B&W predictive viewing filter

Jayd · Feb 1, 2009

While this may not be exposure persay it is closely related
What filter exactly is the B&W viewing filter used by Ansel Adams and Fred Picker to see how a scene would appear in B&W? Helping to see if filters would be needed or if exposure would need to be altered to add separation.
So far I have found: Adams is supposed to have used a brownish filter, some say the no longer available Kodak wratten #90 and I don't know but assume the same was used in the no longer available Zone VI filter. Tiffen I think sells one but rather than the properly proportioned rectangular mask ones Adams and Zone VI had the Tiffen is round.
My suspicion is if one knew what filter to use you could buy a filter and make your own mask. or just avoid the $30.00 + cost of the small Tiffen filter
Jay

Stoo Batchelor · Feb 1, 2009

Jayd said:
While this may not be exposure persay it is closely related
What filter exactly is the B&W viewing filter used by Ansel Adams and Fred Picker to see how a scene would appear in B&W? Helping to see if filters would be needed or if exposure would need to be altered to add separation.
So far I have found: Adams is supposed to have used a brownish filter, some say the no longer available Kodak wratten #90 and I don't know but assume the same was used in the no longer available Zone VI filter. Tiffen I think sells one but rather than the properly proportioned rectangular mask ones Adams and Zone VI had the Tiffen is round.
My suspicion is if one knew what filter to use you could buy a filter and make your own mask. or just avoid the $30.00 + cost of the small Tiffen filter
Jay

Jay

Take a look at this, is this what you are after?

http://www.srb-griturn.com/srb-griturn-monoview-832-p.asp

Best

Stoo

df cardwell · Feb 1, 2009

Blue and 90s were used to give folks an idea... training wheels

The actual tonality varies according to the film, so they are of limited usefulness

Practice, however, and sticking with one film for a long time DOES help.

Mike Richards · Feb 1, 2009

Adams' Recommendation

In "The Negative," (p. 6) Adams does recommend the Wratten #90 dark amber filter in gel form for pre-visualizing b&w tones as they would register on panchromatic film. They are still available at B&H, for example, although a bit pricey -- especially when one adds a frame.

david b · Feb 1, 2009

Zone VI used to make view filters in various format sizes. They still come up on eBay.

Jayd · Feb 8, 2009

Thanks to all
I agree that in theory at least blue seems a better choice and is what we used to calibrate TV monitors.
I think I have found one of the filters the guy just has "let it find him" because he knows he has it he just can't find it right now.
Thanks Jay

df cardwell · Feb 8, 2009

The most useful thing a viewing filter can do is to warn you
if you are about to merge the tonality of the subject into the background.

Like a fair haired person into a blue sky.

That isn't much of a problem if you have the time or attention to look at what you're shooting !

If you are on the run, and taking snaps half distracted by kids, friends or something.. distracting,
you might try a good trick: get a 90 wratten ( of flip through a Rosco swatch book )
and cut out a small circle that will fit under the eyepiece or diopter of your camera.

I've had a 35 finder for a rfdr for ages, with a #90. works great.
There is also one in my old Linhof multi viewer.
Cool beans.

Q.G. · Feb 8, 2009

What these viewing filters do is not provide an idea of how tones are captured/registered relative to another by film.

What they do is remove all colours but one, so you can get an idea of how a scene looks without colour, i.e. without being distracted, and possibly wrong-footed by dominant colours.
They reveal when the appeal of a scene is indeed the colour, or colour contrast. Something that might get lost completely when the scene is rendered in tones of gray.

vet173 · Feb 11, 2009

When using, bring filter in and out of the field of view. When looking, you want to see how the shadows fall in relation to the highlights. If you view continuously your eye will adapt to see shadows better and defeat it's purpose. Forget about the color of the lens. I use a peak color, does the same thing, give you a rough reference. It's not a lab device. It won't show different curves, just what the film family sees vs. what the eyeball family sees. Film differences are moot. I haven't told mine that I have used it for color and B&W. It don't know, and I'm not tellin' it. Use it as a quick reference as to light range, just as I use my card with a 4x5 cutout and a string. A pair to use together in my opinion. It won't give me all the info I need, but, it will let me know before I even set up the tripod some accommodations I may have to make.

B&W predictive viewing filter

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