Tiffen soft contrast filters: do they work?

Tiffen soft contrast filters are nothing new, but there seems to be

nothing about them in the PN database... Weird. These filters promise

to "darken highlights and to lighten shadows, without need for

exposure compensation" - in theory, for example, you could manage to

catch a high contrast scene like patches of sun on a forest ground and

neither the shadows would be blocked, or the highlight would be burned.

 

But do these filters really work? What are their limits? Any

drawbacks? Do some people actually use them on a regular basis to

solve excessive contrast issues?

 

Sounds too good to be true!

I recently bought one of these, "soft contrast" (#4) filters, using print film, the effect is subtle, I suspect the automated printing process has erased some of the effect, but I could tell very slightly that the highlights had been reduced, just a tad. If you hold the filter up to your eye, you can see this effect better. I think I will try the "low contrast" series next...

I'm beginning to experiment with one, a No. 3, and I can say it does what it says it does.

That's often valuable here in the Rocky Mountains, where deep shadows can be almost

lunar at midday. For the first time I've found myself adding contrast on the computer. I

always keep the camera's contrast turned down all the way, as I often shoot high contrast

architectural scenes.

 

One thing I've found in warning- the use of a lens hood, a hat or a hand or all three is

necessary. If you get a beam of direct sunlight on the surface of this filter, it spreads &

scatters everywhere and washes out the picture horribly. Which makes perfect sense,

considering the way it works.

 

Think of this filter as a one-shot HDR kit in the palm of your hand. For changing scenes

where multiple exposures wouldn't be indentical enough, it's the only way I know to

extend the dynamic range so far without adding reflectors and lighting.

I have an Ultra Contrast filter which I bought after shooting a wedding ceremony in a wooded area with mixed lighting. There was strong sunlight filtering through the trees and deep shaded areas. I had to shoot a couple that was getting married on an island in a stream. I had to shoot from across the stream as I wasn't allowed on the Island. It was very hard to shoot in and I knew it would be a problem. For the most part everything turned out ok. But, I had to be very careful with the mixed lighting. I've used the Ultra Contrast in situations where there was mixed lighting that I could not control and yes, they do help reduce contrast. I've also used Pro Mist and Black Pro mist filters for diffusion effects. They can reduce contrast slightly where a diffusion effect is also desired.