Colour filter advice

pinktrainers

pinktrainers

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497
Name
John
Edit My Images
Yes
Film experts once again needed. I am thinking of buying some colour filters for use with my Dynax 7/Sigma 21-35 ie. landscape shots. I'm shooting some colour sensia 100 slide film at the moment, but when that's used up I think I will pretty much be on Tri-X and HP5 exclusively.

So, I understand the basics of colour filter effects, but I'm wondering if it's worth investing in some high-quality colour filters? The only 77mm thread filters I can find are cheapo (5 for £15) on eBay, and I'm not sure how badly the filters will damage the image quality. Any recommendations or advice on value are greatly appreciated.

I'm also wondering if there's anything that can be achieved by coloured filters on the lens when the shot is taken that can't be achieved by multigrade filters when printing? I don't plan on doing my own prints for a while but it's something I'd like to know for future reference.

Thanks in advance!
 
I shoot exclusively in black & white nowadays, and I do use all the various filters for mono depending on what I'm trying to create. Personally, I'd recommend a yellow filter for starters as this gives a more 'natural' look (if I can put it like that) to your images and will help to highlight the clouds against a blue sky. An orange filter basically increases this effect even more with the red being the strongest of all. I rarely use a red I have to admit, but in the right circumstances can produce a very dramatic picture. I'll also use a green filter on occasion for landscapes as this helps to differentiate the various shades of green foliage.

As for the quality, well I'd buy the best you can afford as very cheap filters won't do justice to a high quality lens. B+W filters are outstanding, but are expensive admittedly. Hoya offer a range of black & white filters which are more reasonably priced and are worth taking a look at.

As for printing, yes you can alter the overall contrast with multigrade filters, however I'd personally rather use filters on the camera as certain effects will prove more difficult to create in the darkroom.
 
FWIW, I bought a 52mm and a 55mm Hoya K2 yellow filter on eBay last week for £2 and 99p respectively. The postage cost more.
 
I wish the Cokin system was an option but my Sigma has a built-in metal hood. This has certainly given me something to think about.
 
I've got a yellow (k2) hoya filter more or less permanently attached to my A1's 50mm - only time it's removed is to go on the 28mm or to swap on a orange/red (of the fleabay persuasion - they're not all that bad really:shrug:) One thing I noticed, was second hand colour filters were more common in smaller diameters - 52mm and 58mm lenses seem to have been more common than 72mm or 77mm.
 
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