Warming Filter Necessity?

[richard_fulco2]

Hello List Members

 

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I shoot color negative film exclusively and am wondering if warming filter (KR 3) would be beneficial for me to keep on my lens all of the time? I shoot outdoors; never use flash. TIA.

 

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Richard Fulco

[albert_smith]

Richard,

 

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This would be a personal decision. There would be no technical

requirement for a permanently attached warming filter. Leica lenses

are reputed to be better than most brands for having a constant color

tone from lens to lens. If you are doing a specific task, say

portraiture, then there might be times when the filter would help

that particular subject, (in cool light, in shadows, etc...), but it

might not be appropriate for every scene or subject.

 

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Additionally, if you are using color print film, any manipulation

could be eliminated or intensified by the lab. If you are using a

filter to control the process, be aware of the other part of the

equation... the printing. The automatic printing of most labs could

remove the warming effect by adjusting the filter pack for a cooler

look on the final print. Conversely, they could add "warmth" into a

shot if needed... if you have a good lab. If you were shooting slide

film, color correction would be more critical.

 

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Ultimately, you are the only one that can decide if you "need" to use

a filter. Shoot a couple of rolls of film in the same lighting with

and without the filter and see which you prefer. The only thing in

front of my Leica glass is the air between me and the subject.

[robert_appleby]

I am a filter user. Oh yes. And I used to use a skylight to warm up

blue shadows a bit. But since E100SW came out I no longer feel the

need for that. Probably all totally irrelevant to your question which

was about negative film, but there you go!

 

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Personally I leave a filter on the lens all the time and can't see

that it does any harm, and it certainly has protected my front

element in lots of ways. From gunge (of unspecified chemical

composition), angry people, heavy rain, whatever. Nowadays a UV

filter.

 

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Rob.

[andrew_schank]

I use a 81B for open shade and overcast day shots even with the

negative film. I figure you might as well get the color balance down

on the negative as close as possible even thought the lab may change

it when they print it.

[Rob F.]

Richard, I've been happy with using a skylight filter much of the

time. It's a very light filtration, but still gives substantial

correction for blue shadows, without over-correcting in direct

sunlight. When a stronger effect is needed, I use a Tiffen 812

warming filter, which looks more natural to me than the 81 A,B,C

options. The Skylight is enough 98% of the time.

 

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Regards,