probably not the look you’re going for.

So purely aesthetically, you don’t want that sharp jaggedy look. And you’re saying, okay Matt, then how do I shoot in bright sun and keep my shutter at a 50th without blowing everything out? That’s where the sunglasses come in.

The Hardware

The first thing you notice taking the ND Throttle out of the box is that it has some nice heft to it. It’s aluminum and glass, it has a good weight, it feels good in the hand, and there are no plastic parts that make you think oh man, is this going to snap off and take my lens with it. Everything feels solid.

The second thing you notice is that both the aperture ring and the ND ring rotate very smoothly. They’re well oiled. It’s almost a sensual movement, if you will.

Close-up of the adapter's teal aperture dial labeled NEX ND Throttle with a Min marking on the scale

The third thing is that both rings have hard stops. Unlike some variable ND filters I’ve used that just keep rotating forever, this one stops, so you can always tell whether you’re at minimum or maximum filtration. That’s really helpful.

The one con about the rings is that they’re both ridged very similarly, so it’s hard to tell by feel which one you’re turning. If you look at it, fine, the blue one’s ND and the black one’s aperture, duh. But if you’re behind the camera and can’t look, you’re going to grab one and hope, start rotating, and immediately find out that no, that was the aperture. That’s a real con. You need to be able to look at it.

ND Visual Quality

I’d put this one in the “decent” part of the ND visual quality range, which is a range I am completely making up on the spot, just so we’re clear. For scale, here’s the whole ladder:

  • Sunglasses held in front of your lens. The worst possible DIY option.
  • The no-name ND filter from China. Not quite as cheap, still really cheap, turns out to be plastic, makes your image worse in every possible way with no redeeming qualities, and you’re left wondering why you spent even $30.
  • Decent, where most ND filters live. The hundred dollar range. Good ND, some color cast, a little less sharpness, but usable and it works for the majority of situations.
  • Ultra high end, like Heliopan. You drop $400 on one filter, you put it on, and it’s amazing, angels are flying and singing, and you love it while also being terrified of dropping it.
  • Matte box with 4×4 filters. Your rig is fully built out, you carry it on your shoulder, you look so cool. Then you film a wedding with it for eight hours and never do that again.

The ND Throttle works very well for the price, and there are three things you need to know about its visual quality.

One, it has a slight color cast. It leans toward the ambers, browns, oranges, and yellows. Since I’m already grading toward that warmer style, I find it actually pushes me in the direction I was headed, so I don’t count it as a con. But if you’re filming a dark blue sci-fi thriller, this may not be your filter. And if you’re shooting a multi-camera interview where you cut back and forth between two cameras that need to match, do not put an ND filter on one camera and not the other. I’m speaking from experience there. You’ll end up with a color cast mismatch and a lot of correction work in post.

Two, sharpness drops as you increase intensity. I rarely turn this past halfway, which still gives me plenty of ND without visible softening. Push it well past that and you’ll start thinking man, this is getting a little blurry. Fifty percent, or even up to seventy-five if you really need it, is totally usable. Beyond that, be aware you’re adding glass between your lens and your sensor, so of course something has to give.

Three, it vignettes. Not as badly as a front-mounted filter would, but it’s there, and it gets worse as you turn the intensity up. I can usually pull it out in Premiere with a reverse vignette pretty easily. Stay under about 75 percent and you’ll get a good range of filtration without weird dark corners.

The Cons

The first con is also kind of a pro. If you put an ND filter on the front of your lens, you generally deal with reflections caused by that extra layer of glass. Shoot a long exposure timelapse of a street and you’ll occasionally catch a reflection of a car headlight showing up somewhere weird in your frame. Because this filter sits behind the lens, that doesn’t happen at all, which is great.

The main con also has to do with reflections, and it affects every Fotodiox lens adapter I’ve ever used. Look at the inside of the adapter and you’ll see fairly shiny metal, and that causes some crazy internal reflections. If you’re filming with a light source just barely outside the frame, you’ll get wild lens flares coming into your image. Which can look kind of cool, honestly, but it can also be jarring. I have chosen to embrace it in my wedding films, because I like the flare effect. But if you’re shooting in a more sterile environment, or you have a client who is specific about not wanting flares, treat this as a tool and be careful about when you use it. If you want an adapter that doesn’t flare at all, this is not that adapter.

