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  #1  
Old 24th January 2022, 02:31 PM
egrabczewski egrabczewski is offline
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Default SRB MONOVUE Contrast Viewing Filter

The MONOVUE Contrast Viewing Filter by SRB Film Service in Luton Bedfordshire is a round dark greyish-amber filter with an eyecup and stick that helps the photographer to see the shades of grey as seen by black & white film.

The "manual" is a single sheet of A5 paper. No acknowledgement is given to Ansel Adams who, in his book "The Negative" on page 6, recommends the use of a Wratten #90 filter for this purpose.

Unfortunately the MONOVUE and the Wratten #90 filters are no longer manufactured and are difficult to buy second-hand on eBay.
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Last edited by egrabczewski; 24th January 2022 at 02:57 PM.
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Old 24th January 2022, 03:15 PM
Michael Michael is offline
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I was lucky enough last year to be wanting the Ilford version at the same time as one came up on eBay. It dates from the time (the '30s, I think) when separate monochromatic and panchromatic viewing/vision filters made sense. I attach photos to show roughly how they look and appear to work - note that I had to overexpose for the through-the lens image.
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Old 24th January 2022, 04:39 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Michael, the question I'm sure many are asking is, 'But are they any good or use?'

I used to see them advertised in photographic magazines regularly in the past, but comments in letters etc. also at the time, generally said that squinting your eyes did just as good a job...?

Terry S
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Old 24th January 2022, 05:23 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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I wonder why SRB no longer makes the MONOVUE. If the simple answer is that it couldn't sell enough then the question it begs is why

Anyone ever discover why it or it would appear any replacement is no longer stocked?

Thanks

pentaxuser
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Old 24th January 2022, 06:43 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I remember the monovue well,I bought one many years ago thinking it would make my B/W work easier, the old sugestion was to look at the scene with eyes squinted, which I found a pain, so I sent away for the SRB Monovu7e, as advertised in AP0, personally I found it to be a complete waste of my hard earned money, I found the squinty eyes method worked better, I used it a few tijmes, but found the contrast showed very weakly0, so put it away and forgot it, I probably still have it somewhere, but by far prefered squinty eyes, and still use it today
Richard
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Old 24th January 2022, 07:26 PM
snusmumriken snusmumriken is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
Michael, the question I'm sure many are asking is, 'But are they any good or use?'

I used to see them advertised in photographic magazines regularly in the past, but comments in letters etc. also at the time, generally said that squinting your eyes did just as good a job...?

Terry S
Convinced that St Ansel was right about everything, I tried a Wratten#90 for a while. But it did nothing for me. It made the scene look as though lit by sodium lamps, but that was all.
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  #7  
Old 24th January 2022, 08:19 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Well 2 swallows, namely Richard and Jonathan do not a summer make but it might suggest that the MONOVUE and maybe other filters that tried to replicate b&w via our colour vision failed for a lot of users although like anything else, there are those for whom it may work

Mike
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  #8  
Old 24th January 2022, 08:50 PM
mpirie mpirie is offline
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I haven't used the Monovue filter, but do use the Zone VI version.

Before that, i used a Wratten 90 stuck to a cardboard window.

Mike
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Old 25th January 2022, 01:07 AM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mpirie View Post
I haven't used the Monovue filter, but do use the Zone VI version.

Before that, i used a Wratten 90 stuck to a cardboard window.

Mike
And did the Zone VI and Wratten 90 work, Mike, and if so what is it that they actually do to the scene that replicates colours as tones?

Thanks

Mike
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Old 25th January 2022, 02:16 AM
Stocky Stocky is offline
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I have a couple of the Zone VI ones, one in 4x5 proportions, and one in 35 proportions (24x36). They de-emphasise colour, so could be useful, maybe. But most of us are self trained to see the world in black and white, aren't we?
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