Filters for B&W LF - Where to Start?

[Colin Corneau]

So, I have a Shen Hao 4x5, along with a Schneider 180mm 5.6.

This camera will be exclusively for B&W work, varied subjects but enough landscape/outdoor work to justify a filter or two. Some questions on that front:

• Am I right in assuming that yellow-orange-red are differentiated by how much they darken the sky? Any other characteristics I should know for these colours?

•*If darkening the sky to a certain degree is what you're after, why not just get a polarizer? That would work for both B&W and colour work, no?

• Should I look at the Cokin system or screw-in systems similar to what I use in 35mm?

•*Any recommendations for my purchases?

Many thanks from a (rapidly aging) newbie.

[Ed Richards]

Y darkens the sky but not the foliage. As you move toward red, the foliage darkens along with the sky. Polarizers work with normal and long lenses, but not as much as red filters - the clearer the sky, the less darkening you need. Polarizers can give an uneven sky with wide lenses. Best darkening with good foliage is a polarize and a yellow. Yellow comes in several flavors, go for the one with the highest filter factor.

Go for Cokin or Lee so you do not need to buy new filters as you add lenses.

[Walter Calahan]

Polarizers and colored filters work light differently. A polarizing filter only works on direction light. If you are not a the proper angle to the polarized light the filter will have little affect.

Light yellow, medium yellow, orange and red filters work differently. They affect the entire pictures spectrum, not just the sky. Sometimes when working with foliage, you may also want a green filter.

If you are only using the Schneider 180 mm, and no other lens, perhaps a screw-in system of filters will work. I prefer 4x4 resin filters for LF.

Hope that's helpful.

[Ed Richards]

> If you are only using the Schneider 180 mm

It is the rare LF photographer who can remain true to only one lens.:-)

[Colin Corneau]

Well, I think my bank balance is going to keep me to one lens for a while...but never say never. I always like to keep it MORE simple, rather than less.

Thanks for the wisdom - what does green do to foliage? Based on what I'm hearing and what I generally shoot, probably a yellow or medium yellow seems right.

Do any of you use those graduated filters, that darken the sky?

[Bill_1856]

The problem is that film doesn't see colors the same way that you do when translated into black and white -- the filter will compensate for some of that difference.
To start with, get one screw-in filter (I'd suggest a medium yellow), and a polarizer. Always look through it before taking the picture to see what difference it makes, and don't forget to increase your exposure. (A filter factor of 2 means multiply the shutter speed by 2, so that 1/100 x2 = 2/100 = 1/50).
Eventually, you'll probably want to add others, but...maybe not.
And enjoy that 180mm Symmar -- it's a great lens!

[lenser]

If you are into incredible sky/cloud contrast, don't ignore a red and polarizer together. It turns a blue sky almost totally black and gives clouds a tremendous glowing luminance. Filter factors knock you back to very slow speeds if you want any depth of field at all.

I like to use wide angles in most of my landscape work and don't object to the slight variation or gradation that the polarizer occasionally causes. It reminds me of the normal change in the depth of blue in a sky as you look from near the horizon to overhead.

[Nick_3536]

A filter darkens it's opposite colour.

Yellows block blue to various amounts.
Oranges block blue and more green then any yellow filter
Reds can block everything but red.

If it was me I'd lean towards a #15 [dark yellow] or a #16 [light orange]

I don't know what size filters your lens takes but make up a list of lenses you might like and compare filter sizes. It might make sense to get a filter a little bigger if your future lenses will need it. OTOH might not. I've basically settled on 67mm for most things. Prices jump above that and of course so does the size/space requirement. OTOH I've also got a bunch of 52mm/58mm ones since my light weight lenses all take small filters. Plus used those sizes aren't that expensive.

[John Kasaian]

At the very minimum a #8 then add as you feel the need. Don't think you need a whole set just to go out and make photographs.
The Lee rubber band snappy thing with polyester filters works if your lens isn't threaded for filters. Voss makes a barn doors/filter holder combination thing (I got mine at Calumet IIRC) that works if your lens isn't too big. Some lenses like the Nikkor 300 M will accept sandard sizes you might already have for your SLR. You can always get a press on series adapter and a bunch of old wrattens at auction but they are rare in the larger sizes.
CHeers!

[Andrew O'Neill]

If you want to play around to see what filters will do with the film that you use, try Roscoe gel filters. Get an array from blue to red. Very cheap and work very well.