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Seeing BW at Daylight / Ansel Adams trick

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Mustafa Umut Sarac

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I had been read at a book years ago that Ansel Adams was giving advise on seeing a composition Black and White, with a blue transparent plastic on one hand and quickly altering the eye with fast movements.

How many of you use this ? And Does it really work ?

Umut
 
Some companies sell black and white viewing filters, which are usually more of an olive green colour, the idea being that contrast is increased, making the view more monochromatic. I believe this is similar to what Ansel Adams used.
 
Kevin ,

Do you have a link for them ? It looks a specialist product and I am not good at list of online sellers .

Thank you ,

Umut
 
It was the Wratten 90 viewing filter. It works, but you have to sort of flick it in and out of your view or your eye/brain just sees a dark, coloured view and you lose the "b/w sense" of the scene.
 
I read Calumet Zone VI filter , widely used. What is the difference of it from Tiffen filters ? Its name is exotic and says come and get me .

Umut
 
Zone VI sells six different Viewing Filters. There is a B&W version and a
Color version. The three models for B&W are as follows (the only difference
is the size of the viewing cut-out for use with a particular size film):

ZN5204 for 35mm,5x7, 2-1/4 x 3-1/4
ZN5208 for 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 (square)
ZN5200 for 2-1/4 x 2-3/4, 4x5, 8x10

For color, the models are:

ZN5206 for 35mm,5x7, 2-1/4 x 3-1/4
ZN5210 for 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 (square)
ZN5202 for 2-1/4 x 2-3/4, 4x5, 8x10

These are made out of series 90 Kodak wratten filter material, encased in
glass, mounted in a 3" black plastic frame with lanyard. The color version
is a different gel, more in tune with the higher contrast characterizes of
color film (their words.) They are $25 each (1996 catalog) and Zone VI
ships internationally. Voice 802-257-5161, fax 802-257-5165, snail mail
Zone VI Studios, Inc. Newfane, VT 05345 - 0219 . They accept all credit cards.
From Leica Forum , no longer at calumet.

The Calumet full line catalog (1996) lists viewing filters by Peak, they
fold into a case like a magnifying glass. Color (PC1967) and B&W (PC1968)
for $26 each. They also list the Zone VI B&W filter ZN5200 at $25. They
have the series 90 monochrome viewing gel, 3x3" (KF1587) for $15 and 4x4"
(KF1588) for $23.50 .

I did NOT see at their website
 
Sadly, Zone VI discontinued their viewing filters seven or eight years ago. Viewing filters, however, are still used in motion pictures. I remember seeing a few at Mole Richardson Expendables. I know they have color contrast filters, and they might also continue to carry ones for B&W.
 
The Zone VI ones I've seen on the web are quite pricey now, I never did get one but they would be interesting to have and use.
 
I just squint. Works great and my eyelashes are always available! I mainly do this to see if any shadow detail is going to show up in the image. If the shadows just look black when I am squinting, I know I am in trouble.
 
The few times I used a viewing filter I was disappointed and frustrated with the rather dim rendering I saw. What it's really about is learning to assess values. Find a book for painters that explains that, and practice "seeing" that way whenever you can. It also will help with composition because you will also learn how values influence composition. It is a far superior way to accomplish the task. Remember that to monochromatic film, color of the same value is the same tone, but the same or two different colors of different value (darker or lighter for instance) will register as two different tones. It's a lot of fun to start to see in this way.
 
I have two viewing filters one medium format and large format from zone 6 I can't get used to them
 
I have found that one of the best ways of "seeing"/assessing B&W tones is to use a Spot Meter

So, I use my Spot Meter to survey the intended scene and check that the things I am trying to shoot will be obviously different tones in the final shot

I continue to be amazed at how seemingly different colours and brightnesses seem to be similar B&W tones

Using filters (Yellow/Orange/Red/Yellow-Green/Green) helps to differentiate similar tones

I know that the Silicon Blue Cell in my Spot Meter does not see colours in exactly the same way as film sees them - but its close enough not to get caught out very often.

I am not sure anyone makes a 1-Degree Spot Meter any more but the Sekonic L758D has one built in together with a host of other functions

Martin
 
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