Leica MM yellow filter 24/7

[stump4545]

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After much experimenting I have decided to try to use my MM with a yellow filter on 24/7.

 

Any negatives to look out for when doing this?

 

i shoot mostly people and for me it seems the yellow/ MM helps lightening skin tones and keeps the blue sky from burning out esp. with the MM.

 

Do many go through this stage and then just wind up chucking the filter and shooting without a color filter?

[Guest malland]

My feeling is that the spectral response of the M-Monochrom is such that a yellow filter is not necessary, and just adds two more glass surfaces that can, in certain light conditions, create flare. I find the skin tones are fine, as are plain blue skies — they don't burn out — and skies with clouds are rendered well, considering the malleability of the files to extensive manipulation. In the pictures below I like the rendering of the skin tones and of the plain blue sky, in a bright, high-contrast light.

 

 

 

M-Monochrom | Elmarit-21 ASPH | ISO 640 | f/5.6? | 1/350 sec

Chiang Mai

 

 

 

 

M-Monochrom | Elmarit-21 ASPH | ISO 640 | f/5.6? | 1/1500 sec

Chiang Mai

 

 

 

—Mitch/Paris

Lanka Footsteps [M-Monochrom/Sri Lanka]

[250swb]

I think the MM sensor is biased towards omitting the green spectrum, which in many ways works the same as a yellow filter, it lightens greens and darkens blue a little. So I'm not sure a yellow filter is needed in everyday use, the skies still have tone and differentiation in the clouds as things are. I'd say an orange would make the natural 'next step up' difference from the MM's natural state.

 

Steve

[Guest malland]

I agree with Steve, and have tried an orange filter for a few pictures of tree leaves against a blue sky and got a nice look. But increasing contrast also worked well; so I don't think most people would want an orange filter permanently on the camera.

 

—Mitch/Paris

Tristes Tropiques [WIP]

[stump4545]

i have tried orange but too much for my taste and I know it has been recommended for the MM in other threads.

 

yellow was really light, which I like!

 

if shooting portraits with the MM would you guys use yellow to help improve skin tones or does the same theory above apply?

 

no need for yellow in digital? esp MM?

 

 

thanks for the help

[wilfredo]

Can some of you post pictures with and without filters? I'm interested in seeing how they affect skin tones. I would also like to see some photos with a Red filter if anyone would care to post any?

 

Here's a site where the photographer used filters. http://bophotography.net/2012/12/18/leica-m-monochrom-and-color-filters/

 

Thanks!

[stump4545]

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anyone know of any "master" photographers that used a yellow, orange, or yellow/green filter 24/7?

 

not sure if Henri used any color filters.

[250swb]

In the short life of the MM I'm not sure we know enough yet of who is using one and if they are also using a yellow filter. But in the history of photography many would have used filters on daily basis,although you can't make a direct comparison because B&W film has different response to colour. What Mitch and I are saying is that the MM already responds to colour as if it has a filter on the lens, so any additional filter isn't directly comparable to 'masters' that used film and a yellow filter. I often use a yellow filter to increase contrast a little but it makes less of an impact than the same filter used with Tri-X.

 

Steve

[hhanebeck]

Don't have many shots without a filter, but I have tried green, yellow and orange filters on the APO-Cron and MM. Orange seems to work best for me. Here are two shots from a vintage car race in Germany earlier this year. Both were taken with the orange filter.

 

Cheers, Chris

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[Guest malland]

anyone know of any "master" photographers that used a yellow, orange, or yellow/green filter 24/7?

 

not sure if Henri used any color filters.

I don't think whether or not Cartier-Bresson used filters is really relevant, since his photography wasn't based on the type of changes in spectral response and in contrast that filters create. Better to look at the link that Wilfredo gave in post #6 above, which shows landscape shots with yellow, orange and red filters by a landscape photographer who is using a yellow filter most of the time.

 

—Mitch/Paris

Bangkok Hysteria [download link for book project]

[Jay B]

I now use a light yellow with my MM all the time, indoors and out.

Gives a little bit better shadow detail, in my opinion.

 

All images in this series from England have one on the lens:

England and Wales 2013 Monochrome - a set on Flickr

[Guest Essemmlee]

I now use a light yellow with my MM all the time, indoors and out.

Gives a little bit better shadow detail, in my opinion.

 

All images in this series from England have one on the lens:

England and Wales 2013 Monochrome - a set on Flickr

 

Your excellent Flickr photos do show a little extra tonality that I haven't been able to see in my photos. I'll follow your advice and have a dabble with a light yellow.

 

(Great series of photos of that delightful part of England)

[wilfredo]

In the short life of the MM I'm not sure we know enough yet of who is using one and if they are also using a yellow filter. But in the history of photography many would have used filters on daily basis,although you can't make a direct comparison because B&W film has different response to colour. What Mitch and I are saying is that the MM already responds to colour as if it has a filter on the lens, so any additional filter isn't directly comparable to 'masters' that used film and a yellow filter. I often use a yellow filter to increase contrast a little but it makes less of an impact than the same filter used with Tri-X.

 

Steve

 

This is very interesting. In my film days I always kept a Yellow filter on my lenses as the norm. I am awaiting the arrival of a new MM, very excited I might add, and will experiment with filters. I've seen some very flat MM photos online but I suspect very little PP was done to these. I will share my impressions once I'm up and running. I tend to like some contrast and always look to separate tones. I'm a big fan of Zone system photography whether it's landscapes or people.

[Bill W]

I am in the "keep a light yellow filter on my APO 50" crowd. I prefer to keep a filter on my lens all the time. I have experimented with red, green and orange as well but drew no conclusion. With digital it is quick and easy to experiment.

[stump4545]

Bill,

 

besides the sky and clouds, what area does the yellow improve for you?

 

any additional flare with yellow and 50mm apo?

[MarkP]

I generally prefer my Monochrom files unfiltered as I find that filtered files are less versatile in PP.

 

Occasionally I use orange filters where I want to push contrast but not often. For some reason the Monochrom files shot with the 4.0/90Macro-Elmar are very flat and do seem to benefit from orange filtration.

[dj_61]

I now use a light yellow with my MM all the time, indoors and out.

Gives a little bit better shadow detail, in my opinion.

 

All images in this series from England have one on the lens:

England and Wales 2013 Monochrome - a set on Flickr

 

To me it seems highly unlikely that you will get better shadow details. The yellow filters darkens the blues en thereby darkens the shadows. So all things being equal, without the filter you will retain more detail in shadows.

[BWA]

Hi, The yellow filter effect is subtle - I used one on all of my images on

a recent trip to Myanmar photographed with the Monochrom - mainly to lighten the skin tones slightly. You can see the results here:

Brendan Williams Photography

[platypus]

I always use a medium red filter on the APO 50 (which is itself on the MM on a permanent basis). Though this combination is obviously for landscapes, not skin tones.

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Hallo,

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[Mixalis]

In a fit of enthusiasm after my review of the MM I bought yellow filters for my 35 Summilux and 50 Summicron. I've had them on the lenses for the past couple of weeks and, frankly, can tell little difference. I see no reason NOT to use them but, equally, I cannot really see any benefits. Jury is out on this one.