shooting Tri-x, do you need a UV filter?

wcurtiss · 11-17-2010, 02:39 PM

I just put my first roll of Tri-x in my camera and was wondering if I need to use a UV/Haze filter. I have heard in some places that b&w films are susceptible to UV light and have heard other places that modern films have built in UV filtration. Will hopefully be doing some street photography soon and I'll probably use an orange filter or maybe polarizer and don't want to stack filters if I don't have to. Thanks.

tuco · 11-17-2010, 03:43 PM

I couldn't say but I never use a UV filter for shooting. I'd say start with a yellow (8) filter for your street photography before an orange unless you really need to separate blue a lot from some other colors that would otherwise render as a similar tone.

The orange will slow you down two stops, deepen your shadows which you may or may not find desirable for street work (I'm thinking of peoples faces in sunlight for example) and make your viewfinder that much dimmer for quick manual focusing.

wcurtiss · 11-17-2010, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by tuco

The orange will slow you down two stops, deepen your shadows which you may or may not find desirable for street work (I'm thinking of peoples faces in sunlight for example) and make your viewfinder that much dimmer for quick manual focusing.

maybe will just try the orange filter for some of the shots to see how the pics turn out and shoot most without a filter at all. I don't have a yellow filter just an orange one I got from a friend.

jimH · 11-17-2010, 05:03 PM

Originally posted by wcurtiss

I just put my first roll of Tri-x in my camera and was wondering if I need to use a UV/Haze filter. I have heard in some places that b&w films are susceptible to UV light and have heard other places that modern films have built in UV filtration. Will hopefully be doing some street photography soon and I'll probably use an orange filter or maybe polarizer and don't want to stack filters if I don't have to. Thanks.

When I shot Tri-X I used a UV filter primarily for lens protection. If I were you I'd just use the color filters needed for the effect that you are going for. :ugh:

SpecialK · 11-17-2010, 07:03 PM

If you were at an altitude of say, 12,000 feet, you "might" consider a UV filter. At 7 feet ASL, or whatever Georgia is, it will do...not much.

11-17-2010, 02:39 PM	#1
wcurtiss Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Georgia Posts: 30	shooting Tri-x, do you need a UV filter? I just put my first roll of Tri-x in my camera and was wondering if I need to use a UV/Haze filter. I have heard in some places that b&w films are susceptible to UV light and have heard other places that modern films have built in UV filtration. Will hopefully be doing some street photography soon and I'll probably use an orange filter or maybe polarizer and don't want to stack filters if I don't have to. Thanks.

11-17-2010, 03:43 PM	#2
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,030	I couldn't say but I never use a UV filter for shooting. I'd say start with a yellow (8) filter for your street photography before an orange unless you really need to separate blue a lot from some other colors that would otherwise render as a similar tone. The orange will slow you down two stops, deepen your shadows which you may or may not find desirable for street work (I'm thinking of peoples faces in sunlight for example) and make your viewfinder that much dimmer for quick manual focusing. Last edited by tuco; 11-17-2010 at 04:13 PM.

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11-17-2010, 04:36 PM	#3
wcurtiss Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Georgia Posts: 30 Original Poster	Originally posted by tuco The orange will slow you down two stops, deepen your shadows which you may or may not find desirable for street work (I'm thinking of peoples faces in sunlight for example) and make your viewfinder that much dimmer for quick manual focusing. maybe will just try the orange filter for some of the shots to see how the pics turn out and shoot most without a filter at all. I don't have a yellow filter just an orange one I got from a friend.

11-17-2010, 05:03 PM	#4
jimH Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Central Nebraska - USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,771	Originally posted by wcurtiss I just put my first roll of Tri-x in my camera and was wondering if I need to use a UV/Haze filter. I have heard in some places that b&w films are susceptible to UV light and have heard other places that modern films have built in UV filtration. Will hopefully be doing some street photography soon and I'll probably use an orange filter or maybe polarizer and don't want to stack filters if I don't have to. Thanks. When I shot Tri-X I used a UV filter primarily for lens protection. If I were you I'd just use the color filters needed for the effect that you are going for. :ugh:

11-17-2010, 07:03 PM	#5
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	If you were at an altitude of say, 12,000 feet, you "might" consider a UV filter. At 7 feet ASL, or whatever Georgia is, it will do...not much.