How To Get The Film Look l Dehancer Pro Wedding Filmmaker Review

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1. Dehancer vs. Black Pro Mist Filters

For the past few years, I've relied heavily on Black Pro Mist filters to enhance my wedding films. They add a beautiful softness and a touch of mystery, helping to take the edge off the image. While Pro Mist filters are fantastic, they’re not always ideal for every lighting situation—especially when your subject is backlit. As a wedding videographer, I don’t always have control over the lighting, so constantly screwing filters on and off can be a bit of a hassle, especially on such fast-paced days.

That’s where Dehancer stands out. It gives you that signature bloom effect from the Pro Mist, but with the added benefit of being able to dial in the intensity of the effect—giving you more control. On a wedding day where lighting conditions can change dramatically, this flexibility is invaluable.

When it comes to cost, Pro Mist filters aren’t cheap. If you want to buy 2-3 of them, you’re looking at around $200–$300. That’s actually cheaper than a Dehancer lifetime subscription, but again, it comes down to your workflow. Personally, I prefer the versatility of Dehancer, which eliminates the need to physically swap filters and allows me to make quick adjustments in post. If you're leaning toward Pro Mist, I’d recommend a 1/8 stop for prime lenses and 1/4 stop for zooms like the 24-70mm or 24-105mm for a balanced effect.

2. Dehancer vs. Film Look Creator in DaVinci Resolve

For DaVinci Resolve users, you’re likely familiar with the Film Look Creator tool available in the Studio version. A common question I hear is whether this tool can replace Dehancer, and my short answer is no—at least not entirely.

While the Film Look Creator does offer some similar effects, it lacks the versatility of Dehancer. The main limitation is that it only gives you the Kodak 2383 film print as a default, which, while a classic and well-loved look, doesn’t provide the wide range of film simulations and scans that Dehancer offers. If you’re a creative who loves experimenting with different looks to match the mood of your film, Dehancer is the better choice.

Both tools feature bloom, halation, and film grain, but I find that Dehancer does them with greater subtlety and nuance. For example, the halation effect in DaVinci Resolve doesn’t always give me the same satisfying result as Dehancer. And while DaVinci’s film grain and halation can be useful, I feel that Dehancer offers a higher level of fidelity and control.

When it comes to workflow, Dehancer’s layout is more intuitive and accessible, making it easier for me to tweak settings without diving deep into the technicalities. For anyone who’s looking for speed and simplicity without sacrificing results, Dehancer is hard to beat.

3. Pricing of Dehancer vs. Alternatives

I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the price of Dehancer, and yes, it’s an investment. But let’s not forget that Pro Mist filters are pricey too. For a couple of decent quality filters, you’re easily looking at $200–$300. The downside with physical filters is their limited lifespan—especially if you switch lenses with different filter threads, which I’ve done myself. Filters can become a bit of a hassle when you're constantly swapping them.

If you're just experimenting with these looks for fun, Film Look Creator (included with DaVinci Resolve Studio) is a good option. Another budget-friendly choice is Film Vision 2, which costs around $60. I haven’t used it personally, but a friend who films weddings has given it positive reviews.

So, when deciding between Dehancer and alternatives, it’s really about what you're after in terms of workflow, versatility, and the final product. Dehancer offers a lot of flexibility, and for me, that’s worth the price.

4. Don’t Overdo It – My Personal Workflow

When you first open Dehancer, the amount of effects can be overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the film look. My advice? Start by disabling all workflow effects and build up from there. Before I started using Dehancer, I was never really into the film look. I found that, for some people, it gets overdone to the point where it just looks like a messy LUT.

Personally, I shoot weddings where clients often ask for that nostalgic film look, but I like to keep my images clean. I focus a lot on skin tones and don’t want the image to feel too soft or muddy. I’ll use tools like film compression to subtly soften the highlights and midtones, which gives the image a bit of a flatter feel. But I don’t go too far—contrast and sharpness are key to my style.

For the film characteristics, I apply halation, bloom, and film grain sparingly—just enough to give the image a “film-like” vibe without going overboard. When it comes to colors and skin tones, I use Gamuts conversion LUTs as a base, and then I apply Dehancer to enhance the image further. I see Dehancer as the “icing on the cake” to an already great-looking image.

5. Should You Buy Dehancer?

For me, Dehancer is a game-changer. The ability to control the bloom, halation, grain, and more in post—without the hassle of physically changing filters—is priceless. Sure, you could buy Pro Mist filters, but as I mentioned, it’s about time and ease of use. If you’re filming weddings or other fast-paced events, the flexibility of being able to adjust settings in post is a huge advantage.

The anamorphic lens trend is also worth mentioning, but personally, I prefer lenses that offer more versatility and can be used in a variety of settings. Anamorphic lenses can be beautiful, but they’re niche and come with their own set of challenges, like autofocus limitations and focus flexibility.

Dehancer gives you many of the filmic characteristics—softness, bloom, chromatic aberration—that you might get from specific lenses, but with more control and flexibility. While anamorphic lenses are amazing for certain looks, I find Dehancer offers a more balanced approach, without being tied down to one specific style or lens.

6. Dehancer vs. Anamorphic Lenses

Finally, let’s talk about anamorphic lenses—another big trend in filmmaking. Brands like Blazer and Sirui are popular for their anamorphic lenses, which offer a distinct film look, including softness, chromatic aberration, and sometimes bloom.

While anamorphic lenses can achieve that cinematic feel, they come with limitations. Auto-focus and focus distance flexibility are often not as reliable with these lenses, and they can be difficult to use in fast-paced environments like weddings. Also, at around $4K for a full kit, I’m not sure I’d use them regularly in my line of work.

That’s where Dehancer shines. It can replicate the softness, bloom, and chromatic aberration of a filmic look without the need for expensive lenses or specialized gear. You won’t get the wide-screen aspect ratio or flares, but if you don’t need those specific features, Dehancer can give you a similar effect for a fraction of the price and with much more control.

I hope this helps! Dehancer is an incredible tool for filmmakers who want a flexible, customizable film look, and while it’s not cheap, it definitely offers more versatility than physical filters or fixed-lens systems like anamorphics. The key takeaway is: workflow and control—Dehancer gives you both, in spades.

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