Hey everyone! Welcome to the second installment of my vlog. Today, I’m sharing an adventure that involved a new drop-in filter system called the “Poco Mofag,” which goes between your lens and camera body to provide a built-in variable ND. Let’s just say it didn’t go exactly as planned—but I certainly learned a thing or two in the process. Here’s what happened!

The Goal: A Seamless Variable ND Setup

A while back, I stumbled upon a YouTuber called the Savage Filmmaker. Even though I was researching Blackmagic cameras at the time, I was intrigued when he mentioned a filter system called the Poco Mofag. The idea was simple: insert a variable ND filter between your lens and camera body so you don’t have to hassle with filter threads on the front of the lens.

I was especially excited because I recently picked up a Laowa Ranger 28–75mm lens in a PL mount, and I also have a bayonet (L mount) adapter for my Lumix S5 IIX and S5 cameras. This meant I could potentially enjoy an “internal” ND experience with all my standard L-mount gear. Cool, right? Well, it turned out to be a bit more complicated.

The Installation Fiasco

Swapping Lens Mounts

First, I needed to switch the lens from L mount back to the PL mount so I could install the Poco mofag in the correct position. That part should have been fairly straightforward: remove a few screws, store them safely, and reattach the appropriate mount.

The Black Ring Drama

Then I hit the problematic step: reattaching a small black ring inside the lens assembly. It kept catching on the threads, and I made things worse by trying to force it with pliers (I know, not ideal). After some metal shavings ended up in the threads, the ring became even harder to seat correctly. My planned 20–30 minute job turned into an hour-and-a-half battle.

Key Lesson: If something that’s supposed to screw in (like a lens ring) suddenly stops, don’t just force it. Check the threads for debris or damage first. Eventually, I used toothpicks to remove tiny metal shards, which helped a lot. The good news is the lens glass remained unscathed, but it was a stressful process!

Excitement and Another Roadblock

Once everything was finally assembled, I was so excited to see the Poco mofag ND filter in action. It has a geared ring for adjusting the ND intensity, which is super smooth and doesn’t seem to cause any vignetting. But then I discovered another hurdle:

• The Filter’s Gear Collides With My Cage
  The filter’s outer gear ring is slightly too thick for the camera cage on my Lumix S5 IIX. This means the gear literally bumps into the side of the cage, preventing full rotation.

So now I need a different, less bulky cage to make it all work properly. I’ve ordered a lightweight cage online, plus a universal cage as a backup. In the meantime, I’m using the clear filter the Poco mofag came with, so I still have a functional setup—just not the variable ND I’ve been dreaming of.

Business Updates: Editing, Marketing, and Cold Calls

After dealing with the lens drama, my main task for the day was to finish editing this vlog and another drone video. Then I planned to catch up on marketing—something I’ve admittedly been ignoring for a while now. Here’s what that looks like:

• Social Media Overhaul: I’m trying to be more consistent with posts and engaging my audience.
• Client Follow-Ups: I had a project for a client who’s now interested in another one, so I’m locking that down.
• Cold Emails and Calls: Not the most fun part of the job, but it can lead to good gigs. Small businesses often want a full-service approach (planning, filming, and editing), so it takes some education on my part to show them how video can help their brand.

Final Thoughts

That wraps up the second vlog! While the Poco mofag saga definitely tested my patience, I’m still pumped to incorporate a variable ND filter into my daily workflow. I’ll keep you posted on how it all turns out once the new cage arrives.

In the meantime, I’m focusing on editing projects, handling those less-glamorous but essential marketing tasks, and planning a future vlog on cold calling—because, hey, it’s part of the hustle!

Stay tuned, and if you have any tips or experiences dealing with tricky lens mounts or filter systems, feel free to drop them in the comments. Thanks for reading!

—Jake, Blue Tie Productions