It’s a common frustration for photographers working in black and white: trying to capture a scene with a beautiful, dramatic sky, only to have the clouds disappear into a washed-out grey expanse. Or perhaps you’re trying to distinguish green foliage from darker elements, but everything merges into a muddy mess of mid-tones. This lack of tonal separation can severely limit the impact and mood of your monochrome images, making it crucial to find a way to enhance that contrast and bring your vision to life.
If you’re seeking better control over contrast, especially when shooting black and white, photo filters are often the answer. They manipulate the wavelengths of light reaching your sensor or film, translating color differences into tonal differences in your monochrome image. This can significantly alter the mood and impact of your photographs. The ideal candidate for a filter like this is a photographer who appreciates traditional darkroom techniques or monochrome digital processing, and wants to control tonal separation *at the time of capture*, rather than relying solely on post-processing. Someone who shoots exclusively in colour or primarily uses filters for specific effects like polarization or ND might not find a colour filter essential. Before purchasing a filter, you should consider the filter thread size required for your lens (this is crucial!), the specific colour filter needed for your desired effect (different colours block different wavelengths), the quality of the filter glass (as it’s placed directly in front of your lens), and the material of the filter ring. You also need to understand the filter factor, which tells you how much light the filter blocks and how to adjust your exposure accordingly.
- Medium red filter
- Darkens blue sky creating dramatic contrast with clouds
- 58mm diameter
Introducing the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red)
The Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) is a medium red filter specifically designed to enhance contrast in black and white photography. Its primary promise is to dramatically darken blue skies, making clouds stand out, and to increase the separation between reds/oranges/yellows and greens/blues in your scene. While its main application is for monochrome work, this particular red filter also has utility in mild infrared photography. When you purchase the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red), you typically receive just the filter itself, usually in a protective case. Tiffen filters are often positioned as a more affordable alternative to premium brands like B+W or Lee, aiming to provide good quality at a more accessible price point. This specific Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) is for anyone shooting black and white who wants strong, dramatic contrast, particularly in landscapes or architectural shots featuring skies and foliage. It’s also useful for photographers experimenting with infrared effects on IR-sensitive film or full-spectrum digital cameras. It is *not* suitable for photographers who shoot primarily colour or, specifically, those looking for a red filter for underwater colour correction with action cameras like GoPros, as it will produce an overly red image.
Here are some quick pros and cons:
Pros:
* Creates dramatic contrast in black and white, especially for skies.
* Enhances separation between different colours in a scene.
* Useful for experimenting with mild infrared effects.
* Generally more affordable than competing premium brands.
* Available in common filter sizes like 58mm.
Cons:
* Not suitable for colour photography.
* Requires exposure compensation (common to all filters).
* Described as having plastic material (though element seems glass).
* No coating mentioned, potentially susceptible to flare.
* One review mentioned a potential quality control issue (cracking).
- Includes #6, #13, & #25 Contrast Filters
- 【58mm Color Filter Kit】 This kit includes 9 pieces 58mm color filters (red, orange, blue, yellow, green, brown, purple, pink, and gray filter), 2 filter pouches, and a cleaning cloth
Attributes and Advantages
Let’s delve deeper into what makes the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) a valuable tool for monochrome photographers.
The Effect of a Medium Red Filter (Designation 25)
A red filter like the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) works by absorbing blue and green light wavelengths while allowing red and some infrared light to pass through. In black and white photography, this selective absorption translates directly into tonal changes in the final image. Blue subjects, most notably blue skies, are rendered very dark, sometimes almost black. This creates an incredibly dramatic contrast with white clouds, making them pop out intensely. Green foliage, depending on its specific shade and how much blue is reflected, will also be significantly darkened compared to how it would appear without the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red). Red, orange, and yellow subjects, conversely, will appear much lighter in the final monochrome image because their colours are passed by the filter. This ability to manipulate the tonal rendition of colours is the core benefit of using a coloured filter like this. It allows the photographer to interpret the scene, pushing certain elements darker or lighter based on their original colour, and achieving a specific artistic vision that simply isn’t possible without the filter at the point of capture.
Optimized Primarily for Black and White Imagery
The primary purpose of the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red), as stated, is for black and white photography. While you *could* technically shoot colour with it, the resulting images would have a very strong red cast, requiring significant colour correction in post-processing to look natural, or potentially used for a specific stylistic effect. However, its true power lies in monochrome. By blocking blue and green light, this red filter forces these colours to be represented by dark tones in the final black and white image. Conversely, colours like red, orange, and yellow, which are passed by the filter, will translate to lighter tones. This isn’t just about making skies dramatic; it’s about creating separation between elements in the scene that might have similar luminance but different colours in reality. For instance, a bright red flower against green leaves might look like similar grey tones in a standard black and white conversion, but with the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red), the flower would be light and the leaves dark, providing striking contrast and definition. This level of control over tonal separation is why coloured filters remain essential tools for dedicated monochrome photographers working with film or aiming for specific effects in digital.
