The Tiffen 6.6 x 6.6" Ultra Contrast 1/2 filter helps to open up your shadows by utilising the ambient light surrounding the image area as well as the light within the image itself. It reduces contrast uniformly throughout, with little or no loss of sharpness in the scene, even where there are varying degrees of brightness. Shadow areas will reveal more detail but without any flare or halation from direct light sources or bright reflections. The Ultra Contrast works similarly to a Tiffen Low Contrast filter, the difference being that it reduces contrast across the entire image whilst a Low Contrast filter will only open up the shadows. The Ultra Contrast 1/2 filter continues the process of opening up your shadows whilst the image remains sharp. Contrast continues to be reduced uniformly, but as shadow detail now increases, you also begin to see more of the image. Tiffen's ColorCore glass is produced through a process that involves permanently laminating the filter material between two pieces of optical glass ground flat to tolerances of one ten-thousandth of an inch, then mounted in precision aluminium rings. - Bright lights or sunlight create problems when the ratio between highlight and shadow areas exceeds the film latitude; if you expose for the highlights, the shadows appear without detail; if you expose for the shadows, the result is washed out and the highlights are too bright - Contrast reduction is achieved by lightening shadows without overexposing or darkening, or by darkening highlights without further darkening the shadows - Even photographing directly facing the sun produces no flare or halation - Tiffen's ColorCore glass is sealed between two sheets of optical glass. In this way, Tiffen can better control the different densities of their filters and thus create more precise degrees of filtration. This process allows for greater colour accuracy compared to glass that is simply tinted and becomes subject to variations during the tinting process Technical Specifications