Wide Center Filter for 65 & 75mm lens

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First of all, thanks for many advice to last posting. Well, I want to know about wide center filter. If I use 65mm or 75mm lens, should I always use center filter? As far as I know, center filter required when camera movement is pretty big or large. Is this true? I am going to get Rodenstock 65mm or 75mm lens for 4X5 camera, but still wondering which one is more useful for architecture and interior shoot. Also, when I use 6X7 roll film back on my Horeseman LX 4X5, which lens is useful? Should I use center filter when I use 6X7 roll film back,too? If you have any advice for this, please tell me about it. Thanks again. www.welcome.to/studionaki

-- NHP (sn4396@prodigy.net), July 17, 2000

Answers

Well, I have not yet used a centre filter on my Fuji 65mm (with 4x5 film), and I have not noticed a "hot-spot" problem, which would necessitate the use of a filter. I do use a centre filter on the Fuji G617 with slide film, but remove it when using orange or red filters with black and white film. Again, difficult to see a material difference.

-- fw (finneganswake@altavista.net), July 18, 2000.

A center filter is definitely needed on my Nikon SW 65mm for 4x5, but not so with the 6x9 back (unless extreme rise is used).

-- Jean-Marie Solichon (jardin-exotique@monte-carlo.mc), July 18, 2000.

The answer is really to shoot some of your usual film and see. You may not want to buy such a filter yet.

With chromes you might see some light falloff towards the edges. This also depends on how much lens movement you're using and what the subject matter is.

With your rollfilm back, divide the lens focal length by two to get an APPROXIMATE of the 35mm equivalent. e.g., a 105mm is like a 50mm standard lens on 6x7. With 6x9, use a factor of about about 2.5.

For architectural use, may I suggest a 55mm Rodenstock Grandagon with your 6x7 back? (Personally, I prefer a 6x9 back with 58mm and 65mm lenses as most frequently used ones). You'll probably have less use for a centre filter when you use your LF with a rollfilm back. But that again depends on how much movements, e.g., lens rise, you will use.

-- K H Tan (kahheng@pacific.net.sg), July 18, 2000.


I haven't seen a need for use of a CWF with the Rodenstock 65mm f/4.5 Grandagon that I use and 96% of what I shoot in large format is transparency film. I use a Horseman 6x9 back and find that the 65mm is more useful than a 75mm will be. With interiors it is often easier to crop than to move the camera backwards.

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), July 18, 2000.

I use Rodenstock's 75/4.5 Grandagon a lot both in 4x5 and with a 6x9 roll back often with extreme movements and I've yet to see the need for a centre filter. However I'm only shooting in b/w, if you use transparency film there may be a need for one. Good luck, Trevor.

-- Trevor Crone (tcrone@gm.dreamcast.com), July 18, 2000.


In my opinion it's often best to use the longest lens you can use while shooting interiors. I believe you'll get more utility out of the 75mm rather than the 65mm. I've been shooting both interiors and exteriors with the Schneider 72XL. It's truely a unique and outstanding lens for architecture. You might consider it as another choice. I also use a CF with the 72XL when using significant movements. When I used a 75mm lens, I often shot a single scene with and without the CF. Again, if I was working close to the edge of the image circle, a CF made a noticable difference.

-- Larry Huppert (Larry.Huppert@mail.com), July 18, 2000.

If you can tolerate the 1 1/2 stop loss in speed, a center filter gives additional detail in the corners. Because more light gets to the corners of the film, more detail is recorded.

So even if you lighten the corners in PhotoShop or when printing, you can't bring out the detail if it isn't there on the negative. A center filter will make your shot crisp to the corners.

-- Ben Snyder (sben@copper.net), July 18, 2000.


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