Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/30

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: B & W Filters
From: "A.H.SCHMIDT" <horst.schmidt@actek.com.au>
Date: Sun, 30 May 1999 22:04:07 +1000

> EXCUSE ME:  This discussions about as silly as the one regarding whether one
> should use a UV filter or not.  In B&W you only use a filter for a specific
> purpose, such as to avoid an extraordinary amount of dodging and burning
> and/or to separate gray tones that would otherwise be equal or nearly so.
>
> You might want to buy a Kodak book on the use of filters or at the very least
> look at www.bandh.com 's section on the use of filters and what they do.
>
> I use filters about 5 percent of the time.  The only complete set that I have
> is for 39mm.  Often I will change to the older lenses in order to use the
> appropriate filter.
>
> You might want to do a little more research before using filters as a matter
> of course.
>
> Bill Larsen
> ohlen@lightspeed.net

Bill,
I don't think what type of filter to use on B&W is silly at all. It definitely
has nothing at all to do with UV filters. Especially as the previous discussion
about UV filters was mainly about the question " Using the UV filter as lens
protection or not"

The use of filters for black and white is as you know, or should, totally
different. It has to do 1. with the colour sensitivity of the various B&W films
and secondly on the subject type. Until now, I have been using a medium yellow as
standard filter, but I am always open to listen to the experience of other
people. There is nothing silly about recommending one thing or the other for
doing something or the other.
I am an amateur, I can do and test things photographically without worrying about
time or income lost. In other words, I  am free to try things and ideas I haven't
done before without feeling , as you say: "silly"  about it.
Horst Schmidt