Analog photography and Filters

[hoakin1981]

New-ish to analog photography after some time shooting digital. The way I see it so far, honestly unless companies just stop making film and all labs just stop processing E-6 etc. I cannot see myself returning to digital in this lifetime. Do not really care about the next one at this point...

Anyway since I am a sucker for great looking landscapes I put together I nice enough collection of filters and the necessary accessories to go with. Below a brief list:

• Lee foundation kit and wide-angle adapters
• Hitech ND set 1-2-3 stops
• Hitech ND grad set (soft) 1-2-3 stops
• Hitech 10-stop filter
• Lee filter holder pouch

Obviously the total amount spent is substantial, at least IMO. I am new to analog photography so I am not sure whether I would still need all the above. I mean probably the ND set could still be useful, blurring waters, removing people, streaking clouds etc. but I am not so sure about the ND grad set. Have mostly used it on sunsets but since the overall DR of film is much larger than any sensor's ability I do not know if I would still need them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gone]

I wish I had a filter to remove people. It would stay screwed on the camera!

 

[Dr Croubie]

well, a long enough exposure can blur people out, something like a Big Stopper or something can get you 30-second exposures.

@OP, what are you shooting, E6 pos or C41 negs? Negs have great DR, but positive films have much much less, get it out by 2 stops or more and you're either all white or all black. Definitely keep the grads, going even further to reverse-grads will help a lot with sunsets. Also, a spotmeter can be very useful in determining correct exposure for landscapes on positive film.

 

[hoakin1981]

well, a long enough exposure can blur people out, something like a Big Stopper or something can get you 30-second exposures.

@OP, what are you shooting, E6 pos or C41 negs? Negs have great DR, but positive films have much much less, get it out by 2 stops or more and you're either all white or all black. Definitely keep the grads, going even further to reverse-grads will help a lot with sunsets. Also, a spotmeter can be very useful in determining correct exposure for landscapes on positive film.

Thanks for the reply. Indeed the Hitech 10-stop I have is the Lee Big stopper equivalent.

To answer your question I plan on shooting E-6 positives like Velvia 50 and also B&W negs but not C-41, will be doing my own processing . I have heard before that for positives you need to have the exposure just right, not much latitude for mistakes. Perhaps I will indeed be needing my filters after all.

I do not have a dedicated spot-meter but I was thinking of using my DSLR's spot meter for such cases.

By the way, If anyone can advise a really good tutorial online on how to properly expose positives I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[coigach]

For E6 landscapes, ND grads are your friend. My 0.3 NDgrad + 0.6 ND Grad's are used constantly to balance exposures. E6 exposure is tight, think 1/3 stop, b+w negs more room for manouvere. For positives, meter for the highklights.

Have a look at my APUG gallery, apart from a recent dip into colour, all are reverse processed b+w positives. Metered the same as for colour +ves, and nearly every shot used a0.3 or 0.6 ND grad to ensure definition in the sky.

 

[Trail Images]

I've shot Velvia 50 for more years then I can recall in 35mm, 120, and 4x5. All my work is landscape and mostly desert areas of the southwestern states. I use the Lee holder with the wide angle thread adapter as the base unit. All lenses are setup for 77mm threads by normal size or step rings. List of filters I find I use often.

Singh Ray ND Grad - 2 stop soft - 2 stop hard - 3 stop soft - 3 stop hard
Hi Tech Reverse Grad - 0.3 - 0.6 - 0.9

77mm screw on filters - Hoya CP - Hoya 81b warming

 

[Stephen Schoof]

If anything I would get rid of the solid ND. I shoot Velvia 50 landscapes in 35mm and use ND grads all the time: Singh-Ray 1-, 2-, and 3-stop hard, 2- and 3-stop soft. I often combine two of them for more precise control. I think if you are moving to film you will find them more useful now than ever.

I don't find much use for a solid ND filter, but some people like them for the reasons you mention.

 

[jimjm]

For me, ND grad filters are indispensable for shooting landscapes with color slide film like Velvia. Solid grads are also handy if you want to use longer shutter speeds for blurring water or clouds in your photos.

Take a look at the work of the late Galen Rowell, if you are not already familiar with him. Great landscape and adventure photographer and some of his books have a lot of great technical information about using filters and other equipment.