Leica M Monochrom and color filters

[borge]

Just wrote a very short blog article about my experience with using B+W MRC color filters on the Leica M Monochrom, with some example photos:

http://bophotography.net/2012/12/18/leica-m-monochrom-and-color-filters/

 

[Calzone]

Borge,

Thanks for the post and sharing. The MRC versions are worth the premium over regular B&W filters because one they are easier to clean, and for some reason they tend to stay cleaner.

I use filters all the time, but I compensate for the filter factor differently than you. I found that on my M6 and Nikon F3P that the TTL sensor does not respond fully with say a one stop offset for a yellow filter and only registers a half stop difference and with an orange filter only one full stop. When I use filters (mostly yellow and orange) I just set my film speed lower by one half stop to bring up the difference.

On film I would rather have the contrast on the negative so I can straight print in the darkroom. I assume the amount of post in digital becomes simpler with less tweaking when your Monochrome is used with filters?

Cal

 

[borge]

Borge,

Thanks for the post and sharing. The MRC versions are worth the premium over regular B&W filters because one they are easier to clean, and for some reason they tend to stay cleaner.

I use filters all the time, but I compensate for the filter factor differently than you. I found that on my M6 and Nikon F3P that the TTL sensor does not respond fully with say a one stop offset for a yellow filter and only registers a half stop difference and with an orange filter only one full stop. When I use filters (mostly yellow and orange) I just set my film speed lower by one half stop to bring up the difference.

On film I would rather have the contrast on the negative so I can straight print in the darkroom. I assume the amount of post in digital becomes simpler with less tweaking when your Monochrome is used with filters?

Cal

The B+W MRC filters does indeed seem quite nice and very easy to clean compared to the Hoya branded filters that I previously owned (which was impossible to clean and which "locked on" to the lenses filter thread).

I tried compensating manually by using the filter factors but this resulted in quite over-exposed images on the MM atleast. Even with the red filter. I found that just letting the camera handle the metering worked best under the scenarios that I used them atleast. It might have been different under different lighting. I always checked the raw histogram to be sure though.

By using the filter factors (2, 4 and 8 respectively - 1, 2 and 3 stops) and compensating according to the filter factors the camera always over-exposed the shots. The maximum amount of manual compensation that I could perform was about 0.5 stop on the yellow filter, 1-1.3 on the orange and 2-2.3 on the red otherwise the images would be very over-exposed.

 

[Calzone]

The B+W MRC filters does indeed seem quite nice and very easy to clean compared to the Hoya branded filters that I previously owned (which was impossible to clean and which "locked on" to the lenses filter thread).

I tried compensating manually by using the filter factors but this resulted in quite over-exposed images on the MM atleast. Even with the red filter. I found that just letting the camera handle the metering worked best under the scenarios that I used them atleast. It might have been different under different lighting. I always checked the raw histogram to be sure though.

By using the filter factors (2, 4 and 8 respectively - 1, 2 and 3 stops) and compensating according to the filter factors the camera always over-exposed the shots. The maximum amount of manual compensation that I could perform was about 0.5 stop on the yellow filter, 1-1.3 on the orange and 2-2.3 on the red otherwise the images would be very over-exposed.

Borge,

I performed an experiment and was careful to meter a shot with a filter and without and discovered that the TTL did not fully compensate for the recomended full Filter Factor. Using a 2X yellow filter I saw that the meter only offset the exposure a half stop instead of a full stop; with a 3X orange filter I only saw a one stop offset.

Since I found that the two most used filters were the yellow and the orange I just offset the TTL automatic further by a half stop with the ISO selection. To me it seems that the light level response gets notched out and does not respond to full spectrum white light at least on my M6, F3P and Pentax 67II with AE prism.

I hope I didn't confuse the hell out of you.

Cal

 

[Timmyjoe]

How do color filters react with the Leica M Monochrom (first version), a question I've had since the Monochrom first came on the market?

This was discussed in this thread a number of years ago, but unfortunately the link to examples has expired.

So I shot a quick test, using a red Kodak "A" (25A) filter to see if it had a similar effect on the Monochrom image as it would on Plus-X or Tri-X, and I'm excited to say that it does.

