Tiffen FiIters for Black and White

Tiffen coloured filters are the mainstay for Black and White photographers around the world. We keep many in stock for immediate shipment and can bring in any others on our regular shipments (around every 4–6 weeks) from the Tiffen factory.

Important: DO NOT rely on computer screen images of colour when purchasing filters for Black and White photography. These are industry standard colours as designated by their colour and number. Refer to the Kodak Photographic Filters Handbook for transmission curves.

Which Filter Do I Need? — Scene-to-Filter Selector

In black-and-white photography, coloured filters lighten subjects of their own colour and darken complementary colours, giving you control over tonal separation. Use the table below as a starting point, then consult the Kodak Photographic Filters Handbook to verify transmission curves for your specific film or sensor.

Intended Effect Typical Scene Filter
Gentle tonal separation; natural-looking skin tones with slight smoothing Portraits, people indoors and out Yellow 12
Moderate skin tone separation; slightly darkened blue sky Outdoor portraits, mixed people-and-sky scenes Yellow 8 (Y2)
Stronger sky darkening; defined clouds; warmer skin rendering Landscape and portrait, overcast or bright sky Deep Yellow 15
Moderate contrast boost; sky and cloud separation with some skin warmth Architecture, street, general outdoor Orange 16
Strong sky-to-cloud contrast; darkened blue, slightly lighter skin Landscapes, seascapes, dramatic skies Orange 21
Very strong sky darkening and cloud drama; darkens blue water; slightly lightens warm skin Landscape, architecture, dramatic cloudscape Red 25
Extreme sky-to-cloud separation; near-black blue sky; marked skin lightening High-contrast landscapes, architectural drama Red 29
Maximum tonal reversal; very dark sky; very pale skin; near-infrared look High-contrast artistic shots, foliage brightening Red 23A
Natural foliage brightness; improved tonal separation in greens Nature, forests, plants, garden scenes Green 11 (G1)
Strong foliage and grass brightening; darkens reds and warm skin slightly Outdoor nature, botanical, landscape detail Green 58
Lightens blue sky and open shade; slightly darkens warm tones; reduces haze in open shade Outdoor portraits in shade, sky studies, open shade scenes Blue 47
Strong blue brightening; darkens reds and yellows; increases haze for aerial perspective effect Haze-effect landscapes, artistic blue emphasis Blue 47B

Do physical filters still matter vs. post-processing? Yes — filters affect what your sensor or film records at capture. Post-processing channel mixing can simulate similar tonal shifts on colour files, but a physical filter provides the separation before capture, which is particularly valuable for film, and avoids noise amplification in digital shadows.