Soft Focus Filters

[jmmphotography]

Ok, I just bought a soft focus filter set to use on my 50mm f2.8 prime for

portraits. The set includes Softone, Duto, and Diffuser filters. I simply

thought that I'd just screw them on and they'd work- acheiving that "angelic"

softness that I so desire. Not the case! Is it the filters or me? What am I

doing wrong? Is there a trick? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Jacalyn

[picturesque]

Most, not all, soft focus filters are dependent upon f stop. The wider the f stop, the softer. What brand are these?

[ronald_moravec1]

You are not wrong. The only one that comes close to working is Hassleblad or Helioplan Softar # 1 for 35mm and it is too strong.

 

I use a 120mm Imagon on Leica R that was available about 20 years ago that actually works. I also had a 300mm one for 4x5. Nice

Also a 250 Veritar for 4x5. Also nice, but not like the Imagon.

 

Photoshop is the way to go now. Make a dup layer-apply gaussian blur and apply eraser tool with proper opacity to areas you do not want soft like eyes. Now adjust the layer opacity to fine tune to exact effect.

 

now put a luminosity mask on a second dup layer and add some gausian to the bright masked areas.

 

You will love it.

 

If printing, use a black fine tule over an embroidery hoop for 20-60 per cent of the exposure. Overdone you you have spread blacks into highlights which is wrong and why most say don`t do it. It works ok for subtle effects.

 

There is no device you can hang on a sharp lens to make it into a soft focus lens, a blury lens yes. Soft focus no way. Been there done that and tried everthing. Thats why I paid $1000 second hand for the 120mm Imagon.

[ronald_moravec1]

If you really want to do this and not use 4x5, RB67 with the 150 or 180 Soft lenses are the way to go with film. Be sure you get all three discs with either.

[russ_butner___portland__or]

I use Tiffen Softnet filters, and a Nikon Diffuser #1, and they work very well. And yes, the affect is somewhat dependent on the f/stop that you use.

 

Russ

[picturesque]

I see the set you got for sale on e-bay. The Duto filter has concentric circles on it, and it definitely is dependent on f stop for the soft effect. You don't want to be using this type of filter with f8 and smaller or you won't see much, if any, softness. The other two, I don't know, but it looks like there are patterns etched into the glass. Some of these types are not dependent upon f stop, some are. Test them again, using wide apertures--f5.6 and wider, and use a subject that is back lit to see how much halation (the foggy effect) is produced.

 

It is true that soft focus filters all give different qualities of softness--the better ones aren't so blobby looking. The Hasselblad/Zeiss Softar is the most highly regarded, but very expensive, with the Nikon Soft #1 and Tiffen Soft F/X also highly regarded. I have the Softar, which are not dependent upon f stop for softness, and find that it's effect cannot be duplicated in Photoshop in quite the same way.

[eric friedemann]

I'm incredulous about the suggestion that Jacalyn buy an RB system with a soft focus lens just to do soft focus portraits. I've used the RB 150mm SF lens (and the 180mm RZ SF lens), was not impressed and would make these observations:

 

 

1. The RB SF lens costs more than a regular 150mm lens.

 

 

2. For non-SF images, the lens is not as sharp as a regular 150mm.

 

 

3. As SF images are taken in the range of f/4.0-8.0, non SF images have to be taken at smaller apertures than f/8.0.

 

 

4. Soft-focus images are taken only at apertures wider than f/8.0 (which may be fine for shooting in a studio, but how do you shoot in sunlight at f/5.6 with a camera that only goes down to 1/400th- ND filters?).

 

 

5. Degrees of soft focus are acheived by slipping various discs into the lens that have to be used at specified apertures.

 

 

I use Softar I and II 77mm filters- the Rolls Royce of SF filters. I can use the filters individually or stacked; and I can shoot with or without soft focus at any aperture on any lens from any camera manufacturer.

 

 

If you only wanted to buy one premium soft focus filter and didn't want to pay Softar $$$, as Nadine suggests, I would buy a Nikon Soft 1 filter. I would further agree that Tiffen's Soft/FX filters are quite useable- I very occasionaly use the Tiffen Warm Soft/FX filter to help people with pale complexions:

 

 

http://tiffen.com/userimages/SFX_WSFX_ss.pdf

[matt_needham]

Try a black, net stocking stretched over your lens.

 

http://www.garageglamour.com/tips/articles/scarf.php

[jmmphotography]

Ronald- I have Photoshop Elements 5.0- I know how to get the soft effect, but don't know how to sharpen the eyes up (I can use the eraser tool, but can't change the opacity to match). Maybe I need to invest in Photoshop CS3, but man that is really expensive!!! Any advice on how to get the eyes sharp in Elements???

 

Nadine- Thank you for the advice, I'll try them with f5.6 and higher and see what happens.

 

Matt- I'll give the stocking a try too!

 

Thanks for such a great response!

[steve_levine]

Soft focus is controlled spherical aberration. SF should never be confused with "out of focus". They are two different things.

 

 

Most SF filters use some sort of pattern to scatter the highlights slightly. And they are indeed F stop sensitive. Shoot towards wide open and you should see dramatic increase in effect.

[DickArnold]

I used Cokin diffusion filters on several cameras in my studion for several years but only in a few selected sessions. I used big soft boxes mostly to obtain soft, wide source light. The Cokins worked.