[jheu02]

Posting here as it's been awhile since my B/W film days. I'll be sending my K20D for cleaning and getting back into film, mainly B/W and wondered which filters you find most useful? I'm mainly looking at getting Yellow, Red, and perhaps a graduated ND filter, but it's been too many years for me to remember which levels I used, i.e. Yellow 8 or 15. Never have used an ND filter, so not sure how strong I'd want for typical shooting. I've also noticed that there's "variable" ND filters. Thoughts on those?

Other "must haves"? These would also be used on my K20, but mainly film. I already have a couple PLs, UVs, Daylight, Haze...but not having the option in PP to select the color filter after the shot, I'll need to have it on the lens.

Thanks.

[Adam]

With DSLRs post-processing will give better results than using lens filters (I believe). I'd still use the polarizer, though.

[jheu02]

With DSLRs post-processing will give better results than using lens filters (I believe).

That's my normal routine. But, since I'm planning on mainly using them for B/W film, I wanted to see what those who currently still shoot film use most often. A graduated ND will also certainly help with landscapes, etc to help avoid blown-out skies whether on film or digital.

[Nesster]

Yellow, yellow-orange, yellow-green are the ones I use most, red is a bit more pronounced with skies

The polarizer is extremely useful

For ND, depends on what you are after. Two-three stops allows you to shoot with less DOF; you need to get beyond this if you want to do time exposures during the day. I haven't tried the variable ND - basically you can get the effect by stacking two polarizers (or can you?) - and any color shifts may matter less with b&w film.

A graduated filter I find is a mixed blessing - what I really want is a box in front of the lens where I can move the filter up and down, so I don't have to put the horizon smack dab where the filter says it has to go.

[stevebrot]

I use Wratten #12 (minus-blue) and Wratten #26 (red) for my B&W with the red being reserved for cases where drama is needed!


Steve

[jheu02]

Thanks for the personal experience as to what filters you all most use. Since I won't be doing my own developing/printing would I be better off just shooting color and then doing the conversion in PPing to the scanned images?

[erkie]

If you are not developing your own film then you may want to try one of the c-41 b&w films. Like Kodak BW400cn. You can have it processed about anywhere. It doesn't have anywhere near the lattitude of proper b&w film if you dev it yourself but it is still pretty good. It would also depend on your choice of camera's top shutter speed. I shoot a lot with old folders with a top speed of 500th sec so 400 film is somewhat limiting in daylight. although I can rate the bw400cn at 250 and still get acceptable results. The problem I have with traditional b&w film if I'm not deving myself is the expense and hit and miss quality of supposed pro labs anymore. And prints from some pro labs from B&W can vary greatly. ( I just picked up some green and white and reddish and white prints from a lab in Memphis last week that were SUPPOSED to be B&W )

I'm with Jussi on choice of filters. A yellow filter lives on my B&W cams with a polarizer added often. with occasional use of Yellow orange and once in a while red. Yellow green is my choice for portraits but I don't often do them.

I think you are in for a bit of a treat

Eric

[tuco]

For me, yellow and orange get used the most but I do on occasion use red and green.

[gofour3]

For me, yellow and orange get used the most but I do on occasion use red and green.

Ditto for me and also add a polarizer.

B+W (Schneider Optics) has some nice “in between” b&w filters, like “yellow/orange” and “orange/red”.

Phil.

[average-guy]

As far as variable ND filters, you get what you pay for. I tried out a cheap "Polaroid" branded variable nd off ebay for $39 and it works ok but I wouldn't try to take "sell-able" images with it. I'll stick with a small number of standard nd's As far as color filters I agree with the above posts, I keep a Yellow, Green, and Red. If you want some good info on color filters in B/W photography check out the link below, scroll down for a breakdown on some of the tonal characteristics of each color of filter.

Filters in Black and White Photography

Good luck, and welcome back to film.

[ChrisPlatt]

I often use a polarizer with my SLR, but I'm not fond of viewing and composing through colored filters.
Consequently much of my black and white photography is done with rangefinder cameras.

Some use a yellow filter at all times to increase contrast in skies.
I prefer yellow-green, which benefits skies, foliage and skin tones.

Chris

[jheu02]

Lots of extra comments so thanks for chiming in. I may have to go the cross-process C41 B/W films as it appears that may be my only option for getting it developed. Perhaps some time in the future I'll be able to set up a dark closet and at least develop the negatives to scan.