Table of Contents show
INTRO
Physical filters aren’t obsolete. Polarizers, NDs, and B&W contrast filters still do things software can’t. Most color tweaks can be applied in post; however, light-shaping and reflection control often can’t.
MY PHOTOGRAPHIC FILTERS EXPERIENCE
Lists of PHOTOGRAPHIC FILTERS and related equipment I have used.
MANUFACTURERS: Agfa, B+W, Canon, Cokin, Formatt Hitech, Fotodiox, Fujinon, H&Y, Hasselblad, Heliopan, Hoya, Kodak, LEE, Leica, Marumi, Nikon, Nisi, Olympus, Other, Pentax, PolarPro, Rodenstock, Rosco, Schneider, Sigma, Sinar, Singh-Ray, Tiffen, Vivitar, Zeiss, Zone VI
FILTER TYPES: Black & White Contrast, Center ND Filters, Circular Polarizing, Close-Up Lens Filters, Color Compensating, Color Conversion, Color Correction, Diffusion, Enhancing, Fluorescent, Graduated Color, Graduated Color Effects, Graduated Neutral Density, IR Control, IR Photography, Light Balancing, Linear Polarizing, Other Optical Effects, Skylight, Soft Focus, Softars, Solid Color Effects, Solid Neutral Density, Star Effects, Streak Effects, Ultra Violet (UV), Variable Neutral Density, Viewing Filters, Warming
FILTER MATERIALS: Gels, Glass, Plastic, Polyester
FILTER SYSTEM TYPES: Circular Screw-On, Gel Sheets Clamp-On, Gel Sheets In-Holders, Magnetic, Rectangle Slide-In, Square Slide-In
ACCESSORIES: Filter Cases, Filter Holder Frames, Filter Pouches, Step-Down Rings, Step-Up Rings, System Adapter Rings, System Filter Frames
LITERATURE & LINKS
CENTER FILTERS:Center Filters For Large Format Lenses by Dan Fromm
MATTE BOX:Shading and Enhancing The Matte Box Advantage
B&H PHOTO:Filter Department
TIFFEN FILTERS:Camera Filters
A GUIDE TO NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS:by Todd Vorenkamp, B&H Photo
SCHNEIDER B+W FILTERS:Get To Know B+W Filters, Made In Germany
WIKIPEDIA:Photographic Filter Page
FILTERS: WHAT STILL MATTERS
WHY USE FILTERS TODAY
CONTROL LIGHT, NOT JUST PIXELS: Polarizers kill glare, recover color, and deepen skies in a way that post can’t replicate convincingly.
SHAPE TIME: Neutral density (ND) filters extend exposure for motion blur, long-exposure mood, and highlight control.
ON-SET CONSISTENCY: For mixed lighting (events, interiors), filtration still speeds up workflow and keeps color uniform across a set or album.
WHEN SOFTWARE IS ENOUGH
GLOBAL COLOR BALANCE AND SUBTLE WARMING/COOLING: Digital raw files + modern profiles handle most of this with more flexibility.
CREATIVE COLOR EFFECTS: Often faster and cleaner in post unless you want the in-camera commitment.
POLARIZER USE EXAMPLE IMAGE: LUMINANCE
CORE FILTER TYPES
POLARIZER (CPL): Reduce reflections on water/glass, deepen skies, boost foliage color; ~1–2 stop loss.
NEUTRAL DENSITY (ND): 3–15 stops to drag shutter: water, clouds, crowd ghosts, flash/ambient balancing in bright light.
GRADUATED ND (HARD/SOFT): Hold sky back relative to land for high-contrast landscapes.
B&W CONTRAST (Y, YG, O, R): Control separation in skies, foliage, skin—especially with B&W film.
DIFFUSION/SOFT FOCUS: Gentle halation and skin smoothing with eye clarity intact (e.g., Softar look).
SPECIALTY (IR, COLOR CONVERSION/COMPENSATING, ENHANCING): Niche but powerful when needed.
FORMATS & SYSTEMS
SCREW-IN CIRCULAR: Simple, durable, fastest in the field. Use step-up rings to buy fewer, larger filters that cover all lenses.
SQUARE/RECTANGULAR + HOLDER: Best for grads and stacking (landscapes/tech cams). Choose sizes that clear your widest lens to avoid vignetting.
