Series 9 Filters

[Bruce E. Rathbun]

I have been looking for filters that will fit on my Kodak 10" Wide Field Ektar Lens. I did find out that the size is a series IX ( thanks to a previous post). Over the past three months I have had marginal luck finding the filters that I want. The hardest seems to be anything in a 25 or 29 red. I have ordered from B&H with no luck. I have gone to Tiffen with the same results. It seems you must order from a reseller and wait at least two or three months to get a filter. I have thought about having a adapter made from S.K. Grimes to use a standard size filter. Can anyone tell me where to find series 9 filters ? Also would the idea of using an adapter be a good idea or will I run into the same problems? Thanks for the help.

[William Marderness]

Harrison & Harrison makes a full line of S9 filters for B&W and special effects for movies. The number is (559) 782-0121. A typical S9 filter is $55.00. Your order should arrive in a week.

B+W makes S9 filters, but you will have to wait about two months.

For Tiffen, the wait can be nine months. I ordered three S9 Tiffen filters, and they took that long. All the while, B+H had my money.

I have an S9-82mm converter that S. Grimes made for me at a cost of $75.

Used is a good option for S9 filters, since they often go cheaply. See ebay or www.photo.net.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Consider looking into a 4" square filter system (Calumet, Lee, Hitech, Singh-Ray etc.). If there isn't an S9 adapter in the system you like, you could use a step-up ring to get there, and you could get other adapters to use the same filters on other lenses.

[Bob Salomon]

Heliopan offers a complete selection of Series 9, and larger, filters.

[Carl Weese]

A low tech answer that actually works really well is to tape a gelatin or good quality plastic filter to the rear cell of the lens, inside the camera. I rarely use filters in my work but have never had problems using this approach when I sometimes want a yellow filter to cut haze or separate sky values. I used to do it all the time with cc filters to fine-tune chrome film in commercial work. Holders are more elegant, but tape works fine. A gel inside the camera is of course much less likely to cause flare than anything added to the front of a lens

[David A. Goldfarb]

Yes, I do the same thing when I don't have a filter and the right adapter for use on the front. I keep some gaffer's tape in my LF pack mainly for this purpose. For one of my smaller lenses that doesn't protrude in the back, I've even epoxied a 3" resin filter holder to the lensboard. A 3" filter will just cover the rear element of a 10" WF Ektar if you tape it by the corners (the rear filter thread is a bit smaller than the front).

If you do use filters behind the lens, be sure to keep them clean and focus with the filter in place, because they can cause focus shifts, and dirt and scratches will do more damage behind the lens than in front.

[Bruce E. Rathbun]

Thanks for all the good advice. I will try the solutions. I have tried to find an adapter that will work for a square filter solution. As of this time I have not found one.

[Bruce E. Rathbun]

After looking at all options I have decided to go with an adapter from S.K. Grimes. This will allow me to use a standard size filter. Again I thank all for the help and advice.