CPL filter for Q2M?

[kirkmc]

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I’ve had my Q2M for a few days, and I’m starting to feel comfortable with it. This is my first Leica, me obviously my first monochrome camera. 

I’d like to get a good CPL filter; any recommendations?

[prk60091]

this is what I use on my Q. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1141518-REG/b_w_1081470_49mm_xs_pro_mc_kaesemn.html

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Budfox]

Agree the B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann are  excellent. Have upgraded all my CPL's to those. I have not used on a B+W sensor however.

[jaapv]

I think that yellow/orange filters are far more useful on a monochrome camera. Except for removing reflections, they will be far more effective at infkuencing tonal response than a CPL can ever be. That is basically a filter for colour photography.

[higa]

I have the B+W XS-Pro Kaesemann in 77mm for my Canon lenses. For a Q2 Monochrom I prefer the Breakthrough X4 CPL. I found it at my local camera shop. But I agree, I only use it to remove reflections which is quite a bit for street photography, I'm finding.
https://breakthrough.photography/products/x4-circular-polarizer?variant=39255690576047

[kirkmc]

12 hours ago, jaapv said:

I think that yellow/orange filters are far more useful on a monochrome camera. Except for removing reflections, they will be far more effective at infkuencing tonal response than a CPL can ever be. That is basically a filter for colour photography.

Good point. I have an orange filter, and have ordered a yellow filter. I'll see how they work out compared to what I know I would get from a CPL. 

[sdv]

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I'm in the same situation as the original poster, first Leica, first monochrome, and I've never used any kind of filter. 

During the recent Leica Store Miami Red Dot Forum video on filters they said that yellow filters on a monochrome sensor had so little effect on contrast that they essentially functioned as little more than lens protectors.

Which made me think my first filter would be an orange, as I'm not yet too interested in getting the dramatic effects of a red filter.

Do others agree about the very  minimal effect of a yellow filter? (I hope this isn't one of those dangerous questions.)

And if so, would green be a good second filter choice (for flowers, plant shots)?

Finally, any thoughts on  B+W 49mm Orange MRC 040M Filter vs Heliopan 49mm #22 Orange Filter? (The Leica one is more than I want to spend right now).

Any thoughts appreciated... 

Edited September 7, 2021 by sdv

[Anakronox]

Yellow filters will introduce very little if any extra overall contrast to your image, but they will darken skies just a bit.  An orange filter does both well but also reduces the amount of light gathered by 1-1.6 stops depending on the type.  These are what I commonly use, even at night, unless I’m shooting above ISO 12,500.

[Leica28]

A polarizer filter cannot be compared to a yellow, green, orange, blue, or red filter for the Q2 Monochrom.  It is an entirely different animal.  Yellow filters (and there are varying shades: light to deep) produce the least amount of contrast.  Orange filters increase contrast more, while red filters produce maximum contrast.  Polarizing filters reduce reflection/glare.  I’ve used a polarizer on a Q2M and it works for the intended purpose, even darkening skies depending on the time of day and solar angle.  That said, color filters will give you the most control over your images.  
 

A poster asked about B+W vs Heliopan.  Both are considered top of the line.  Mine are “slim” filters.  That is they are smaller, flatter.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Leica28

[kirkmc]

5 hours ago, Leica28 said:

A polarizer filter cannot be compared to a yellow, green, orange, blue, or red filter for the Q2 Monochrom.  It is an entirely different animal.  Yellow filters (and there are varying shades: light to deep) produce the least amount of contrast.  Orange filters increase contrast more, while red filters produce maximum contrast.  Polarizing filters reduce reflection/glare.  I’ve used a polarizer on a Q2M and it works for the intended purpose, even darkening skies depending on the time of day and solar angle.  That said, color filters will give you the most control over your images.  

But polarizers don't affect color; ie, a red filter alters the intensity of green, etc. Polarizers are best for getting dark skies, as you say, depending on the time of day and angle. 

[jaapv]

Polarizers do affect colour, by removing reflections the colours get intensified and contrasts intensified, the most reflective parts most.The most common use is to intensify the sky (= yellow.orange in B&W)

[jaapv]

20 hours ago, sdv said:

I'm in the same situation as the original poster, first Leica, first monochrome, and I've never used any kind of filter. 

During the recent Leica Store Miami Red Dot Forum video on filters they said that yellow filters on a monochrome sensor had so little effect on contrast that they essentially functioned as little more than lens protectors.

Which made me think my first filter would be an orange, as I'm not yet too interested in getting the dramatic effects of a red filter.

Do others agree about the very  minimal effect of a yellow filter? (I hope this isn't one of those dangerous questions.)

And if so, would green be a good second filter choice (for flowers, plant shots)?

Finally, any thoughts on  B+W 49mm Orange MRC 040M Filter vs Heliopan 49mm #22 Orange Filter? (The Leica one is more than I want to spend right now).

Any thoughts appreciated... 

Depends on which filter. They come in different gradations of intensity. 

 

https://schneiderkreuznach.com/en/photo-optics/b-w-filters/filtertypes/nd-100-series-1

 

The effect on a digital sensor is approximately the same as on Ilford Delta 100.

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/colour-filters/?___store=ilford_brochure&___from_store=ilford_uk

 

Don't worry about filter factors. With TTL metering, your camera will compensate automatically. As it does with the variable filter factor of a CPL filter.

[kirkmc]

20 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Polarizers do affect colour, by removing reflections the colours get intensified and contrasts intensified, the most reflective parts most.The most common use is to intensify the sky (= yellow.orange in B&W)

What I meant was that they don't affect the color shift in a monochrome camera: where a color filter reduces its opposite. It certainly does add some richness to colors in color photos, and has a similar effect in monochrome.

[kirkmc]

This Hoya article gives a very good explanation, with examples, of what the different filters do. 

 

https://hoyafilterusa.com/pages/how-black-white-filters-work

[jaapv]

14 minutes ago, kirkmc said:

What I meant was that they don't affect the color shift in a monochrome camera: where a color filter reduces its opposite. It certainly does add some richness to colors in color photos, and has a similar effect in monochrome.

Correct, in principle they don't affect the tonal balance, except when they affect one colour specifically ( like a blue sky) 

[nwphil]

On 9/3/2021 at 3:23 PM, kirkmc said:

I’ve had my Q2M for a few days, and I’m starting to feel comfortable with it. This is my first Leica, me obviously my first monochrome camera. 

I’d like to get a good CPL filter; any recommendations?

as others said, b+w, heliopan,  and then sigh ray, Breakthrough (maybe a few others, but theses one's I know)all of them have most of their filters made with Schott glass, they use good coatings--but one has to  read in deep which ones are been used, as for instance not all b+w filters are great, and last the metal used -  brass is preferred and stay away from aluminum. or other alloys.

yes, cpl can be used in b&w although their effect is not as dramatic as other color filters - well, after all they are to be used to mostly diminish or increase reflections, so it will work too. if using with a color sensor, then extra concern is advised, as some filters do induce a color cast

[Dr. G]

Can you stack a polarizer on top of a color filter to increase contrast and remove reflections/glare?

[hdmesa]

10 hours ago, Dr. G said:

Can you stack a polarizer on top of a color filter to increase contrast and remove reflections/glare?

I've done it, and it works. You need to stack them in a certain order for the most dramatic effect – I think it was color filter first then CPL.

Know you will have a lot of light loss and possible flare issues and/or IQ reduction from the extra glass and light bouncing around between the two filter planes. The Q2M lens also can have a very heavy vignette under extreme filtration (red + CPL for example), so much so that it may look like you have a hot spot in the center of the frame.