SHEET/GEL: Lightweight, great on lights/windows; treat gently.
MAGNETIC SYSTEMS: Fast swaps; check for vignetting with wide angles and for ring compatibility.
MATERIALS: Glass (optically robust), resin/poly (light, cheaper, scratches more easily), gel (lighting workhorse).
SHIMODA FILTER WRAP + LEE SQUARE GELS
FILM VS. DIGITAL: WHAT I ACTUALLY DO
FILM (4×5, 6×17, 6×12, 6×6): Keep #8 Yellow and #11 Yellow-Green handy; #21 Orange and #23A Red are scene-dependent. Use ND Stoppers (6/10/15 stops) when the scene supports long-exposure mood. B&W contrast is capture-critical; I don’t rely on post to emulate it.
DIGITAL (MF, FF, APS-C): I shoot clean and correct most color in post. I still reach for polarizers and NDs—those are irreplaceable for reflections and time control. Live View replaced the “Polaroid test,” but technical cameras still benefit from deliberate filtration.
LEE BIG STOPPERS
NOMADIC CLOUDS
A TWO MINUTE EXPOSURE WHERE THE BEST PART WAS INVISIBLE: During the exposure, a man and woman walked the length of the pier, yet there is no trace of them in the final frame. Long exposures do more than extend time. They quietly edit reality, creating an authenticity that cannot be convincingly recreated afterward in software.
MY CURRENT KIT & RATIONALE
HOLDERS / SHADE: I retired my aging LEE hood/holder after the hood material failed and switched to a SmallRig matte box (sturdier for my 6×17 and 4×5).
LEE SEVEN5 → LEE 85: I still use Seven5 (75×90 mm) for portability (I source components used). The modern equivalent is LEE 85.
ND STOPPERS: Little (6-stop), Big (10-stop), Super (15-stop) for landscapes/long exposures.
B&W CONTRAST SET: #8, #11, #21, #23A depending on film/scene.
CARRY: Shimoda Filter Wrap 100 for 4×4 filters—compact, weather-resistant, tripod-friendly, with a zip pocket for caps. (They also make a Wrap 150 for larger filters.)
TRICHROMATIC ON B&W FILM
TIFFEN 67MM TRICHROMATIC FILTER KIT
I’ve been testing 25A Red / 58 Green / 47 Blue (67 mm) for tri-color separation on B&W film. It’s fiddly and not cheap (my graphics-arts set was ~$175), but creatively addictive. Step-up rings can make one set work across multiple lenses, so purchase the largest filter size you would need.
Here is a video that explains and shows how to use these filters.
EVENT/WEDDING COLOR CONSISTENCY
Back in Wedding album days, for example, bridesmaid dress colors had to match exactly across the church, pavilion, and ballroom photos.
(1): Used same film batch, balanced ambient and flash, used gels on lights/windows for pre-wedding bridals,
(2): Kept color uniform so side-by-side album spreads didn’t drift.
(3): Digital makes correction easier, shoot color chart for each location.
B&W CONTRAST FILTER EXAMPLE IMAGE
FILTER PROS & CONS
PROS: (1) In-camera control of light/reflection/time = looks software can’t fake well, (2) Faster, more consistent files when light sources fight each other, (3) Classic diffusion for portraits that keeps eye sparkle.
CONS: (1) Cost, bulk, scratch risk, and setup time, (2) Holder systems can vignette; cheap kits can flare, (3) Some older hoods/holders don’t age well—buy durable.
WHAT I RECOMMEND
POLARIZER: your largest thread + step-ups
ND 6-STOP AND 10-STOP: add 15-stop if you love ultra-long exposures)
B&W FILM TRIO: #8 Yellow, #11 Yellow-Green, #21 Orange, #23A Red for dramatic skies
ONE SOLID FILTER HOLDER: a solution that clears your widest angle—don’t juggle three systems
A PADDED WRAP/WALLET: Shimoda, Think Tank
CLOSING STATEMENT
Digital moved a lot of color work to post, but still, polarizers, NDs, and B&W contrast remain capture tools. Use software where it’s stronger; use filters when physics matters. That balance is how I keep a consistent look without hauling a trunk of filters.
FILTERS IMAGE GALLERY