It was a cloudless morning, and the two images were taken about one minute apart. Aside from how the filter effected the blue sky, also notice the blue background on the sign to the right in the image.

Scene shot without any filter:

Leica M Monochrom (first version) w/35mm Canon f1.8 LTM lens @f8

Scene shot with red Kodak "A" filter:

Leica M Monochrom (first version) w/35mm Canon f1.8 LTM lens @f8

I realize I'm quite late to the party, but I'm finding this Monochrom camera to be really a blast.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Very visual example!

How was it done? All manual to get exposure for first one and then same settings, but with filter ?

 

[a.noctilux]

I don't think so that was same settings.
In my Monochrom use with red filter, I apply the correction factor of the red filter.
Depending on the scene and it's main color (more red or more bluish), about

3 to 5 EV is required to have same density with and without red filter.


Even the meter TTL in Monochrom reading is not "accurate" as it's color sensivity is not the same as sensor + red filter.


Same when I use green or orange filter: very tricky but checking with LCD (histogram mainly) after shoot can help to have what I want.

 

[Calzone]

Tim,

This is an old thread.

The update I found is that Heliopan filters marked "Digital" (latest versions) have additional IR and UV filtering. In comparing in a controlled experiment I saw that the "Digital filters cut or eliminated clipping by getting rid of non visual information that can be regarded as noise. The result is a better histogram.

I use a Heliopan 2X digital on wides for contrast control so I don't have to add/boost contrast in post with my Monochrom.

With a 50 I use a UV Heliopan marked "Digital."

Cal

 

[Timmyjoe]

Very visual example!

How was it done? All manual to get exposure for first one and then same settings, but with filter ?

I'm sure there are many folks on this forum who know much more about how to get the optimum from the Leica M Monochrom (1st version) than I do.

I just took the camera, in Aperture Priority Auto mode (manually set ISO to 320) put the Canon lens on it, pointed it at the tree, pressed the shutter, then inserted the red filter into the holder on the front of the lens, pointed it at the tree again, and pressed the shutter. Nothing fancy, shutter speed set to A.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Timmyjoe]

Tim,

This is an old thread.

The update I found is that Heliopan filters marked "Digital" (latest versions) have additional IR and UV filtering. In comparing in a controlled experiment I saw that the "Digital filters cut or eliminated clipping by getting rid of non visual information that can be regarded as noise. The result is a better histogram.

I use a Heliopan 2X digital on wides for contrast control so I don't have to add/boost contrast in post with my Monochrom.

With a 50 I use a UV Heliopan marked "Digital."

Cal

Um . . . OK.

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but I just used a Kodak Series VI Wratten filter "A" from the late 1940's. Seemed to work fine.

Guess I'm kinda old school.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Sonnar Brian]

An old thread- I find that on Auto using the EV control is often required for a deep red filter, such as a Nikon R60. For an R60 I add 2/3~1 stop and for an Orange O56 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop. I use a lot of filters, mostly coated filters from the 1950s and up. I have a lot of Series VI and VII filters, with vented hoods as filter holders. Tiffen #611 holder- to use the Series VI filters with the 5cm F1.5 Xenon and Summarit.

When using a deep color filter, the focus is often shifted slightly towards infinity. I have a couple of lenses that are shimmed to account for the shift.

 

[Freakscene]

An old thread- [snip] When using a deep color filter, the focus is often shifted slightly towards infinity. I have a couple of lenses that are shimmed to account for the shift.

Absolutely, and I'd call the shift more than slight. With fast lenses wide open it is more than enough to miss focus, and with the way the tones change outside the plane of focus in digital monochrome cameras it often makes a shot unusable. With the MM this focus shift stopped me from using filters anywhere I might shoot wide open, particularly with the 75/1.4 or 50/1. With the M10M it is an interesting exercise to put the camera on a tripod, live view focus with a filter and then remove it and place it back. The live view, which is adequate but fairly ordinary in comparison to live view on other cameras, shows the focus shift out and back in as you add them remove the filter. A polarising filter is very useful for darkening skies and doesn't shift focus.

Marty