Is there a significant difference in color between ...

[Sirius Glass]

Is there a significant difference in color between a Tiffen Skylight 1A Pro Filter and a B+W KR 1.5 Skylight filter?

[Doremus Scudder]

Is there a significant difference in color between a Tiffen Skylight 1A Pro Filter and a B+W KR 1.5 Skylight filter?

Sirius,

I don't know what you mean by "significant." Certainly, any slight color difference would not be an issue for black-and-white film, so I'm assuming you are asking in relation to color film.

I don't have both filters, but I do have the transmission spectra from the respective brochures (search online; they're not too hard to find).

The Tiffen brochure shows it's sky 1-A transmits a rather even 86-90% of light from 700nm on down to 480nm where it starts to shoulder off rapidly and hits about 10% transmission at 380nm

The B+W KR 1.5 starts at almost 100% transmission at 700nm and slopes gradually to about 80% transmission at 480nm where it also shoulders off rapidly, at much the same rate.

From the spectra I would surmise that the B+W filter would appear slightly yellower/warmer than the Tiffen. This may make very little difference to anything bu the most sensitive transparency materials.

Maybe someone out there has both filters and can confirm or deny this.

Best,

Doremus

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, I am concerned that the same color film shots of the same or similar scene at the same time frame will have a different color.

[Mark Sampson]

I'm afraid that you're going to have to try them both and see. I doubt that many people have made such a test, and if they have, their answers may not be yours. Buy two filters, expose 2 sheets of Velvia in three different lighting conditions, have six sheets processed, view results. Share on this forum.

[Doremus Scudder]

Yes, I am concerned that the same color film shots of the same or similar scene at the same time frame will have a different color.

The question arises: why do you need two different skylight filters from two different manufacturers in two different colors? If you have them already, you likely wouldn't have had to ask the question. IIWY, I'd get quality coated filters (I like B+W and Heliopan for their brass rings) and just let it go at that. If you want color neutrality, get UV filters, not the sky. FWIW, I don't use a filter unless I really have a good reason. My skylight/UV filters only get used in breaking surf or rain.

Doremus

[LabRat]

Many of the usual skylight filters have a very slight (visual) rose/magenta cast, but if I remember correctly the B+W has a very slight (visual) warm colored cast to it... Both would be OK if there's a lot of cool blue/green/cyan haze/moisture floating around...

I'll have to check mine again...

Steve K

[Sirius Glass]

KEH told me that they are the same.

[Drew Wiley]

I posted on the other forum. No, they're a bit different. And then there's the quality distinction. Different films see UV and overcast a bit differently themselves.
At one time Singh-Ray made different sky filter for Kodachrome, Ektachrome, and color neg work. Those seem to have been discontinued, but I still consider them the best in terms of specific effectiveness. Otherwise, I settle on HMC Hoya for the best compromise of quality and price. A true sky filter should have just a tinge of amber to the otherwise pinkish flavor - hence I refer to it as a pale salmon color. It does make a difference, esp in color neg work. Velvia is a different animal
and seems to respond best to a very weak magneta like the Hoya. For LATE Ektachromes (E100G), a colorless or very pale yellow UV filter works best.

[LabRat]

Like Drew said, it depends on your film + processing, esp for chrome films... A warmer filter like the B+W would be great while shooting in the shade as a very slight warming filter for the blue skylight there... But a rose/magenta would be better with skies shot with a film that tends to peak green... (Who likes a greenish or cyan cast in a "blue" sky!?!!!) If your film tends to peak green, the slight yellow in the warmer filter might make it a little worse, (as yellow can brighten green) but slight magenta would cut the green slightly... Might help prevent some weird cast...

Steve K

[Sirius Glass]

All my lenses but one, use B+W KR1.5 filters. I need a 86mm filter. The B+W KR1.5 filter is a low profile filter which will not allow the lens hood enough threads to screw into it [think: stacking threaded filters]. The only skylight filter that is thick enough to stack is the Tiffen Skylight 1-A filter. KEH, Wikipedia and FreeStyle say that that KR1.5 and Skylight 1A/1B are interchangeable. I see a slight difference. My concern is that if I have a series of photographs taken on the same film [using changeable film backs] with different lenses, will the differences be noticeable in the color prints? Can I take out the difference during printing?