What filters to get when shooting under fluorescent lamp?

[Diablo]

I am using film camera.

Wanted to take indoor shots when internally its lit by flourescent lamp.

What filter shd i use when i am shooting

1) colour slides
2) colour prints
3) B&W prints

Thanks

 

[teerex]

Hoya has a filter to correct WB for film when shooting indoors under flourescent lights.

It's the Hoya FL filter.

There may be others by different manufacturers.

 

[catchlights]

There are different kind of fluorescent lamps, some are daylight balance, some are warm white balance, some are super white balance, so it wouldn't be very accurate without any prior test, for Hoya filters, they have FL-Day(daylight balance) and FLW (warm white balance) available.

For shooting colour slides, you need to use correction filter.

For shooting colour negative, you need not to use correction filter, the correction can be done during print making.

For shooting b/w negative, use of correction filter are not necessary.


Hope this help.

 

[Diablo]

So meaning as long as I m shooting prints and b&w, i wun need to use any correction filter liao rite?

Thanks.

 

[LittleWolf]

For shooting colour negative, you need not to use correction filter, the correction can be done during print making.

I don't fully agree with that. Normal fluorescent lamps are mercury discharge lamps, and the mercury spectral lines show through. In particular, there's a strong line at 546 nm (green). If not filtered out, it can cause severe metamerism which cannot be corrected afterwards.

 

[Diablo]

ok, for prints, is there a generally "safe" filter to use, assuming that i cannot determine wat kind of flourescent lighting?

I mean, who actually finds out wat kind of lighting is used indoor before shooting in it esp if its using ambient light?

or there's a device to tell?

 

[catchlights]

I don't fully agree with that. Normal fluorescent lamps are mercury discharge lamps, and the mercury spectral lines show through. In particular, there's a strong line at 546 nm (green). If not filtered out, it can cause severe metamerism which cannot be corrected afterwards.

yes, very limited correction can be done during print making, it won't be perfect also, but when a filter is used, it cut down almost 1½ stops, so most people prefer to shoot without filters.

 

[Diablo]

My intention is to use a 85mm f1.8 lens to shoot dance studio actions

Dun wanna irritate the dancers with flash

 

[hondasleeper]

There is a device made by Minolta, it is called a Color Temperature Meter. It tells you the temperature of the light in Kelvins, and with a press of a button what color corrections you need to make. For example, flourecent lights you need to add magenta(not exactly how much magenta but approx. 30-40M) and for tungsten you need to add a blue filter...etc....etc....

Mind you the Color Temperature Meter is not cheap. Not too sure how much it is here in Singapore, I haven't priced on out. I know I can't afford one just yet.

 

[catchlights]

If you have the color meter, yes, you will know what color correction filter to use on site, but which filter to bring before you go there?

So, you need to buy a lot of filters...... check out the price of the meter and filters in B&H first, not sure Cathy have it in stock.

 

[solarii]

Here's a chart to set you on your way:
Generally something with a little magenta helps counter the green cast.



Type of Fluorescent Lamp/ KODAK Color Compensating Filters
Daylight 50R
White 40M
Warm White 20C + 40M
Warm White Deluxe 30B + 30C
Cool White 40M + 10Y
Cool White Deluxe 20C + 10M

 

[Clown]

my primitive way of shooting in fluorescent environments is to shoot at lower shutter speeds than their operating frequency. produces a much more even exposure.

 

[hondasleeper]

But what do you do about the cyan cast in your image?

 

[Clown]

But what do you do about the cyan cast in your image?

shoot raw and worry about it later..
i shoot in churches were there are horribly mixed lighting.
no time to fine tune.

 

[denniskee]

pls note that not only you will need a color correction filter on lens, you need CC filter for the flash too if you are going to use one.

 

[yanyewkay]

my primitive way of shooting in fluorescent environments is to shoot at lower shutter speeds than their operating frequency. produces a much more even exposure.

i don't quite understand this. clown can you elaborate a bit more on the "operating frequency"? and how it provides more even lighting?

 

[Clown]

cuz fluorescent flickers like crazy at about 50hz or so. so at high shutter speeds, one might actually capture the image when the tube is 'off' or at some funny phase.
using a slower shutter will allow the lights (normally more than one tube in the immediate vicinity) to 'even out' a bit more so u get a more even exposure.

 

[hondasleeper]

Please elaborate. I don't get it. What has the frequency of the flourescent tube have to do with the cyan(greenish ) cast on film?

Yes, a longer exposure will give more even lighting. But what about the color shift?

By the way, Diablo was asking what filters to use when shooting with FILM.

yanyewkay, the operating frequency is how the flourescent works, 50 to 60 Hz, it is basically within, I think, 1 sec the light is switched on and off. Just imagine trying to switch a tungsten light on and off 50 to 60 times in 1 sec.

Ambient exposure is dependent on how long your shutter is left open if shooting at a particular aperture. So if the exposure is longer, hence more light the more even the lighting, as I am assuming as with any room lit with flourescent tubes there are light banks every few feet.

And if you are using strobes, they have to be corrected to daylight also, therefore, probably a cyan gel would be needed.

I hope this makes sense. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Clown]

oh there's no link between the frequency and the color cast.
with digital raw files now i almost never bothered about color correction filters.
my apologies to the thread starter cuz i missed the part about film being used here.

 

[denniskee]

And if you are using strobes, they have to be corrected to daylight also, therefore, probably a cyan gel would be needed.

I hope this makes sense. Please correct me if I am wrong.

1) assuming photog uses daylight balance film.
2) slap on a CC filter to remove green/blue (i cant really differentiat) cast from the fluorescent lamp.
3) but the strobes is more or less daylight balance / corrected (depending if its pro model or not).
4) so you need to mod the color temp to that of a fluorescent lamp.

its like
1) begin with daylight balanced film value = 0
2) fluorescent lamp with value = +1
3) slap on CC filter (onto lens) with value = -1
4) light from lamp goes through CC filter on lens value = +1-1 = 0

if intend to use strobe / flash
5) now add in strobe / flash which is daylight balanced value = 0
6) light from strobe / flash goes through CC filter on the lens become value = 0-1 = -1
7) slap on CC filter (onto strobe / flash) with value = +1
8) now light from strobe / flash goes through both CC filter value = 0+1-1 = 0

so you see, in (4) and (8), both light from fluorescent lamp and strobe / flash reach the film with value = 0

more confuse:bsmilie: