I've just got my first set of viewing filters but they don't seem quite right. The blue set look purple and the red ones are in the wrong order i.e. 'Add 20C' is written under the light one and 'Add 5C' is under the dark one. I can cope with the order thing but shouldn't the blue ones look, well, blue?
Hi, if one were to lay down two color samples, one cyan and the other blue, and ask a "layperson" which one is actual "blue," it's pretty typical that they will pick the cyan sample. If so, then the actual blue sample will seem slightly reddish by comparison.
It's also typical to select a magenta sample as "red," in case that one seems "off," also. You just have to re-educate your eye as to what's what.
I wondered whether it was just my eyes, and had it not been for the mistake with the red gels I'd have assumed that anything from Kodak must've been 100% correct to pass QC. I've got a Lee gel sample pack and when I put any of the blues next to the Kodak one, it makes them look very purple.
One of the problems with these things is that they might be very old. The cardboard and case might look great because they've been lightly used then stuffed in a drawer for 30 years. A new set from Freestyle is quite reasonable.
Keep in mind that one side is to view negative prints, the other side is to view reversal prints. So filtration would be opposite depending on what side you're looking through. Cardboard is black on one side, and white on the other for you to conveniently tell the difference. The kodak ones I have also mention what is what.
And I wouldn't worry about discoloration. But if in doubt, I googled a good photo of one. Here's what they should look like.