The second con is that you can’t fully turn the ND off without taking the adapter off entirely. Even at the minimum setting you’re losing about a stop of light. So if I’m filming outdoors and I know I’m heading inside for a while, I’ll swap to a non-ND adapter, because otherwise I’m cranking ISO and making a bunch of other changes just to have enough light. Outdoors, though, it’s fantastic to have on the lens.

Durability, And Why I’m On My Second One

Bearded man in a blue shirt examining the small black ND Throttle adapter held in his hand

I know at the start of this review I said this thing is beautifully built and metal and strong and feels great, and I stand by all of that. But you should know I am not one to baby my gear. I’m usually running around going I need to get this shot, hurry, slamming lenses onto bodies. I am not the poster child for careful handling. And with that comes the chance that things break.

This is actually my second ND Throttle. The first one looks the same and feels the same, and the only real difference is that after about nine months the aperture ring started to slip. I’d have a Nikon lens on it, adjust the aperture, and it would creep from wide open to slightly stopped down on its own, and I’d have to set it again. It stopped being precise, which got annoying fast. I’d guess that’s the spring mechanism. I genuinely don’t know whether that’s how I handle my gear or a design flaw, but if you’re buying one, know that after nine months or so a ring could start going. The rings are the weak point, in my opinion.

If you can live with some slippage you could probably keep using it for a long time. For me it was $100 and I really enjoy using it, so I just bought another one, and now I’ve got a backup.

So, Should You Buy It?

Extreme close-up of a finger threading a screw-in filter onto the ribbed barrel of a lens adapter

Even after listing all of those cons, the sharpness and the color cast and the reflections and the durability, I still find myself loving this adapter. And maybe I’m crazy. I am crazy, let’s be totally honest. But whenever I’m filming a wedding and I reach into my bag and ask myself, do I want an ND that goes on the front of the lens or one that goes on the back, I grab this one every time.

Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have the bad reflections you get from an external ND. Maybe it’s because I don’t have to fish around my bag for a separate filter. Or maybe I genuinely do love the internal flares for wedding films. For $100 I think it’s a great purchase.

Here’s the honest buying advice, though. Your choice is either this or a regular variable ND that screws onto the front of your lens. The front-mounted one has real advantages, especially if you buy magnetic quick-swap adapters to go with it, because then you just slap it on and go without stressing about it.

This adapter only makes sense if you’re shooting Nikon mount lenses. That’s a very big if. If you don’t have Nikon glass, I wouldn’t even consider it, because you lose electronic control. With a Canon lens on this thing you can adjust the ND but not the aperture, because it’s a dead adapter. Nikon’s mechanical lever is the entire reason this works.

So if you’re in the very small subset of people shooting Nikon mount lenses who want manual aperture control and built-in ND, this is a great choice. I realize that is a tiny group of people I’m telling to buy this thing, but hey, what can you do.

Is it perfect? No, not at all. Does it make my day easier whenever I’m filming a wedding? Yes. So I’ll take it every time.

Fotodiox has also announced an ND Fusion adapter, which I haven’t had a chance to look at, but which is supposed to offer electronic aperture control alongside the built-in ND. That’s very exciting to me, and it would solve the one thing keeping this adapter from being useful to everybody.

Note: Back in the Summer of 2016, Fotodiox released a Canon lens to E-Mount version of the adapter, but I haven’t had the chance to test it yet, so I have kept my review focused on the Nikon mount version. The build quality appears to be similar, so if you are considering purchasing one of the other lens mount adapter versions, this review should still be very helpful to you.

You can check out the Vizelex ND Throttle Adapter on Amazon and at B&H.

Ethics statement: This is an entirely independent review. Fotodiox did not pay me to create this video, I didn’t receive this adapter for free, and I received no other compensation. I bought two of them with my own money, a lot of people asked me how I felt about it, and so here we are.

Want To Watch More?

If you have any questions about the ND Throttle, or filmmaking questions in general, feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch. I’m now also offering one-on-one filmmaker consulting, an hour and a half where we can talk about getting started, or critique one of your wedding films, or work through pricing and packages and how to get couples to pay you what you’re worth. Or how to grow a better beard. I’d love to talk to you about that too.