Enhancing filters

[alpshiker]

I noticed those filters designed to enhance the red, green or blue spectrum, while shopping on the net and wonder if

someone has tried them and what were the results?

[scott walton]

Paul,

I have had an enhancer (dydidium) glass from Tiffen and it is really spectacular almost a bit much. It's like shooting Velvia when shooting negs. Is a bit more than shooting Agfa Ultra (120) in the fall to explode the colors, it is great!

[steve_hamley]

Paul,

 

I also have used an enhancing filter. Use it selectively, because it seems to modify other colors also. If the colors are really brilliant and you use saturated film, it can be a bit much. It works mostly on reds, yellows, and oranges. You can also use it to make the French and Italian architechture "pop", especially the red tile roofs. It is fun though, so try one!

 

There isn't anything called didymium. I'm told that this glass contains rare earths, like lanthanum, which the Apo-Lanthar was famous for containing. The definitive article is the first link.

 

http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/mf/filters.html

 

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000sW9

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/comparison.htm

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

[eugene_singer]

Paul, Jack Dykinga recommends using the Tiffen 812 enhancing filter in his book "Large Format Nature Photography". He shoots 4X5 trannies. I have used the 812 with 35mm neg. film, and it didn't seem to make a difference because of the printing corrections. The effect with transparency film seems to be similar to using a warming filter.

[alpshiker]

Many thanks for your answers and links to interesting pages. I gather that these are not all purpose filters but can be useful if used wisely in some circumstances. I also agree with Michael Reichman who says that Photoshop allows that kind of effects in a more selective manner. But maybe I will get one for playing with my video. I am usually not a filter user but you never know what you misss until you try!

[chris_patti1]

Before a fall trip to New England for the foliage a few years ago, I picked up a Tiffen enhancing filter and took most of my foliage shots both "with" and "without." Using slide film, I don't believe there was a single case in which I preferred the filtered version. In my opinion, the filtered shots were garish, with unnatural saturation and color balance.

 

But if you want one, I've got a very lightly used Tiffen enhancing filter I'd let you have cheap!

[wes_carroll1]

I bought a Tiffen a few years ago for 35mm. I tried it and didn't care for the results. Everything seemed to have a reddish unnatural tone to it.

[alpshiker]

Since your answers are "I have used one" "I have had one" "I bought one", I had considered shortly but I listened to my friends ;-) Thanks!

[ole_tjugen]

"There isn't anything called didymium. I'm told that this glass contains rare earths, like lanthanum, which the Apo-Lanthar was famous for containing. "

 

Steve, didymium and lanthanum are both elements belonging to the so called rare earths (or more scientifically: Lanthanides). Oddly enough, most of them are neither rare nor earthy... Didymium, neodymium and a few others are used in a lot of electrooptics - like computer monitors. Lanthanum was used in the Lanthar lenses and some others.

 

These elements are lumped together because they are very similar chemically, and difficult to separate both from each other and the actinide-group elements. Apo-Lanthars are famous for being radioactive, which is not a result of the lanthanum content, but of actinide-group impurities in the lanthanum. The actinide elements include uranium, thorium, radium.....