Rolleicord lens filter

[eric_mogren]

<p>Hello everyone:<br>

I am spending two weeks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon in July, and am planning to take my Rolleicord V with me to shoot black and white landscapes. I will be shooting Kodak Tri-X 400 film. I know, it sounds nuts, but it is a bit of an “old school” rowing trip, so I thought an “old school” camera would be fun to take.<br>

I have never used colored filters before, so I wanted to get some input from those who have more experience. I am looking for a filter that will “pop” the sky and clouds, without loosing detail of the landscape. What filter would you recommend, and why (as I recall, it takes a bay-1 size)? Also, if you know, what aperture adjustments would I need to make with the filter you suggest?<br>

Any other tips or links you can recommend for shooting canyon landscapes would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

Eric</p>

 

[eric_mogren]

<p>BTW, here are a couple of images I shot with this camera and film last year.<br>

http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=5783523</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>For B&W you don't really want to "pop" sky, but rather... darken the blue to increase contrast with clouds. Standard way is yellow, orange or red filters. They will darken in increasing amounts. The loss of light will also increase in that progression: (generally) 1 stop for yellow filter, 3 stops for red.</p>

<p>Other tip for you is to also bring (1) slower film since it will be very bright during the day, and (2) a lens hood), and (3) a monopod or tripod if you have one.</p>

<p>Shooting with TLR is not "nuts" by any stretch of the imagination, but expect some odd looks from bystanders.</p>

<p>Look confident and if they step in front of your lens emit a loud "ahem". If they ask "Is that a Hasselblad?", softly retort, "perhaps" and continue with your business.</p>

<p>Have a good time!</p>

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>Oh... and, yes, Rollei Bayonet 1 is the size you need.</p>

[dave_s]

<p>I like light yellow-green (X0 or X1) for landscapes. Darkens blue sky a tad, lightens foliage a tad, makes people look good.</p>

<p>If you already have thread-mount filters and you don't want to look for Bay1, look for a Bay1 to **mm adapter. (The larger filter may vignette your viewing lens.)</p>

[Tony Evans]

<p>Remember that the filter effect only occurs if the sky is blue. I prefer the Orange as an intermediate step between Yellow (little effect) and Red (too dramatic).</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>But recall that a yellow or red filter may darken the sky, but may also undesirably lighten red/yellow rocks.<br>

Sometimes a bit of underexposure will work better.</p>

<p>A polarizer might help for both the sky and for reducing some kinds of reflection, but you may already be aware of the difficulty of doing this on a TLR. It's not impossible, just difficult.</p>

[ndnbrunei]

<p>For what it is worth, I always use a middle yellow filter on my Rolleicord and never correct the exposure. The results are invariably fine.</p>

[marc_batters]

<p>If you have filters for other cameras, ditto Dave's suggestion on using a conversion, Bay 1 to XXmm thread, step-up ring. <br>

Step-up to those size filters that you already have, and bring a hood of the same thread size. Depending on how large you step-up, will determine the amount of blocked image you see in the viewfinder.</p>

<p>On my Bay 1, Yashica Mat, I actually step-up to 77mm. I leave the adapter, step-up rings, filters of choice, and a 77mm hood, assembled together as one unit. I compose my picture with just the bare lenses, then attach the entire stacked assembly via the bayonet.<br>

If you have a polarizer I would definitely bring it along, especially if you are going to shoot some color film, which I also strongly suggest you do. </p>

<p>If this trip will be, a once in a life time experience, you will regret not shooting some color.</p>

<p>Since the Canyon is formed by a winding river, no matter the time of day, and depending on your location in the Canyon throughout the day, the Sun can appear at different times to be coming from any one of three different directions, relative to your position. <br>

As light and shadow plays on the rock formations, the colors can change right before your eyes.</p>

<p>Did I mention, It would be a shame not to shoot some color film.</p>

[eric_mogren]

<p>First, thanks for the replies!</p>

<p>Andrew: With your mid-yellow filter, what film are you shooting? In other words, are some films/film speeds more successful with a mid-yellow?<br>

Brian: What slower speed film would you recommend for black and white?<br>

Marc: I am also taking a couple of dig. cameras with me, too. BUT, if YOU wanted to take a 120 color film on such a trip, what would you recommend?<br>

Dave: You like a light-yellow-green. What film are you using, and what change in aperture adjustments do you make with it, if any?</p>

<p>As to nuts, well I have already gotten some curious stares with my beautiful coffee-can. Most folks are simply curious. "Nuts" for me on this trip is that I must keep my total personal baggage weight to about 20lbs!!</p>

<p>Thanks, again!<br>

Eric</p>

 

