Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/07/24

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Subject: [Leica] Need Knowledge; Use of Dark Yellow Filter w/B&W Film
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Tue Jul 24 11:09:05 2007

> On Jul 23, 2007, at 19:20, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote:
> 
> Bob,
> 
> The meter reading with the filter mounted on the R8/9 will not require
> any further compensation.  Use it as you would normally.
> 
> Gene
> 


Marky Downer says:

My first filter was a yellow filter I got for my Kodak Brownie Instamatic
100
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kodak_Instamatic_100.jpg

It was a slip on filter and was considered to be the first and maybe ONLY
filter (from Kodak) you'd be expected to need and buy as an accessory to
your camera after the fact. That and a case.
Kodak called a "cloud filter".

"The Kodak Cloud Filter No. 13 will add new sparkle to your black-and-white
snapshots by darkening blue skies and emphasizing clouds. Slip the cloud
filter over the lens mount and you're all set to shoot. Don't use with color
films."

The obvious problem when you start shooting black and white is washed out
skies. The film seems more blue or cyan really than you do. "see those nice
little clouds"? Well they're not going to be there when you pick up your
prints from the drug store.

But just a little yellow seems to make for a super UVa filter which would
restore all that detail above the horizon. So you'd not have to underexpose
everything to get it. As if with a Brownie you'd have that option.

And people just left them on their cameras in the 60s and 70's.
And were oblivious to the fact that the people in their shots all looked
like they were from the planet Saturn. Certainly not earth. But they didn't
care they were under developing their film so all you saw was a slight stain
and printing on Agfa Brovira #6. They had their own reality. Great blacks!
So no you don't want to just leave a yellow on there.

Ansel Adams ragged on the Yellow.
Said it stole detail right out of every shadow next to every tree and rock.
See shadows all have a lot of cyan in them too. Just like the sky.
So yellow was not one of Ansel's favorites if you go through and look at
everything like in his EXAMPLES book..

"If your going to use a colored filter "USE A REAL COLOR" he'd seem to say.
But didn't.
I did.

Put a little cyan into that yellow filter and what do you get?
Yellow green or Light green.
Then you don't get lifeless under exposed looking shadows.
You don't get People who look like illegal aliens from planets we don't even
want to know about...

You then get the true panchromacity,
a word I just made up for this occasion..
To your images.
As you've in effect restored it to your film.
As they say your film is panchromatic but it just ain't.

I use a deep green filter over a deep yeller anyday.


But don't use that deep green filter with your color.
Or everyone will look like lizards.
Or from the planet Venus.

Or Neptune. But that's a long shot.

If its a dark green I'd say Neptune though.

Check any comic book.


Like Venusians with a tan.








Mark William Rabiner
Harlem, NY

rabinergroup.com



In reply to: Message from rsphotoimages at comcast.net (Bob Shaw) ([Leica] Need Knowledge; Use of Dark Yellow Filter w/B&W Film)