u/navneetnd

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a Hoya Star 4X (67mm) filter to create sparkle on diamonds during jewelry videography.

The problem is that when I mount the filter:

The entire video becomes noticeably soft/blurred.

The colors also shift compared to shooting without the filter.

The star effect is there, but the overall image quality takes a big hit.

I've attached:

A photo of the filter.

A comparison video showing with the filter and without the filter.

My setup:

Sony A7 V

Sony FE 100mm GM Macro

4K video

Continuous LED lighting

My goal is not to have star effects on every highlight. I only want clean, sharp footage with beautiful sparkle on the diamonds.

Questions:

- Is this normal for the Hoya Star 4X, or could my filter be defective?

- Is there a better quality star/cross-screen filter that doesn't reduce sharpness so much?

- Are there any filters specifically recommended for professional jewelry videography?

I'd really appreciate recommendations from people who shoot jewelry professionally.

Thanks!

I was visiting Delhi and got stuck in traffic when I noticed this tiny Joker figure sitting on the trunk of the car ahead. The scene instantly caught my eye, so I grabbed my Samsung S25 and took the shot through the auto-rickshaw window.

The blurred foreground, layers of traffic, and the little Joker sitting there almost made it feel like a scene from a movie. Sometimes the best photos happen when you're not looking for them.

No editing magic, just good timing and a phone camera.

📍Delhi, India

📱Samsung S25

Hi everyone,

I recently bought the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS and mainly use it for shooting jewelry making videos.

The problem is that I can't move the camera too close because it gets in the way of the jeweler while they're working. I don't really need more macro magnification — the lens already gives me plenty of detail. What I actually need is a bit more reach while maintaining a comfortable working distance.

I'm already using APS-C crop mode in-camera and shooting in 4K 50p, but I'm still looking for a little more reach, ideally somewhere around the 150mm–200mm equivalent range.

I'm not looking to buy another expensive lens right now since I just purchased this one.

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation?

Are there any adapters, third-party teleconverters, or other solutions that work well?

Do you simply crop more in post?

Any practical setup tips or suggestions for jewelry making videos would be greatly appreciated.

Camera: Sony A7 series + Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to create high-end jewelry videos with a dark background and dramatic lighting similar to these references:

https://youtube.com/shorts/tykPLwCIHEY?si=f-ca5TlSTJD3lvJL

https://youtube.com/shorts/aZYn3FV-11o?si=ZgtmuKnZnmi0oF7t

My current setup:

- Sony A7 V

- Sony 100mm GM Macro lens

- No lights yet

I'm planning to invest in lighting and would love some advice from people who shoot jewelry commercially.

A few questions:

1. How are videos like these typically lit?

2. What kind of lights work best for jewelry videos — COB lights, panel lights, or something else?

3. Which brands/models would you recommend? (Aputure, Amaran, Godox, Nanlite, SmallRig, etc.)

4. How many lights are usually needed?

5. What modifiers are essential (softboxes, strip boxes, diffusion, reflectors, snoots, etc.)?

6. How do you control reflections and get those beautiful highlights on polished metal and gemstones?

7. Would continuous lights be better than flashes for video work?

I'm willing to invest in good equipment, so I'd appreciate recommendations for both beginner and professional setups.

If anyone has BTS photos or lighting diagrams for similar shoots, I'd love to see them.

Thanks!