Tiffen Ultra Contrast & ND Sequence?

[Joshua Provost]

Hi,

Has anyone used a Tiffen Ultra Contrast filter with an ND filter? I am wondering if there is an order to stack these in to get the best image. Does the UltraCon only work when it gets a lot of light (meaning it would need to be out front)? Or can it still do its thing under lower light (meaning it could be behind the ND)?

The UltraCon 3 is in transit, and I'll test in a few days, but would like to hear others experiences.

Thanks,
Josh

[Charles Papert]

That's a good question, Josh!

I would stack the Ultracon in the front with the ND behind. The Ultracon likes to have the ambient light strike its front surface.

However, it's worth testing when you have them in hand to see which effect you prefer.

Remember with the Ultracons that when you pan off a frame that has high contrast the effect will shift as you move into the low contrast area, which may be visible.

[Joshua Provost]

Charles, thanks, I will watch out for camera movement. The shots I plan to use this for are locked down.

I'll follow-up after I test. It is an intersting question, because an ND only lowers the overall light level, it doesn't effect the contrast ratio. Will this thing work in "low-light" situations (i.e., behind an ND)? I'm sure, as with most optics, there is an optimal lighting condition, a sweet spot. Let's see if I can find it.

Thanks,
Josh