Regarding using the built-in filter for B&W Films: You can use it for Plus-X 7276....however the cartridge for Tri-X 7278 doesn't have the filter position notch so it will automatically remove the filter. If you wish to use the filter for Tri-X, you will have to take some needle nose pliers and break off a small notch in the cartridge in that spot that normally moves the filter removal pin in the camera.

Use of the filter with B&W films will add detail to sky shots and enhance images shot along seascapes, as the orange will absorb blue and darken the sky slightly to bring out cloud detail. It will also reduce your Film Speed by 2/3rds of a Stop making it easier to film in bright light with Plus-X. However....Tri-X is very high speed film for bright light use, and you'd have to run some tests before committing this camera for bright light use with Tri-X which, with the filter will be rated at ASA 130. By adding a Neutral Density Filter ND4 or similar, you can knock the effective filmspeed down to a very useable ASA 25.

Black & White film, especially Plus-X, has much greater exposure latitude than that of KMA40. Since ALL panchromatic B&W films are inherently more sensitive to the blue and UV spectrum of light....it is recommended to use a medium Yellow filter to render tones and sky regions more lifelike. That notwithstanding, you can safely use the builtin #85 filter which will act as an orange filter, having many of the same properties as using the medium yellow filter. It will allow autoexposure of the filmstock at ASA 25 (technically it's ASA 32 with the #85 filter...but the film's latitude will safely handle that for most filming situations), and if exposing manually, set your separate handheld meter for ASA 32, and of course, compensate the exposure reading for whatever factor the manufacturer calls for, due to any light loss from the camera's viewing system. Later manufactured Super 8mm cameras, especially those with zoom ranges under 5:1 ratio and less, have light loss so minimal that it isn't worth trying to factor it in. In those cases, it's best to evaluate your initial test film and see what else you could do to better the exposure density on the film.

B&W films should almost always be filtered when shot in Daylight situations...and you can control the contrast and thus dramatic effect of the images by using filters. Just follow the advice for each of the filters made for B&W films. If you want a dramatic Day-for-Night effect...use a red filter and a polarizing filter and slightly under expose the film. Filming around water, orange works great..so the builtin #85 is a bonus. For nice cloud detail, use a deep yellow filter, or orange, or red. To lighten foliage detail, and thus make distant green forest scenes render more detail, use a green filter. For the most pleasing flesh tones use a combination yellow-green filter or stack two together. I highly recommend shooting a test of several scenes using a variety of filters...and just slat each shot (by filming a piece of paper stating the filter type and exposure setting), and then you'll have an excellent visual reference roll for any future filming. This will save you from wasting precious film later on, as you can then just make some notes to yourself and carry them with you.

Best wishes,
Martin
See Martin's WWW site at: Plattsburgh Photographic Services

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