viewing with heavy filters

[Mike Anderson]

I read somewhere (here, I think) a nice way to bring out cloud definition is to stack a polarizer and a yellow or orange filter. I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine it will make a pretty dark viewing image, especially with a pol+orange.

I see two options:
1) have the filters on when viewing and spend enough time under the cloth to let my eyes adjust then frame and focus
2) frame and focus without filters then put the filters on

What's the usual method of dealing with strong filtration?

...Mike

[J Ney]

I'll focus / compose with no filters in place then put the polarizer in place and adjust to the desired effect, then put the secondary filter (orange or red, etc...) in place.

I never compose/focus with a contrast filter in place... just too dark for me.

-J

[Merg Ross]

I read somewhere (here, I think) a nice way to bring out cloud definition is to stack a polarizer and a yellow or orange filter. I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine it will make a pretty dark viewing image, especially with a pol+orange.

I see two options:
1) have the filters on when viewing and spend enough time under the cloth to let my eyes adjust then frame and focus
2) frame and focus without filters then put the filters on

What's the usual method of dealing with strong filtration?

...Mike

Mine has been #2.

[anchored]

Exactly the same response from me as J posted.

Polarizer and orange is one of my favorite combos, and depending on scene sometimes a neutral grad added.

[Gem Singer]

Hey Glenn,

For B&W film---

An orange filter uses 2 stops of light.

A polarizer uses an additional 2 i/2 stops of light.

The neutral grad.uses, at least, 1 more stop.

That's a total of 5 1/2 stops of used up light.

Wouldn't it be more practical to merely use a #25 Red Filter? It has the same effect on the sky, and only uses 3 stops.

BTW, I compose and focus without a filter on the lens, meter directly through the filter (Zone VI modified Pentax spot meter), screw
the filter onto the lens, set the aperture and shutter speed, and then shoot.

[Doremus Scudder]

I rarely view the ground-glass image with filters in place. The exception, of course, is the polarizer, which needs visual orientation. However, I often don't check much more than the sky on the ground glass while turning the polarizer to the desired position.

Sometimes I can easily determine the correct position by noting the position of the indicator dot (on some brands) or the printing on the polarizing filter (e.g., dot at 3 o'clock...) and not even bother viewing on the ground glass.

However, when one desires only partial polarization, the effect needs to be viewed on the ground glass directly, especially when one is avoiding mergers between the darkened sky and trees, buildings, etc. A good dark cloth can really help in this case. Fortunately, a polarizer is used primarily when the sun is out and the ground-glass image fairly bright.

Gem, a #25 filter may have a similar effect on sky and clouds as a polarizer and, say, a #8 filter, but it will have a very different effect on the shadows. Shadows lit with blue skylight will be darkened appreciably with the #25 and much less so with the polarizer/#8 sandwich. This is one reason for stacking filters. Another reason: sometimes you need to stack the polarizer with the #25!

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[anchored]

Gem - As I only shoot things that don't move, loss of speed is rarely an issue. :-)
Subtract 1-stop from your equation of differences... I use graduated neutral density filters which requires none.

My preference lies with the use of a polarizer in conjunction with contrast filters... especially the orange that's not so bad in turning vegetation black as the red filter. A few shots taken on my last trip to Utah (with little vegetation) were taken with red and polarizer filter, which provided a VERY black and contrasty sky... which I believe would've been unattainable using a red filter only.

[Gem Singer]

Glenn,

"Things that don't move".

That means long exposures, a solid, heavy-duty tripod, and perfectly still wind conditions.

However, how do you prevent the clouds from moving and the earth from spinning?

I guess I'm not a fan of VERY black skys.

I usually use a #15 yellow-orange or #21 orange filter to darken the sky and bring out the contrast between the sky and the clouds. Seldom a red filter.

I use a fast film and give it enough exposure to get detail in the shadow areas.

Then, develop my film in Pyrocat-HD which helps to hold detail in the highlights.

That way, I don't blow-out the sky, and I can choose to darken it in on the print if I want to.

[Daniel_Buck]

If I'm using a dark filter and/or a polarizer, compose and focus with no filters. if I'm using a polarizer I'll put the polarizer on and rotate it to my desired angle, note the angle (mine has markers) then take the polarizer off, sandwich it with my color filter (if I'm using one), meter through the filters (with the polarizer rotated to the same angle), then put both of them on the camera making sure to set the polarizer to the same angle as before.

I suppose I should be checking the focus after I put the filters back on, I'm not sure if the filters will actually affect the focusing at all, but I've never had a problem, so I don't ever check.


If I'm just using a yellow filter, I leave it on the entire time, since it's easy to view through.

[Maris Rusis]

I sometimes stack a polariser and a grad red. The foreground is still easy to see and focus on the ground-glass and I let the sky focus go if it's just fuzzy clouds.

The grad red lets the clouds pop on panchromatic film but, because it doesn't intrude on the foreground, it won't dump shadow detail like a full red or orange tends to do.