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>My fave is Plus-X but that has been recently discontinued and might be hard to find. FP-4 is my other slow MF film. I reccomend either.</p>

<p>For the sake of you understanding, expect light to be in the EV 15 - 16 range during the day. Set a meter to that and you'll see that you could be very constrained in your exposure options with 400 ASA film.</p>

[dave_s]

<p><em>Dave: You like a light-yellow-green. What film are you using, and what change in aperture adjustments do you make with it, if any?</em></p>

<p>With a TLR, usually just XP2 Super (@ EI 250) because I don't develop my own much anymore. If I have a camera with two backs with me, I'll have HP5+ in one and XP2 Super in the other, both EI 250.</p>

<p>I'm no expert, and film is cheap, so in most situations I'd bracket and take two exposures. With an X0, one shot with no compensation, and one compensated 1 - 1.5 stops. Something like that. I'm fussy about aperture, so I'd usually compensate by prolonging shutter speed. (With medium format, I'm nearly always on the tripod.)</p>

<p> </p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

77 mm filters on a bayonet 1 lens, Marc? That's enough to cover both viewing and taking lens at once!<br>I don't know what to think: Wow!" or "Yikes!" ;-)<br><br>I don't know what colour film Marc would recommend, Eric, but everyone will agree that there's only one: Portra 160 (though not everyone will agree that this is that "only one". ;-) )

[BrianS1664879711]

<p>This is one of the few times when I would reccomend considering a higher saturation color film, like Ektar 100.</p>

[dana_bartholomew]

<p>I use a yellow filter full-time, no compensation with Tri-X, on my Rolleicord Vb. Be sure to get the Bay 1 Rollei hood, which is very easy to take on and off over the filter. Also, many recommend not using a tripod with the Rollei, as it attaches to the L-shaped door, which can be weak. If that becomes tweaked, major fix. As someone else said, color. I would toss a couple rolls of Fujichrome Velvia (remember, meter for highlights, not the shadows), in the bag.</p>

[dave_s]

<p><em>many recommend not using a tripod with the Rollei, as it attaches to the L-shaped door</em></p>

<p>No problems if you use a Rolleifix.</p>

[marc_batters]

<p>Eric, I agree with those that suggest Portra, but I would bring both 160 and 400. <br /> You never know just how much light you will have; it depends on the weather, and where you are in the canyon, (in light or in shadow), when you decide to bring out the Rollei. <br /> The Portra's will allow you greater exposure latitude, and since you are sounding a little unsure of exactly how you will use your TLR in the canyon, I would not suggest slide film on this trip.</p>

<p>I would heed JDM's advice on bringing a polarizer.</p>

<p>OG, I guess I wasn't clear enough. I use the 77mm stuff during tripod work.</p>

<ul>

<li>I compose my picture with just the bare lenses, then attach the entire stacked assembly via the bayonet. </li>

</ul>

<p>I'm too poor, OK...too cheap, (there I said it), to buy all the different filters, duplicating the same filters, for all the different size lenses I have. Focusing on buying filters for the RZ, then sort of a "hand me down" situation for the rest.</p>

[eric_mogren]

<p>JDM, Marc:<br>

Are you recommending a polarizer for the black and white film, or for the color (if I take some...) I shot Kodachrome (remember how wonderful it was to shoot Kodachrome 25...?) and Kodacolor for thirty years in my 35mm cameras with a clear polarizer, so I appreciate the difference it can make for color, but am less certain about its effect on black and white film.</p>

[eric_mogren]

<p>Dana:<br>

Are you using a light, medium, or deep yellow full-time?</p>

[marc_batters]

<p>Eric, With color film, Polarizer mostly for enhancing color in the sky and highlighting color changes in the rocks. <br /> With B&W, enhancing clouds and increasing contrast. With both films, decreasing unwanted glare reflecting from the river/water. The river is constantly moving and changing, glare can happen like reflections from a disco ball. <br /> In the canyon, you may find yourself shooting into the sun at any given moment as you snake, and twist around all of the bends in the river. Glare from the water could pose problems w/out at least a little polarization. If you aren't sure that you will try a polarizer on the TLR, I would suggest a polarizer for which ever camera you'll shoot as your primary.</p>

[gene_aker2]

<p>For my shooting, I bounce between sheet film and TLR, and sometimes digital. For your trip--if you shoot color, you might as well buy some great color shots at the visitor centers---if you're lucky, your shots will be about like that.<br>

But the B&W is much more personal and will give you individual expression. I agree with what everyone said about filters. Try different ones. Just remember that the orange (and maybe yellow) will really darken the blue sky---and make it merge with shadows along the tops of cliffs. All the filters --in addition to helping bringing out the clouds---will deepen shadows and add to design. Good luck.</p>