Monochrom filter user experiences requested

[enboe]

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The long wait for the M240 inspires strange thoughts, like should I pick up a Monochrom, but it's a lot of coin on top of the M240 which I have already prepaid. So, to help influence my decisions, I wonder how many Monochrom users find themselves using and building a collection of filters for their lenses.

 

I remember back to my early days of photography that one would use yellow, orange, and red filters with black and white to increase contrast and enhance a dramatic effect. Physics doesn't change, but the imaging material is different, CCD instead of silver halide, so I wonder how useful and necessary filters are.

 

Also, if you are a filter user, what filters and what brands do you prefer? Any vintage Leica filter users?

 

Thanks for entertaining my rambling. Back to the wait line.

 

Eric

[Fotograph]

I use yellow and red - very useful - its fun and works like with film

[Stef63]

While waiting for the M (240) a bought a MM last december. No regrets, best camera I've owned.

 

I use Yellow and Orange B+W MRC Multi-Resistant Coating filters.

[billo101]

I use Yellow and Orange B+W MRC Multi-Resistant Coating filters.

 

me too.

 

b

[Leopold Green]

Not awaiting a M240 as more than happy with my MM... B+W in yellow, orange, red and green (from my M6 days - nice that they are used again) plus Heliopan RG715 for IR - thanks Dierk - which works brilliantly on my 35 and 50 summicrons

[Tinchohs]

While waiting for the M (240) a bought a MM last december. No regrets, best camera I've owned.

 

I use Yellow and Orange B+W MRC Multi-Resistant Coating filters.

 

Same for me. I ended up buying an MM and really enjoying it. I'm in a waiting list for the M, which I'm not quite sure I'll buy. I got yellow, orange and red filters. Still experimenting. I also got an ND since base ISO is 320. It's a very special camera.

[Guest borge]

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I've had B+W MRC yellow, orange, red, deep red color filters and the Hoya R72 IR filter plus B+W MRC 3 and 6 stop ND filters for the lenses I use on the MM (50 and 35 Summilux ASPH / FLE - both have E46 filter threads).

 

If I use a color filter, in 90% of the cases I use the yellow filter. The orange filter can be nice for landscapes but is a bit too much for people and street shots, at least on my lenses (which are modern and contrasty lenses). The orange filter would probably work much better on a lower contrast lens.

 

The red and deep red filters are artistic filters in my opinion. I never use them in general, unless I want a certain effect. Shooting wide open with them is almost impossible: There is an extreme amount of focus shift with these filters.

 

I haven't used the IR filter yet. I never bother to bring a tripod with me, so... Kinda pointless for me to get it.

 

Whenever I'm not using the yellow filter I am usually using the 3-stop ND filter to shoot at f/1.4-f/2 during bright daytime. The 6-stop ND filter is a bit much, and honestly the perfect ND filter to shoot wide open at f/1.4 on the MM would probably be a 4-4.5 stop ND filter.

 

For evening and night time shooting I never use filters. Not protection/IR filters either as they typically cause a lot of flare under artificial street and city lights.

 

I spent a lot of money on all these filters to find out what I preferred (as I never had any experience with color filters on B&W film). If I were to do it again I would get the yellow and orange filter, and the 3-stop nd filter.

 

Some time ago I wrote a article about using color filters on the MM on my blog: http://bophotography.net/2012/12/18/leica-m-monochrom-and-color-filters/

 

Check it out for some samples and impressions.

[macjonny1]

I've had B+W MRC yellow' date=' orange, red, deep red color filters and the Hoya R72 IR filter plus B+W MRC 3 and 6 stop ND filters for the lenses I use on the MM (50 and 35 Summilux ASPH / FLE - both have E46 filter threads).

 

If I use a color filter, in 90% of the cases I use the yellow filter. The orange filter can be nice for landscapes but is a bit too much for people and street shots, at least on my lenses (which are modern and contrasty lenses). The orange filter would probably work much better on a lower contrast lens.

 

The red and deep red filters are artistic filters in my opinion. I never use them in general, unless I want a certain effect. Shooting wide open with them is almost impossible: There is an extreme amount of focus shift with these filters.

 

I haven't used the IR filter yet. I never bother to bring a tripod with me, so... Kinda pointless for me to get it.

 

Whenever I'm not using the yellow filter I am usually using the 3-stop ND filter to shoot at f/1.4-f/2 during bright daytime. The 6-stop ND filter is a bit much, and honestly the perfect ND filter to shoot wide open at f/1.4 on the MM would probably be a 4-4.5 stop ND filter.

