Tiffen 4.5" Round Infrared (IR) Neutral Density (ND) 0.3 Hot Mirror Filter

The 4.5" Round Hot Mirror IR Neutral Density (ND) 0.3 Filter from Tiffen deals with color shift that is a critical factor in digital photography. This color shift is directly affected by the infrared spectrum. Specifically, in high definition photography, the sensitivity of imaging sensors to IR has become a challenge. This is particularly evident when using standard neutral density filters that absorb visible light but pass infrared.

Unlike many photographic films, the CCD or CMOS of a digital camera is inherently susceptible to infrared contamination, even when the manufacturer attempts to reduce this problem by adding an infrared absorbing filter on top of the image sensor. Because these filters do not have a sharp cutoff at the infrared wavelengths there has to be a compromise in order not to exclude visible red wavelengths. This results in some infrared wavelengths being allowed to pass.

While minor infrared contamination does not normally cause much of a problem for visible images, when using conventional neutral density filters especially denser grades, this issue is multiplied by the filter factor. Tiffen has now addressed this problem with the introduction of its exclusive line of their Infrared Hot Mirror filters. Hot Mirror filters completely block infrared throughout the entire spectrum.

A 0.3 Neutral Density filter is traditionally considered the first step on the ND ladder. It requires a one stop exposure compensation. It will prevent you from overexposing in a bright scenario and permits you to shoot at a wider aperture that will have a direct effect on your depth of field. You will be able to isolate a subject by throwing the fore/background out of focus. Shooting at a slower shutter speed will also allow you to create some blur in the image.

Tiffen's ColorCore glass is produced through a process that entails permanently laminating the filter material in between two pieces of optical glass that are ground flat to tolerances of a ten-thousandth of an inch, then mounting them in precision aluminum rings.

Neutral Density Filters Have Four Main Uses

To enable slow shutter speeds to be used, especially with high speed ISOs, to record movement in subjects such as waterfalls, clouds, or cars

To decrease depth of field by allowing wider apertures to be used, which helps separate subjects from their background

To decrease the effective ISO of high speed film (above ISO 400) and allow it to be used outdoors in bright situation

To allow cine and video cameras (which have fixed shutter speeds) to film subjects such as snow, sand or other bright scenes which could cause overexposure

ColorCore Technology

As with all Tiffen filters, IR ND filters are ground and polished to provide the greatest level of flatness and parallelism. This, together with their exclusive ColorCore technology, ensures the highest level of optical quality

Tiffen's ColorCore glass is sealed between two optical glass sheets. In this way, Tiffen can better control the various densities of their filters and thereby create more exact degrees of filtration. This process makes for greater accuracy of color as opposed to glass that is simply dyed and become subject to deviation during the dye process

The ColorCore process allows Tiffen to control the color and density of their filters, and the characteristics of special effects filters with much greater accuracy than typical dyed-in-the-mass filters, which usually exhibit color and density variations

Superior Quality

Top Hollywood motion picture studios rely on Tiffen filters for their multimillion-dollar productions Superior quality and design make Tiffen the overwhelming choice of moviemakers, professional photographers and even NASA

Tiffen has also been awarded an Emmy, from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for its engineering excellence

Tiffen, a leader in the filter industry, proudly makes its filters in the USA