Can you use a Sepia filter?

Question

For portraits and wedding I use a fully manual camera (I am an amature photographer) I received a "Sepia" filter as a gift from one of the people I photographed. No matter WHAT I do I cannot get it right. I heard from some it's better to use on B & W and others tell me color. I keep practicing but I cannot find the apature or flash speed to use it correctly. Does anyone have any ideas of help? Thanks.

Answer 1

To begin, using a sepia filter or for that matter any colored filter will not make black and white film any other color than what it is. Sepia filters are intended to be used with color film. If you do your own black and white printing then I would simply suggest you use a warm tone fiber based paper and then tone it using sepia toner or for that matter any warm based toners on the market. Logically the reason I am guessing why you say your photos never come out correctly is perhaps when you send the film to the developers the color processors which are not calibrated to deal with sepia images are freaking out when they see your images. It knows the image is suppose to be color and it is making all kinds of adjustments to make your photo appear normal i.e, non sepia toned. The other option is that if you like to use film get a negative scanner, scan your film into photoshop and use the action under the actions tab called "sepia tone"...however if this is an issue with your camera did you try to overexpose by 1 stop. A lot of these filters will require you to overexpose the image by 1 stop.

Answer 2

sepia filter on camera is for color film only. Sepia for black and white is only during development as black and white film can only show black and white not color (ie sepia). Use in camera meter after youv'e put on the filter and expose normaly (try no flash first). If you use flash your working range will be reduced by about 50% (ie if your flash usualy hits 50ft then with the darker sepia filter it will only hit 25ft