Ensuring Compatibility: The 58mm Diameter
Filter thread size is a critical technical specification, and the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) is specifically designed for lenses with a 58mm filter thread. This ensures it screws directly onto the front of your lens without any adapters, providing a secure and flush fit. Matching the filter size to your lens is paramount for proper function. A filter that is too small simply won’t attach, while one that is too large would require a step-down ring, which can sometimes introduce vignetting depending on the lens and filter thickness. For photographers with multiple lenses that have different filter thread sizes, using step-up or step-down rings is a common practice to use a single filter on several lenses, but for a seamless fit and minimal fuss, having filters that match your most-used lens sizes is ideal. The availability of the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) in this specific 58mm size makes it compatible with a wide range of lenses across different camera systems, from older film lenses to modern digital optics.
Potential for Infrared Photography
While primarily a visible light filter for B&W, the #25 red filter also transmits a significant amount of light in the near-infrared spectrum. This makes the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) useful for photographers experimenting with infrared effects, particularly when paired with infrared-sensitive black and white film (like Kodak SFX 200) or a digital camera that has had its internal infrared-blocking filter removed (a “full-spectrum” conversion). With a standard digital camera, the strong IR-blocking filter will prevent much of this effect. When used with compatible film or camera, this filter will produce classic, albeit milder, infrared results: skies become very dark, water can appear milky smooth, and green foliage takes on a characteristic bright, glowing look (known as the Wood effect). This is distinct from the dramatic white foliage seen with opaque infrared-only filters (like an 850nm or 720nm filter), offering a less extreme, more subtle transition from visible to infrared effects. It provides a unique look that combines strong visible red contrast with mild IR characteristics, adding another layer of creative possibility for the adventurous photographer.
Construction Considerations: Material and Coating
The product description lists the material as “Plastic,” although user reviews frequently refer to the “glass” element. It’s common for filters to have a glass filter element mounted in a ring made of metal or plastic. Based on the reviews mentioning glass quality or defects, it’s likely the filter element itself is glass for optical clarity, housed within a plastic mounting ring. A plastic ring can be lighter and less prone to seizing on a lens thread compared to some metal rings, but it might also be less durable if dropped or subjected to rough handling. The description also notes “No Coating.” Coatings on filters are typically applied to reduce reflections and flare and sometimes to provide protection (like water or oil repellency). The absence of a coating on this Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) means there’s a higher potential for internal reflections between the filter surface and the front element of your lens, especially when shooting into or near bright light sources. This is a trade-off often made for filters at a lower price point compared to multi-coated options from other brands or higher-end Tiffen lines. Awareness of this limitation is important when composing shots to minimize potential flare.
Overall Performance and Build (Drawing from Experience)
Having used filters for a long time, including various Tiffen filters, my experience aligns mostly with the generally positive sentiment surrounding the brand’s more accessible offerings. While the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) might not boast the robust metal ring or advanced multi-coatings of top-tier filters, its core function – altering the light for dramatic B&W effects – is reliably performed. The density feels consistent, and the effect on skies and foliage is exactly what one expects from a #25 red filter. The plastic ring, while perhaps less premium feeling than metal, is perfectly functional for screwing onto lenses. The lack of coating is noticeable in challenging lighting conditions, where careful lens hood use or framing is advised to avoid flare. Regarding the reported issue of internal defects in one review, this seems to be an outlier rather than a widespread problem based on the overall positive feedback. Manufacturing defects can happen with any product, regardless of price. For the cost, the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) delivers significant creative control for black and white work and opens the door to mild IR experimentation, making it a solid value proposition for photographers exploring these avenues without breaking the bank.
Experiences Shared by Other Users
Looking at feedback from other photographers who have used this Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) online, the sentiment is generally positive. Many users praise its effectiveness for creating impactful, high-contrast black and white images, particularly highlighting how well it darkens skies and separates elements like green leaves from other tones. Several reviews mention using it successfully for achieving mild infrared effects with appropriate film or modified cameras, appreciating this dual capability. The value proposition is frequently brought up, with users noting that Tiffen provides good optical performance for the price compared to more expensive brands. While one user did report an issue with a defect in the glass, the vast majority found the quality sufficient and had no complaints regarding the filter’s performance or fit on their lenses and adapters.
In Closing
If you’re a photographer committed to black and white and are tired of flat, uninspired skies and lack of tonal separation in your images, addressing this issue is key to elevating your work. The complications of not controlling contrast at the capture stage mean more reliance on potentially destructive post-processing, or simply accepting less dynamic results. The Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red) stands out as a great option for solving this problem. Its strong contrast effect makes skies pop dramatically, it provides excellent tonal separation between colours, and it even offers the bonus of mild infrared capabilities. For photographers seeking these specific effects in a 58mm size without a significant investment, this Tiffen filter offers significant creative returns for its cost. To learn more and check it out for yourself, Click here to see the Tiffen 58mm 25 Filter (Red).
Last update on 2025-07-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API