Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/27

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Subject: Subject: [Leica] B&W filters
From: "Gareth Jolly" <garethjolly@bigpond.com>
Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 21:53:58 +1000

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Edmond wrote:

>With all this talk of filters, I realized that I dont use filters on my
>lens.  I mainly shoot black and white.. well, actually, I've never put =
color
>film in my M2.  Is it common for people to shoot black and white =
without any
>filter at all?  If they do use one, what is a good general purpose =
filter? I
>read that some recommend a yellow (which? light, medium, dark?) filter =
and
others a yellow-green one. =20

I tend to tune out on filter debates, so forgive me if I double up on =
info already provided.

Light yellow is a good general purpose filter.  The way it has been =
explained to me is that B&W film is oversensitive to blue light - which =
(amongst other things) will cause a blue sky to white out on a straight =
darkroom print.  The yellow filter compensates for this - darkening sky =
to its correct level.

Yellow green also - it apparently produces better flesh tones and also =
lightens foliage.

The counter argument to using a yellow or yellow green filter is that =
the yellow filter significantly cuts down shadow detail - it reduces UV =
light, which is most light emitted from shadow.  I haven't tried this =
out - s'pose I don't get that worried about fine gradations in shadow =
detail in my photography.

I use yellow as standard outdoors.

Regards
Gareth Jolly

Sydney, Australia
http://www.users.bigpond.com/garethjolly/


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<DIV>Edmond wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;With all this talk of filters, I realized =
that I=20
dont use filters on my<BR>&gt;lens.&nbsp; I mainly shoot black and =
white.. well,=20
actually, I've never put color<BR>&gt;film in my M2.&nbsp; Is it common =
for=20
people to shoot black and white without any<BR>&gt;filter at all?&nbsp; =
If they=20
do use one, what is a good general purpose filter? I<BR>&gt;read that =
some=20
recommend a yellow (which? light, medium, dark?) filter and<BR>others a=20
yellow-green one.&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I tend to tune out on filter debates, so forgive me if I double up =
on info=20
already provided.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Light yellow is a good general purpose filter.&nbsp; The way it has =
been=20
explained to me is that B&amp;W film is oversensitive to blue light - =
which=20
(amongst other things) will cause a blue sky to white out on a straight =
darkroom=20
print.&nbsp; The yellow filter compensates for this - darkening sky to =
its=20
correct level.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Yellow green also - it apparently produces better flesh tones and =
also=20
lightens foliage.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The counter argument to using a yellow or yellow green filter is =
that the=20
yellow filter significantly cuts down shadow detail - it reduces UV =
light, which=20
is most light emitted from shadow.&nbsp; I haven't tried this out - =
s'pose I=20
don't get that worried about fine gradations in shadow detail in my=20
photography.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I use yellow as standard outdoors.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Regards<BR>Gareth Jolly<BR><BR>Sydney, Australia<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.users.bigpond.com/garethjolly/">http://www.users.bigpo=
nd.com/garethjolly/</A><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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