Tiffen 55mm Hollywood F/X Classic Filter Kit (Warm Soft F/X 3, Vector Star, Black Pro Mist 3, Ultra Contrast 3 Filters & 4 Pocket Pouch)

Soft F/X Filters
Tiffen Soft F/X filters are soft focus filters. These filters have a pattern of tiny lenslets which put smaller details, like wrinkles and skin blemishes, out of focus while leaving larger details such as the eyes sharp. Soft F/X filters are available in most sizes in grades from one-half through five, with grade 5 having the greatest softening effect. This filter is most effective when used for soft focus portraiture.

This filter combines the effects of Tiffen's Soft F/X series and their exclusive 812 warming filter.

Star Filters
Star filters create multiple points of light, or "stars," streaking outward from a central light source. This can make lighting within the scene take on a more glittering, glamorous appearance. This effect is produced by a series of thin lines etched into the flat optical surface of a clear filter. The size and brightness of the star lines produced are first a function of the size, shape, and brightness of the light source.

You have additional control through the choice of a particular spacing between the lines on the filter. These spacings are measured in millimeters and range from 1mm to 4mm. A 1mm spacing has twice as many lines as a 2mm spacing. It will produce a brighter star for any given source. Lines in one direction produce a two-pointed star, just a streak through the center of the light. Tiffen offers 4, 6, and 8 point symmetrical star effects as well as additional asymmetrical star patterns through their exclusive Hollywood F/X Series (North, Hyper, Vector and Hollywood star effects) .

With an 8 point filter, the many star lines may tend to overpower the rest of the image, so use it carefully. Generally, mid-range apertures or larger are sufficient to achieve a good star effect. Always test before critical situations. These filters come in a rotating mount for critical placement of the star effect.

Pro Mist Filters
Pro-Mist Filters, part of Tiffen's Hollywood F/X Series, generally produce highlight flare that appears more as a "halo" than does the more outwardly extending flare of a fog filter. By keeping the flare closer to the subject, they create an almost pearlescent glow to highlights. Available in various degrees of diffusion strength (with Grade 5 having the strongest effect), the lower grades of the filter also find use in toning down the excessive sharpness and contrast of modern film and lens combinations without detracting from the image. The Black Pro-Mist series of filters also creates moderate image softening and modest-to-strong highlight flare, but without as much of a lightening effect in the shadow areas.

Both of these filters are also available in a "Warm" Series which combines the Pro Mist effect with Tiffen's exclusive 812 warming filter.

Ultra Contrast Filters
Bright lights or sunlight create problems when the ratio between the highlight and shadow areas is beyond the latitude of the film. If you expose for the highlights, the shadows appear without detail. If you expose for the shadows, the result is washed-out, overly bright highlights. Contrast reduction is achieved by lightening shadows without overexposing highlights or by darkening highlights without darkening shadows further.

Tiffen Ultra Contrast filters work by using the ambient light surrounding the image area as well as the light in the actual image area itself. They lower contrast uniformly, with little or no loss of sharpness, throughout the scene even when there are varying degrees of brightness within the image. Shadow areas are opened up, revealing more detail, but without any flare or halation from direct light sources or bright reflections. Even direct shooting into the sun produces no flare or halation. Ultra Contrast filters come in grades from 1-5 with #5 having the greatest effect.