Sky, b/w and color

[Tom Hepburn]

Hello,

 

First of all thanks for your patience with my filter questions. I've done a bit of research regarding getting a good looking sky (blue or blue with clouds). My understanding is that for B/W I can use a #8 or K2 filter (slightly yellow) to keep the sky looking as it does when we see it with our eyes.

 

Regarding daylight color film, I've heard that a polarizing filter will help maintain the look of the sky (when it's blue or blue with clouds). Is that the feeling with you folks? Also, if I do using a polarizing filter does the camera need to be still-in other words no panning?

 

Or maybe a ND filter?

 

Any thoughts along these like would be much appreciated.

 

BTW, I work across the street from the Sear tower and it's snowing like a billions flakes a second. Wish I could fit my 16mm in my pocket :)

 

T

[Charles MacDonald]

Regarding daylight color film, I've heard that a polarizing filter will help maintain the look of the sky (when it's blue or blue with clouds). Is that the feeling with you folks? Also, if I do using a polarizing filter does the camera need to be still-in other words no panning?

 

A polarizer will amoung other uses darken the blue sky. Because it works with polarised light, and the miror in a relex camera will also tend to do a bit of Polarization, you may not get the accurate effect looking through a reflex finder. Likewise the through the lens meter may be thrown off. Some folks use a circular polarizer which does not have these effects but is quite a bit more expensive than a plain one.

 

The polarizing filter will also wipe out refelctions on windows and water, which is it's other major use.

 

THere is probaly not a worry with moving the camera, although if you change the nagle of the lens to the sky, the blue may become more or less intense. it is not going to be a sudden change and it is like the variations you see when changing the direction of your gaze.

[Tom Hepburn]

Thanks Charles.

 

T

[Bill DiPietra]

With regard to the black and white question, I usually use a Tiffen Yellow #12 (often shooting Kodak 7231) for bright sunny skies and I have had excellent results with it. Very nice definition, but that also depends highly on what kind of sky is out there on a given day...

[Tim O'Connor]

Also, if you ever are in a run and gun situation and using auto focus on a video camera, a circular

polarizer is necessary as a less expensive linear polarizer can confuse the auto-focus.

 

Not sure why, and don't use auto-focus that much, but I trust the filter people who told me this.

[Marc Roessler]

what about using an 85B with 5231/7231 in daylight? Anyone as any experiences he wants to contribute?