B&W Filter Selection

[r.e.]

The screen capture below is from Fotoimpex, which is the first hit on a Google search for "heliopan retailer europe".

Fotoimpex is a German retailer that presumably knows what Heliopan makes and sells. It is based in Berlin. It is not the European retailer that I occasionally do business with, which offers the same two versions of Heliopan's #22 Orange. Based on previous dealings, I think my dealer will be able to get either version fairly quickly, assuming that they aren't already in stock. I expect to hear back from my retailer tomorrow morning.


Attachment 218500

Woke up this morning to confirmation from my European dealer that it has the standard and SH-PMC versions of Heliopan #22 orange and #25 red in stock. My query was for 82mm, which I'm standardised on for filters.

The dealer's price on the standard versions that B&H and Adorama are apparently selling, shipped, is attractive. The Heliopan Digital UV/IR Cut that I ordered from this dealer last year was delivered to New York in two days.

Historically, I've had scans made of negatives and done this kind of manipulation in Photoshop or Capture One. However, I'm starting a project where I want to do 8x10 contact prints, making these filters useful.

Just have to decide which version I want.

[Bob Salomon]

If anybody here knows the answer to this question, you do. What's the practical difference between the standard and SH-PMC Heliopan filters? You touched briefly on SH-PMC filters in a post ten years ago, but didn't get into a comparison of the two Heliopan lines. It would be great to get your view.

Far less flare with the SH-PMC coating. Better color saturation in color and digital.

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks very much Adam. That confirms what I figured is the situation.

Drew might note that your filter rim says "Heliopan Digital".

Heliopan made a brochure that lists all of their filters that have a digital application, that is the only brochure that you get in the USA from the Mac Group. They then added the word “Digital” to the rim of those filters. Only the Digital IR filter is digital only.
All their other filters are available but may not have the word “digital” on the rim.

[r.e.]

Heliopan made a brochure that lists all of their filters that have a digital application, that is the only brochure that you get in the USA from the Mac Group. They then added the word “Digital” to the rim of those filters. Only the Digital IR filter is digital only.
All their other filters are available but may not have the word “digital” on the rim.

Yes, I assume that "Heliopan Digital" is used for the UV/IR Cut because some sensors are still sensitive to infrared. An example is Blackmagic cinema cameras, one of which I use. This is why Panavision, and its subsidiary Lee Filters, offer a line of neutral density filters, called Pro Glass IRND, that incorporate IR cut. The idea is that if one is going to cut visible light, it's a good idea to cut infrared as well. As you no doubt know, this is not an imaginary problem. There are a number of videos on YouTube and Vimeo that show infrared messing up colours in digital footage.

The screen capture below shows a Heliopan chart for its UV/IR Cut. Expensive filter, but a lot easier than dealing with infrared contamination

[r.e.]

Far less flare with the SH-PMC coating. Better color saturation in color and digital.

Much appreciated.

[Drew Wiley]

All good to know. Like I already stated, flare is a non-issue for me in view camera work due to excellent shading. But for Med Format normal or wide angle lens work, looking into an MC version 22 next time might be beneficial. Almost all my other contrast filters are MC already, as are nearly all my color film filters. I don't shoot digital at all except for a dedicated copy stand camera in the lab.

[r.e.]

I'd suggest that people take their time acquiring these filters for B&W, at least if they care about price. Since yesterday, I've been able to acquire three in 82mm. Prices including shipping:

B+W F-Pro MRC Yellow #8: B&H, open box, $70 ($90 new)
Hoya HMC Yellow-Green X0: eBay, new old stock, $36 ($70.35 new)
Hoya HMC Green X1: eBay, new old stock, $29.50 ($57 new)

Currently looking out for red #25. There seem to be a lot of these around, but I haven't come across 82mm in the last 24 hours. I've identified a vendor of both versions of Heliopan's orange #22, but I'll see whether one comes up in the next week or so.

[Alan Klein]

Small clarification... B&H and Adorama both have warehouses in New Jersey. They don't share one. B&H's warehouse used to be in Brooklyn, but they moved it to New Jersey a few years ago.

I live in NJ. Sometimes I get a B&H order delivered the next day.

[Drew Wiley]

I obviously live clear over here on the West Coast, and get B&H orders within two days, three at the most. But all the big air freight and parcel distribution warehouses are in this general vicinity. That's faster service than I get from LA within the same State (though we norCal types tend to think of anything south of the Tehachapi Range as an entirely different country, while Bakersfield immediately north of the Techachapis is actually a territorial outpost of west Texas, replete with the oil wells, and not part of California proper either).

[AdamD]

I'd suggest that people take their time acquiring these filters for B&W, at least if they care about price. Since yesterday, I've been able to acquire three in 82mm. Prices including shipping:

B+W F-Pro MRC Yellow #8: B&H, open box, $70 ($90 new)
Hoya HMC Yellow-Green X0: eBay, new old stock, $36 ($70.35 new)
Hoya HMC Green X1: eBay, new old stock, $29.50 ($57 new)

Currently looking out for red #25. There seem to be a lot of these around, but I haven't come across 82mm in the last 24 hours. I've identified a vendor of both versions of Heliopan's orange #22, but I'll see whether one comes up in the next week or so.

Just curious, what lens is in your kit driving the need for 82mm monster filters?

I have the 115mm Rodenstock and that's kinda my main go to lens. I flank that with a 150mm and 90mm. So my kit is all wide these days. Next up is something longer like a 240 or 300 or a 360, but in all cases they will always have smaller filters sizes.