Is Kodachrome A Daylight filter any good for B&W photography?

[68degrees]

Is it any good for anything anymore. Anyhow?? Bought one today at a thrift shop for $1.50 not knowing. Its kinda orangish I thought maybe it would be good for B&W?

 

[furcafe]

The quick answer is yes, just like any other color filter.

 

[Dwig]

It's not of much use. It will not significantly alter the tonal relationships of variously colored objects. In fact, there will be less change than the difference between shooting under daylight and under household tungsten lamps.

 

[John Bragg]

If nothing else it will protect your lens.

 

[charjohncarter]

You could try it with C-41 and see if does anything. It looks orange on the internet so maybe use as a warming filter with C-41. ????????????????????

 

[Doug]

The pale orange should darken purples and blues somewhat, and be useful in B&W with a modest effect. Try it and report back! 🙂

 

[furcafe]

Exactly, it will work like a 1/2 or 1-stop orange or yellow filter.

The pale orange should darken purples and blues somewhat, and be useful in B&W with a modest effect. Try it and report back! 🙂

 

[x-ray]

You could try it with C-41 and see if does anything. It looks orange on the internet so maybe use as a warming filter with C-41. ????????????????????

It will make your daylight balance film look like it was shot under tungsten light.

Try a couple of frames of B&W and see. You'll see the same effect for tri x or other film as if it were shot under tungsten. In other words, not much change if any other than the loss of iso.

 

[68degrees]

Alright Ill do some black and white with it and the same shot without it and post the pics here.

 

[charjohncarter]

It will make your daylight balance film look like it was shot under tungsten light.

Try a couple of frames of B&W and see. You'll see the same effect for tri x or other film as if it were shot under tungsten. In other words, not much change if any other than the loss of iso.

Right but sometimes you want that warm look. Like this, digital but shot with a custom setting to warm the windows:

or this, which is custom WB setting and a ringflash to correct for the rest of the scene:

 

[x-ray]

Right but sometimes you want that warm look. Like this, digital but shot with a custom setting to warm the windows:

or this, which is custom WB setting and a ringflash to correct for the rest of the scene:

I didn't say anything about liking or disliking. I have on many occasions put 85 gell on one or more lights to warm it or at least give a warm rim light. Sometimes I light warm and other times cool.

 

[Dwig]

Exactly, it will work like a 1/2 or 1-stop orange or yellow filter.

Actually it won't.

The standard yellow and orange filters used with B&W are "band pass" or "cut off" filters. These totally block portions of the spectrum and pass other portions. With B&W film, they create a significant effect on the tonal relationships of various colors as a result.

The "Type A" filter, a Wratten #85, is a tinting filter that passes all colors. It slightly attenuates portions of the spectrum but doesn't make a large changes. Its small change affects color films enough to compensate for the difference in daylight and high-wattage photofloods (3400 kelvin) but not enought to significanly impact B&W.

 

[kbg32]

Actually it won't.

The standard yellow and orange filters used with B&W are "band pass" or "cut off" filters. These totally block portions of the spectrum and pass other portions. With B&W film, they create a significant effect on the tonal relationships of various colors as a result.

The "Type A" filter, a Wratten #85, is a tinting filter that passes all colors. It slightly attenuates portions of the spectrum but doesn't make a large changes. Its small change affects color films enough to compensate for the difference in daylight and high-wattage photofloods (3400 kelvin) but not enought to significanly impact B&W.

Agree with this. Do a test, but I'm sure you won't see much difference.

 

[68degrees]

I had a feeling it would be useless for black and white but it was so orange I thought I would take a chance for $1.50. Will it help with color print film too or only Kodachrome which i havent seen available for a long time?

 

[Chris101]

It will help with any color slide that was balanced for tungsten when you shoot in daylight. On color negative film, it will also help, but not as much, as filtration during printing is more effective. On B&W film, the effect will be subtle. I use a similar 85 filter to gently smooth skin without lightening it.

 

[68degrees]

It will help with any color slide that was balanced for tungsten when you shoot in daylight. On color negative film, it will also help, but not as much, as filtration during printing is more effective. On B&W film, the effect will be subtle. I use a similar 85 filter to gently smooth skin without lightening it.

Nice, thanks Chris.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Kodachrome support officially died in 2010 though the last rolls to come off the production line were in the previous year. The last rolls were processed in the first few weeks of 2011 then the machines were shut down, everything drained and cleaned, then probably dismantled for recycling.

Phil Forrest

 

[furcafe]

I stand corrected. Good to know.

I have some light yellow & orange filters, vintage (1950s) & marked 0.5x, that appear to be as pale as Type As from the same time period & was guessing they'd have a similar effect.

Actually it won't.

The standard yellow and orange filters used with B&W are "band pass" or "cut off" filters. These totally block portions of the spectrum and pass other portions. With B&W film, they create a significant effect on the tonal relationships of various colors as a result.

The "Type A" filter, a Wratten #85, is a tinting filter that passes all colors. It slightly attenuates portions of the spectrum but doesn't make a large changes. Its small change affects color films enough to compensate for the difference in daylight and high-wattage photofloods (3400 kelvin) but not enought to significanly impact B&W.