Many years ago, I read an article about this filter in one of the photography
magazines. The inventor, whose name I have forgotten, lived in Southfield,
MI, which was very close to my home (I also lived in Southfield then). I
looked him up in the phone book and went over to his home. He was a
fascinating man, very interested in optics and their properties. He was
trying, at the time, to interest some of the major filter makers in his
discoveries. I purchased two of these filters from him. One was very intense,
and the other was I believe what is now being sold as the enhancing filter.
At that time, he delivered them to me in series 8 filter rings so that I
could mount them on any camera lens I chose.
He stated that the filter enhanced colors within the red spectrum, but left
others neutral. He also suggested that this operated differently depending
upon the film used. At that time, the chrome films were kodachrome,
ektachrome, and fuji was beginning to be available. Negative films canceled
the effect of the filter, however, he thought that if you were printing your
own negatives, the filter "might" be of some value. Also, he suggested
shooting with and without the filter and bracketing. Also, I believe that the
filter has some polarizing effects on the image. What you see, and what you
will get on chromes are two different things. You must play with the filter
quite a bit to learn its properties.
This filter, which cost me more 25 years ago than you paid for the lot, has
earned me more money than any other attachment that I have ever purchased.
Products, flowers, autumn leaves, houses, landscapes, skyscapes, etc., ad
nauseum, are made for this filter. People are not, as the red pigments in
skin really come out red. This is also true of black people, as they also
have reddish undertones to their skin and it will make them appear unnormal.
But that red Ferrari....WOW!!
I just can't say enough good things about that filter. It is one of my most
prized and used filters when shooting chromes. It is always worth a look and
a frame or two on any images, once again with the exception of people shots.
The florist will love his/her flower shots with it. The interior decorator
will go bananas when he sees those interior shots. When placed side by side,
the customer has always picked the enhanced image even though it is not
exactly right. As I said before, it is a moneymaker.
The 85B filter was used a great deal then when using ektachrome that was
tungsten balanced and you used it in daylight. Remember, most photographers
used chromes then and one always carried daylight and tungsten films in the
camerabag.
Green is great for fleshtones in Black and White. The others are frosting on
the cake. All are usable and worth experimenting.
Roger
robinsnestphotography.com
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