B&W viewing filter

Does anyone here use a B&W viewing filter. How do you like it? Is it handy? I've been curious lately as to how well they work.

Do you find that it helps you decide if a contrast filter is necessary?

I sure do and has saved me many shots. You dont really "see" in b&w with the filter but it helps you decide when some elments might blend with each other. I like it a lot and never leave home without it.

Peak makes one, but is too dark, I recommend the ZoneVI one.

Jorge said:

I recommend the ZoneVI one.

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I use a Zone VI viewing filter also and can highly recommend it!

Jim

I use it and as Jorge said, I don't leave home without it. However, I like the Peak and not the Z6. They need to be dark to alert your eyes of the dynamic range of light. Harrison filters makes them also and I'd suggest that their blue one is the most accurate as through it you see what B&W film sees.

a company called SRB in the UK make the MonoVue viewing filter. It is a small round almost deep olive filter with a handle and an eyecup to block out stray light. It does take some getting used to and I find I can only use it outside in daylight (it's too dark for indoors) but it is very helpfull in studying the tonal values prior to exposure, and informing which, if any filters to use to aid contrast. I certainly use mine a lot.

Thanks for asking this question, I have been wondering about this as well..was not aware there were choices other than Z6 though.

Thanks everyone.

I lost my viewing filter and being cheap found that if you take two pieces of processed but blank c41 film(from the film leader)or one piece and fold it in half it functions quite nicely as a viewing filter.I know it isn't exactly the same colour but it will give you some idea of the effect and help you decide if you need one.