Filter identification required.

Hi,

I came across these filters on the bay, as I need a 120mm filter for my LF lens when in the forest shooting, it's purely to protect the lens against potential scratches.

The seller had no idea as to the origin of the filters.

I think perhaps they are soviet but can't be sure. I don't know if they are for photographic or military use? It would be great to find out as if it's going to degrade the image then I won't use them.

The glass isn't coated, as you should be able to see from the image it's kind of greenish, like window glass.

So I guess my real concern is that would using the filter be detrimental to the final image??

There's a green filter too which, as I'll be shooting b&w in the forest, should be useful for lightening the foliage, again only if it's not going to degrade the final image.

Any info appreciated!

Thanks

The inscription looks "Soviet", "Ukrainian" -like to me. Since it is a well-made frame, I would assume it is well made glass. There might be some Soviet/Ukrainian optics/camera forums out there. My "The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras" book has hundreds of pictures of cameras and lenses, but it's too much to hunt through and it has, understandably, little on filters. It might be plain glass, coated, UV, or 1A. Much would depend on the asking price and the ability to return it (or sell it yourself on EBAY) if it doesn't work out for you. Make sure the filter thread diameter AND PITCH are what you need. If the glass is thick, it might be for non-photographic purposes.

The filter is probably light green-yellow, of Soviet origin for a 1000mm reflector (mirror) lens.
If I have the right one, the filters are actually pretty good, and very inexpensive - about $10 each when I last looked.

From what I can gather, the filters are Russian. The C10 is a skylight (hence the slight yellow tint) and the green is likely a #11 or #12

See here: https://www.ebay.de/sch/sis.html?_it...75.m4099.l9146

Best,

Doremus

Thanks for the replies. Sounds about right, I'll see how they work out after doing some comparison tests. I paid £12.50 for the three filters so no great shakes if they don't work out!

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Originally Posted by DannyTreacy

Thanks for the replies. Sounds about right, I'll see how they work out after doing some comparison tests. I paid £12.50 for the three filters so no great shakes if they don't work out!

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You did well! Good for you. Please let us know how they work out. There are some real gems in the aerial filter market, and yours was likely made by the Soviet's primary supplier of all similars.

Long ago I had a 144mm filter made for me in England.
It is astounding Schott glass. I could not afford today.

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Originally Posted by Jac@stafford.net

You did well! Good for you. Please let us know how they work out. There are some real gems in the aerial filter market, and yours was likely made by the Soviet's primary supplier of all similars.

Long ago I had a 144mm filter made for me in England.
It is astounding Schott glass. I could not afford today.

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Thanks, yes I'll add the results from comparisons with and without the filters.

That logo is the logo for LZOS. (not sure how it should be written in Russian characters) Lytkarino Optical Glass Factory. They were associated with--or maybe a subsidiary of-- KMZ. Here in "the west", KMZ are probably best known for Zorki cameras. When I was building my 35mm rangefinder "kit", I based it on a couple of Zorki cameras and looked for lenses from Lytkarino as their reputation was good for these 1950s and 1960s lenses I was gathering.
I have quite a few of their filters in small sizes (a36 slip on, 40.5 and 49mm screw fitting, possibly some other sizes) and depending on condition, they have been fine on my miniature format cameras.

LZOS is still in business, I think. They do still have a web site up. With English and Russian versions of some of the pages.

Rob

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Originally Posted by rbiemer

That logo is the logo for LZOS. (not sure how it should be written in Russian characters) Lytkarino Optical Glass Factory. They were associated with--or maybe a subsidiary of-- KMZ. Here in "the west", KMZ are probably best known for Zorki cameras. When I was building my 35mm rangefinder "kit", I based it on a couple of Zorki cameras and looked for lenses from Lytkarino as their reputation was good for these 1950s and 1960s lenses I was gathering.
I have quite a few of their filters in small sizes (a36 slip on, 40.5 and 49mm screw fitting, possibly some other sizes) and depending on condition, they have been fine on my miniature format cameras.

LZOS is still in business, I think. They do still have a web site up. With English and Russian versions of some of the pages.

Rob

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Hi Rob,

Thanks for the info.

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Originally Posted by DannyTreacy

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the info.

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You're welcome!
I'm always happy to share what I know.

Rob

Yes that's ЛЗОС in Lytkarino (Russia, not the Ukrain. Though that made no difference back in the USSR).

Image SHARPNESS will be the same with or without the ЖС-10 glass (absorbing UV below 400nm).

Image SHARPNESS will be BETTER with the ЖЗС-9 yellowish-green glass then without any filter because ЖЗС-9 absorbs most of the blue and a lot of red thus reducing the impact of the lens's chromatic aberration.

Image CONTRAST (flare resistance) will be the same with or without the ЖЗС-9 yellowish-green glass because though not coated, this filter absorbs the vast majority of the internally reflected light (just like film antigalation layers do).

Image CONTRAST will be LESS producing about TWICE MORE FLARE with the ЖС-10 uv-absorbing glass because of two reasons, (1) any sharp-cut filter does not absorb internaly-scattered light so it needs coating, and this one is not coated, and (2) the ЖС-10 fluorescents under UV radiation.

The ЖС-10's filter factor is 1x (no exposure compensation needed) regardless of the glass thickness (as it does not matter for sharp-cut filters).

The ЖЗС-9's factor is 2x (one f-stop) when the glass is 2mm thick. When it's thicker, proportionally more exposure compensation is needed as the filter is not a sharp-cut one.

The glass quality is equal to that of Schott (and yes Schott 400nm UV-absorbing glass fluorescents, too. And so do yellow and orange and red (but not green, yellow-green, gray and some other) filter glasses from ANY manufacturer... so if you want to avoid that go get Tiffens).

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Originally Posted by ridax

Yes that's ЛЗОС in Lytkarino (Russia, not the Ukrain. Though that made no difference back in the USSR).

Image SHARPNESS will be the same with or without the ЖС-10 glass (absorbing UV below 400nm).

Image SHARPNESS will be BETTER with the ЖЗС-9 yellowish-green glass then without any filter because ЖЗС-9 absorbs most of the blue and a lot of red thus reducing the impact of the lens's chromatic aberration.

Image CONTRAST (flare resistance) will be the same with or without the ЖЗС-9 yellowish-green glass because though not coated, this filter absorbs the vast majority of the internally reflected light (just like film antigalation layers do).

Image CONTRAST will be LESS producing about TWICE MORE FLARE with the ЖС-10 uv-absorbing glass because of two reasons, (1) any sharp-cut filter does not absorb internaly-scattered light so it needs coating, and this one is not coated, and (2) the ЖС-10 fluorescents under UV radiation.

The ЖС-10's filter factor is 1x (no exposure compensation needed) regardless of the glass thickness (as it does not matter for sharp-cut filters).

The ЖЗС-9's factor is 2x (one f-stop) when the glass is 2mm thick. When it's thicker, proportionally more exposure compensation is needed as the filter is not a sharp-cut one.

The glass quality is equal to that of Schott (and yes Schott 400nm UV-absorbing glass fluorescents, too. And so do yellow and orange and red (but not green, yellow-green, gray and some other) filter glasses from ANY manufacturer... so if you want to avoid that go get Tiffens).

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Excellent info,many thanks !