Filters for B&W Film

[hortense]

My 4x4 inch gel filters need replacement. I would be interested in what fellow APUG members have found are the minimum needed (or what they use most). My kit contained Pale Yellow No. 8, Yellow No. 15, Orange No. 21, Red No. 25, Deep Red No. 29, and Yellow-Green No.11.

 

[NikoSperi]

Yellow 8, red 25, and orange... Lee resin.

 

[eumenius]

A green one, if possible - for foliage and portraits on high-speed films that are too red-sensitive... and maybe a light cyan, if available, for portraits also and to accent the misty weather.

 

[Peter De Smidt]

The only filter I regularly use is a yellow-green Tokina HMC filter. Well, I do tend to have UV filters on all of my lenses for protection, but I usually take them off for exposure.

 

[rbarker]

For me, "minimum" would be a 25 red (if I had to choose just one filter). But, I regularly use a 15 yellow, a yellow-green (for people in landscapes), a green (to adjust foliage tone), and an 89b for IR film. NDs are handy, too.

I thought I'd use a #8 yellow, and the 21 orange, so I bought them in several sizes. They almost never get used, however.

 

[Lee Shively]

I really like a 6x neutral density filter. I'm also considering a 10x ND. I agree with your other choices.

 

[Robert Budding]

I often use a B+W MRC yellow-green filter. Great for both landscapes and skin tones.

 

[wildbill]

orange 21, yellow 12, red 29 rather than the 25, nd9

 

[steve simmons]

#12 med yellow
#16 med orange
#21 light red
#23a med red
#11 light yellow green
#13 light green

I always meter through my filters. The #s 11, 16, 21 have an additional factor of one stop beyond what the meter says, the 23a and 25 has a two stop increase beyond what the meter says


steve simmons

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I don't use filters at the moment. I've been shooting large format for a year and a half now and have tried to keep things simple. So far I've been able to manage contrast with development and careful exposures. Now that I feel comfortable with my equipment and process I plan on adding a basic filter kit. Based on my experience with filters in the 35mm format I'll probably use Red, Green, Yellow and ND filters. Anything more would become counterproductive for me. To paraphrase Brett, photography at it's core is complicated enough so keeping your equipment as simple as possible allows you to really master what you do use and keep focused on the seeing. Best of luck. Shawn

 

[Claire Senft]

Hortense, I think that you have a good basic set. A polariser may also be a good idea. I think that checking out the 4x4 Optiflex filters @ b&h may be a good idea. I have never used them myself. They are a very thin resin costing $35-$45 USD each in 4x4 that are supposed to offer very good optical quality and better durability than polyester.

 

[jeroldharter]

I like your kit + a polarizer and ND of some sort. I have an 8x.

I use step up rings on the lenses so that all of the circular filters are the same size (67 mm). I have some Lee filters also but I think that the resin scratches more easily and the rings, holders, etc are much more bulky.

 

[NikoSperi]

I really like a 6x neutral density filter. I'm also considering a 10x ND. I agree with your other choices.

Lee,
What 6x ND are you using. I've been looking for someone that makes a 1.8 and up ND to slide into a Lee filter holder.

 

[hortense]

Additional Factor

#12 med yellow
#16 med orange
#21 light red
#23a med red
#11 light yellow green
#13 light green

I always meter through my filters. The #s 11, 16, 21 have an additional factor of one stop beyond what the meter says, the 23a and 25 has a two stop increase beyond what the meter says


steve simmons

Am I kidding myself? My Pentax Zone VI color corrected is supposed to correct this when reading through these filters.

 

[steve simmons]

I think, and I am not absolutely certain about this, that the corrections are not for the filtering but for the fact that black and white film is a little off when responding to such colors as green and blue. These recommended filter factors should be used even with your meter.

steve simmons

 

[p krentz]

It sounds like you have the one's you will need. Pat