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Dynamic range filter

Rawfa

Active member
Hi,

When I was working with video Tiffen had a filter called "Ultra Contrast Filter" that allowed "increasing" the dynamic range (ok, in practical terms this is not possible, but it did increased the perception of dynamic range, which was pretty good). Is there something similar for photography?
 

LJL

New member
Rafa,
Not sure what that Tiffen filter is doing, but increasing the contrast tends to compress the histogram, which actually reduces dynamic range. There may be some other filtering techniques for specific parts of the spectrum (such as IR blocking, etc.) as part of this filter, which could render greater color contrast and separation, thus making things look markedly different and somewhat enhanced, but increasing the contrast tends to reduce the overall dynamic range in an image.

Secondly, if you like the effects of this sort of filter for what you are shooting, you should be able to use in on your still camera in much the same way it is used on a video camera. Worth experimenting with if you have the opportunity.

LJ
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Actually, I think it works by reducing the contrast.
The same filter should do the same job in either digital or film photography.
-bob
 

LJL

New member
That would make sense, Bob, but the naming "Ultra Contrast" is then a misnomer for increased DR ;-)

LJ
 
O

Oxide Blu

Guest
That would make sense, Bob, but the naming "Ultra Contrast" is then a misnomer for increased DR ;-)

I'm an the last person on the planet that should be offering suggestions about anything that has to do with language, but ...

ULTRA -- adjective -- going beyond what is usual or ordinary; excessive; extreme.


It doesn't say which way it is going beyond usual or ordinary; up or down. Perhaps it can also mean the same for increasing as well as decreasing DR?!? :confused:
 

Rawfa

Active member
Here's the link to Tiffen's web site http://www.tiffen.com/contrast_filters.htm
There's an explanation there but when you look at the low quality example they have posted there is seems that some how it does allow more detail into the shadows, but it does in no way decreases the blown highlights.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
That would be interesting to experiment with, although I don't believe there's any such thing as a free lunch. What amazes me endlessly, is how somebody selling high quality photographic equipment can use such crappy images to demonstrate the effect of their gear :confused:
 
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