50 Summilux and Yellow Filter

[Agent M10]

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Does anyone use a yellow filter with their 50 Summilux. I understand that the yellow filter is supposed to increase contrast, so I wanted to know what experience anyone had with one and his 50 Summilux.

[stunsworth]

A yellow filter will lighten yellows and darken reds and blues - asuming you're shooting b&w film. So it's useful if you are shooting landscapes as it darkens the sky and increases contrast between sky and clouds. In my days of shooting b&w film I used one most of the time.

[peter_n]

Yellow does increase contrast but I tend to use them on the older lenses which were a little short in that department. I don't know which 50 Summilux you have, but the E43 versions including the recent LHSA ASPH have a 0.5mm thread pitch on the filter thread and won't take all filters. I've found that B+W MRC UV filters fit as do Hoya filters with a 0.75mm thread pitch. Don't understand that but whatever. You need a slim filter on the E43s if you want to use the Leica lens hood.

[pemayeux]

I use the yellow filter (Heliopan) on my 50 Lux ASPH and it does fine. It darkens the sky just enough to get a little more contrast with the clouds without making the negative too contrasty. I primarily shoot Kodak Plus X and Tri X.

[kenneth]

I use a yellow filter most of the time with my Summicron lenses and I find the effect pleasing across a broad range of monochrome film stock. However, it is a very personal thing and I guess you would need to use one to see if it pleases you. B&W make extremely good quality filters somewhat less expensive than Leitz unless you can come across a second hand one

[andybarton]

A genuine second-hand Leitz / Leica one in very good condition will cost you about twenty quid on eBay, or via a dealer

[rob_x2004]

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It says you are in texas, so I wonder if a yellow is appropriate at all. Summilux is pretty contrasty. Maybe those using yellows a lot are in pom or europe.

If you are going for the massive visual affect then there are the deep oranges and reds if that is what you are looking for.

Buy a heap of elcheapo filters, see what you like to use then fork out for the expensive B+W one you like.

[stunsworth]

Rob, but without the filter wouldn't you get grey looking skies on a sunny day?

[rob_x2004]

My guess is even with a yellow you are still going to get grey skies and if you want them dark you need to go orange red. Problem for me, with summilux and its transitions from hightlights doesnt really lend itself to an icremental increase in contrast, like say the summicron or elmarit which deliver a more editable file, or neg when printing. Maybe in england is all different with your softer light. Where I am, yellow on my summilux, any of them, is about as useful as ti ..... Better to play in photoshop. Red is a different story.

[Rolo]

Since the advent of Photoshop, I've found yellow filters to be too subtle and of be of little value. I carry orange and red filters for when I want to change the films response.

 

However, to be honest, I now use filters on rare occasions, whereas until the late nineties they were standard fit.

 

Rolo

[Agent M10]

Thanks for the comments. I ran across a thread where a guy said that he keeps a yellow filter on all the time for street portraiture for the increased contrast. I haven't used yellow, but I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow and was wondering whether I should bring it or not. Most of the photography will not be landscape, but people-in-their-environment pictures.