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CAMERA FILTERS © Ira Tiffen
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enhanced beauty. A first in this field is the fact that the filter is both effective to look at
as well as to look through. The filter has a distinct silver sparkle that has been found to
be doubly useful. When production starts and people see the glittering on the front of
the lens, they become more confident in the knowledge that the filter is working for them
and they may also turn in a better performance.
The above types of filters, though most often used for "portrait" applications, also
find uses wherever general sharpness is too great, and must be subtly altered.
Sliding Diffusion Filters
When attempting to fine-tune the application of diffusion within a sequence, it can be
invaluable to be able to vary the strength of the effect while filming. This can be
accomplished by employing an oversized filter that has a gradated diffusion effect
throughout its length. It is mounted to allow sliding the proper grade area in front of the
lens, which can be changed "on-camera." When even more subtle changes are required,
maintaining consistent diffusion throughout the image while varying the overall strength, a
dual "opposing gradient" filter arrangement can be used.
Fog, Double Fog and Pro-Mist®
A natural fog causes lights to glow and flare. Contrast is generally lower, and
sharpness may be affected as well. Fog filters mimic this effect of atomized water droplets
in the air. The soft glow can be used to make lighting more visible, make it better felt by the
viewer. The effect of humidity in, say, a tropical scene can be created or enhanced. In
lighter grades, these filters can take the edge off excess contrast and sharpness. Heavier
grades can create unnatural effects, as for fantasy sequences. In general, however, the
effect of a strong natural fog is not produced accurately by Fog filters in their stronger
grades That is because they are too fuzzy, with too much contrast, to faithfully reproduce
the effect of a thick natural fog. For that, Double Fog filters are recommended.
Double Fog filters have milder flare and softening characteristics than standard Fog
filters while exhibiting a much greater effect on contrast, especially in the stronger grades.
A very thick natural fog will still allow close-up objects to appear sharp. So will a Double
Fog filter. They key to the effect is the much lower contrast combined with a minimal
amount of highlight flare.
Pro-Mist® filters generally produce highlight flare that, by staying closer to the
source, appears more as a "halo" than will the more outwardly extended flare of a fog filter.
They create an almost pearlescent glow to highlights. The lighter grades also find uses in
toning down the excessive sharpness and contrast of modern film and lens combinations
without detracting from the image. Black Pro-Mist filters also create moderate image
softening and modest-to-strong highlight flare, but without as much of a lightening effect on
shadows.