On Tue, 28 Jan 2003 09:43:05 -0600, Don Stauffer <stauffer@usfamily.net> wrote:

>Mike Hsia wrote:

>> Hi, I was wondering if there is any particular filter that is good to have

>> in your bag when u are shooting B/W film. Any suggestions?

>I'd recommend a minus blue (pale salmon color), or haze filter, as a

>starting point. It will make sky slightly deeper, cut through haze, but

>not do anything drastic. While you may want to go to a red later, the

>reds cannot always be used, and should not be your only choice.

I feel like I'm running around, sticking fingers

in leaks, only to have to leave, and plug yet

another...! ;-) OK: UV filters will have NO effect

on the image shot with most multi-element lenses

(and it cannot "cut through haze" - only a severe

restriction of filter light transmission to the

red-IR end of the spectrum, with suitable

IR-sensitive film used, can do this); a skylight

(or even a medium yellow filter) will have VERY

LITTLE (as in, "mostly useless") effect on tones

under most circumstances in B&W photography

(though a skylight can offset some bluishness with

color *slides*, but not negatives); filters can

serve well for lens front-element protection (a

shade also helps, and is *sometimes* necessary);

a good filter need not be multicoated, though

single-coating can be useful (and it is easier to

clean than MC filters); expensive brands of filters

offer little advantage over good medium-priced

filters (I like Hoya single-coated for this, and

dislike Tiffen); a good filter has NO VISIBLE

EFFECT on image sharpness with wide-angles and

teles, let alone normal FL lenses, *even with

critical observation*. All this is regardless of

the filter-manufacturers' sales-lit "examples"

or myths propagated here, and is arrived at

through "real-world" tests done by me... I

encourage anyone to do your own tests, being

as careful as possible to reduce irrelevant

variables, to verify the above for yourself...