 

For evening and night time shooting I never use filters. Not protection/IR filters either as they typically cause a lot of flare under artificial street and city lights.

 

I spent a lot of money on all these filters to find out what I preferred (as I never had any experience with color filters on B&W film). If I were to do it again I would get the yellow and orange filter, and the 3-stop nd filter.

 

Some time ago I wrote a article about using color filters on the MM on my blog: http://bophotography.net/2012/12/18/leica-m-monochrom-and-color-filters/

 

Check it out for some samples and impressions.

 

I'd echo this exactly. I would only get the orange for whatever lenses you use for landscapes. For example I got one for my 18mm but not my 50 or 35

[Leopold Green]

 

I haven't used the IR filter yet. I never bother to bring a tripod with me, so... Kinda pointless for me to get it.

 

 

no need for tripod with IR - I got a Heliopan RG715 yesterday and managed 1/90 at ISO2000 on 35 summicron at F2.8 to f4.00

[Guest borge]

no need for tripod with IR - I got a Heliopan RG715 yesterday and managed 1/90 at ISO2000 on 35 summicron at F2.8 to f4.00

 

Yep, but then there's the focus shift, which seems huge I really haven't had time to figure out how to use the IR filter wide open yet, and stopped down it needs a tripod which I never bring with me. But I love the look of IR photographs, so I need to figure this out one day soon.

[Guest tanks]

I use yellow, orange and 3 stop ND filters. Luckily, I had two different sizes with my M6, so only had to get E46 ones for the 50mm Summilux and the 135mm I had acquired (not that I need an ND filter for the 135mm).

[NikonJeff]

Are most of you using the newer modern B&W MRC filters or have you had any success (or issues for that matter) using older colored filters from manufacturers like HOYA and Vivitar?

 

These can be purchased relatively cheap but are usually multicoated on the front of the filter not the rear.

 

Just did my first real shoot with the MM and it REALLY brought me back to my early years of shooting with my grandfather's IIIc and 50 Summar

[jaapv]

I have some Vivitar deep yellow filters and I do not see a quality diefference to other brands, if anything they are better built mechanically.

[NikonJeff]

I have some Vivitar deep yellow filters and I do not see a quality diefference to other brands, if anything they are better built mechanically.

 

I had a pretty bad experience early on with my switch to digital where I experienced reflections off the CCD of my Nikon D1 using MC filters. When I switched to MRC filters the issue went away.

 

I honestly don't use any filters on my Nikon or Leica glass now so I'd rather "buy it right" the first time since I don't own any 43 or 46mm filters

[jaapv]

I agree, I will not use protective filters easily, but colour filters in black and white are a different matter imo. If you still have to buy them, get B&W or Heliopan I say.

[sanyasi]

Could someone explain what is meant by focus shift? A rangefinder is manual focus, so how does a filter affect the focus?

 

Thanks

 

Jack Siegel

[jaapv]

If a lens is not apochromatically corrected the plane of focus will differ slightly between different colours of the spectrum. This can be noticable with for instance a red filter that creates a shifted focal plane. As the focussing on a rangefinder is done by an outside mechanism, not by looking through the lens, the rangefinder cannot know about this shifted focus plane, hence you will see a slightly misfocussed image.

An Infrared shot will show this effect much stronger.

[Guest tanks]

While waiting for the M (240) a bought a MM last december. No regrets, best camera I've owned.

 

I use Yellow and Orange B+W MRC Multi-Resistant Coating filters.

 

Same here. The only problem I had was forgetting to remove the filter when exchanging the lens between the MM and M240 which arrived a few weeks ago. I made that mistake only once though.

 

I don't regret spending the money to get the MM while waiting for the M. After using the MM for months, I still find myself reaching for the MM most of the time instead of the M. Guess that will change as I get more comfortable with the M.

[sanyasi]

If a lens is not apochromatically corrected the plane of focus will differ slightly between different colours of the spectrum. This can be noticable with for instance a red filter that creates a shifted focal plane. As the focussing on a rangefinder is done by an outside mechanism, not by looking through the lens, the rangefinder cannot know about this shifted focus plane, hence you will see a slightly misfocussed image.

An Infrared shot will show this effect much stronger.

 

Thanks

 

So if I am using, for example, the Leica APO-Summicron-M 75 lens, I don't need to worry about this because it is apochromatically corrected?

 

Thanks

 

Jack Siegel

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jaapv]

Correct, although there are some points to be made about Apochromatic correction in general