[Andrew Seeman]

I am all for experimenting scientifically on my own, and if it wasn’t for being so busy during the day I would have had these up sooner. While I will still need more time to do some proper tests, I did get the chance to do the following test shots near the end of my work day today. Other than resizing, these are the original images. Shot on a Panasonic GH3 with SLR Magic 12mm mFT lense in NORMAL picture mode.

1. T/8, ISO-1600, 5600k

2. T/2, ISO-1600, 5600k, Monochrome Day For Night filter

3. T/11, ISO-1600, 5600k

4. T/1.6, ISO-1600, 5600k, Monochrome Day For Night filter

5. T/1.6, ISO-1600, 2500k, Blue shift: 9, Magenta shift: 9, Monochrome Day For Night filter

[Andrew Seeman]

Rick and Todd,
First off, thank you both SO very much for you many valid points and abundance of solid info on DFN shooting! Your knowledge is invaluable, and I’m sure I will be able to put it to use.

In response to the very first comment, that I should check the description at bhphotovideo (where I bought the filter from), the description on it’s use are as follows:

“This is a special effects yellow-green filter that removes most of the red from the image. In this way, your daytime shot takes on the cool tones of a night shot. Inasmuch as the color balance of the image is strongly affected, care needs to be taken when using this filter.”

and then later on…

“Cool Day for Night is based on the perception that moonlight is cool, therefore bluish in color
To produce this effect Formatt uses a shade of lavender for visual coolness while maintaining realistic flesh tones
Monochrome Day for Night is based on the theory that lower light levels will reduce the sensitivity of the eye, creating a more ‘silvery moon’ type effect; this filter effects the color balance of the image so fine tuning of color timings is essential”

Now, if you’re anything like me you read that and think “Wow! How intriguing! That sounds like a powerful and fun tool!”. The problem for me, though, is that it’s none-too specific when it comes to what the “fine tuning of color timings” is supposed to be.

You see, the main reason I posted about this filter was not so much because I was looking for general DFN shooting techniques (of which, you are correct, there are many posts out there), but because I was hoping someone, somewhere, had used this specific tool before and had figured out how to take advantage of it. I think, though, that in a roundabout way you gentlemen have cemented the answer I was afraid of: No, nobody really uses these monochrome DFN filters and probably with good reason.

I did do a few test shots, but had little success in making them to my liking in post. If anybody would like to see some image comparisons I would be happy for the help in following this rabbit-hole a bit further (maybe there is something to redeem the filter?). If not, then I think I will be looking at my B&H return policy for this $72 dandy…