Schneider 80mm centre Filter

[Charles J Moult]

Greetings All,

I have recently aquired a Super Symmar 80mm lens and was wondering if anybody uses a centre filter regulary on this lens. My first pics (on Velvia) seem a little dark at the bottom corners,but not at the top!!! Any regular users comment please. Regards Charles

[Steve Hamley]

I have this lens and the center filter. I do not use the center filter on a regular basis. This question comes up on a regular basis and the consensus is that no one can tell you if you need one or not - you have to try it and see for yourself.

I'm more likely to use the filter when the center of the scene is light, like a waterfall or stream scene with darker overhanging branches. Hope this helps.

Steve

[Tom Westbrook]

My first pics (on Velvia) seem a little dark at the bottom corners,but not at the top!!!

If you used any movements, the image will be off center on the film, so it would be natural that one part of the shot will show more fall-off than others, since the effict iincreases as the distance from the center of the lens increases. Also high-contrast films like Velvia will make light fall-off more apparent, so you'd be more apt to need a CF.

There is a good discussion of fall-off here:http://www.vanwalree.com/optics/vignetting.html#natural

[Karl Amo]

I pretty much keep the center filter for my Super Symmar 80XL on all the time. I use Velvia, and scan the film with an Epson 2450.

Initially, I wanted to avoid using a center filter. I didn't want to spend the $ 300 for the Schneider center filter, and I didn't have any 86 mm filters to use with the center filter. I hoped that I would be able to digitally simulate the center filter in Photoshop. Also, I was concerned that the 1.5 stop density of the center filter would make composing and focusing significantly more difficult.

What I found was that I was NOT able to easily digitally simulate the center filter (even tried a commercially available plug in). Also, the Epson 2450 scanner was not able to obtain good scans in the dark corners (loss of color and contrast). I find that the darkening by the center filter while composing and focusing is not much of an issue. As far as filters go, I've gone to the Lee system. Finally, I find that I like having the center filter on the lens because it provides protection for the front element (a $ 300 filter protecting a $ 1,000+ lens).

[Don Miller]

I use it on the 80xl, but I've only had the lens one month. I also shoot 6x17 which makes the filter more necessary.

Karl, I think you will find that most people (o.k., everyone else) composes, focuses and then adds the center filter.

Don

[Henry Ambrose]

I use the CF on my 80 quite often. It depends on the subject matter and our preferences. For more info do a search here and over at photo.net - this has been discussed quite a bit on both forums.