One Black and White Filter

[qruyk12]

If you could choose one black and white filter for street photography, what would it be? I am thinking Orange.

 

[FPjohn]

medium yellow?

yours
FPJ

 

[newspaperguy]

If there are people on your streets,
you might consider light green.

 

[nikon_sam]

So far Medium Yellow works for me...on one lens I have a 85a filter...

 

[John Robertson]

There is a Leitz filter in 39mm (Gelb/Grun )Yelow/Green excellent all rounder.

 

[mh2000]

a lot of people hate the idea of a green filter, but they can be pleasant for both faces and foliage... that would be my choice, but I'd actually probably never use it. What are you looking for in a filter?

 

[Artorius]

I agree

I agree

There is a Leitz filter in 39mm (Gelb/Grun )Yelow/Green excellent all rounder.

This is my go everywhere filter for B&W film. I have all the others, yellows, reds, greens, blues, but on the streets, this is the one I will use most.

 

[charjohncarter]

This will be off the RFF member's charts, but if I had just one B&W filter, it is one that I don't think is manufactured. I would like a vignette filter. Something that would do this but more:

 

[Al Kaplan]

Too many variables! What time of year, color of or lack of foliage, cloudy or sunny or deep shade, skin tones? Forget the filter. A waste of time and money.

 

[charjohncarter]

I'm afraid I have to agree with Al Kaplan. Most of my filter experience has been, for 50 years still, experimental. I suppose if I picked one camera, one film, one developer (and one developing process), one filter and sent many rolls though this system I would be able to use them, but for me: just sit back and shoot. And as Al says don't waste time and money. Side note: filters are the least used accessory I've ever had.

 

[peterm1]

If you are planning to digitise your photos I would not bother - honestly its far easier and far more flexible to do it afterwards in PS. But if youa re shooting B/W film and or do not digitise your images, I am always inclined to go for a pale green filter for skin tones (it slightly darkens skin and looks like a slight sun tan) and a yellow for other shots. (I actually prefer orange for some but yellow is more reliable for most shots as its effect is less extreme. So if I were to limit myself I would say yellow.) In short it depends on what type of photography you are doing.

 

[WDPictures]

If you like the vignetting try filters that are too small for your lens... Or try a Holga which is probably less expensive than a filter. Or maybe Adobe Lightroom... Also refer to the "Gimmick or no gimmick" thread.

 

[DougFord]

On my RF cameras I always use a med yellow (022) filter. Accept for pics taken indoors.

 

[Al Kaplan]

The main use I've had for filters over the years was getting correct color balance when shooting transparencies, all kinds of warming and cooling filters in series 80, 81, 82, and 85 plus FL-D.

 

[Trius]

This is my go everywhere filter for B&W film. I have all the others, yellows, reds, greens, blues, but on the streets, this is the one I will use most.

Listen to the brother. Yes, there are situations where this filter isn't appropriate, and the biggest drawback of any filter is filter factor, but for b&w this is the most useful filter 90%+ of the time.

 

[charjohncarter]

If you like the vignetting try filters that are too small for your lens... Or try a Holga which is probably less expensive than a filter. Or maybe Adobe Lightroom... Also refer to the "Gimmick or no gimmick" thread.

This is the camera I use instead of the venerable Holga. And believe it or not it is much better at 'Holga' than Holga.

But I would like to have the centering that a vignette filter would provide, on either a SLR or RF.

 

[Zonan]

Yellow/Green (B+H MC) is about as good an all-round filter as you can find

 

[matt335]

This is my go everywhere filter for B&W film. I have all the others, yellows, reds, greens, blues, but on the streets, this is the one I will use most.

This is such a personal requirement in my opinion. street photography for me is about being quick. filters require time to change. if I was incorporating the sky or tall buildings then I would add a filter for drama. I do use a red/orange and a yellow/green B+W filter and a lovely old austral yellow filter I found in mydad's garage and it just slides onto my 39mm diameter lens. it also depends on weather you digitise your negs or not.

 

[StanSmith]

I have been using medium yellow but beginning to favor yellow green. Leica calls it "ggr" and it is 060 in the B+W catalog.

 

[WDPictures]

This is the camera I use instead of the venerable Holga. And believe it or not it is much better at 'Holga' than Holga.

But I would like to have the centering that a vignette filter would provide, on either a SLR or RF.

Nice lookin' camera, bet flashing that bling around your neck stops traffic!