What The Heck Is This?

[magkelly]

In a camera bag of gear that someone gave me is a plastic clip that I believe is used to fit square filters to a camera. With that came a clear square plastic filter in a plastic case that looks for all the world like an old-style focusing screen? The case says Cokin cromofilter SA A-060?

I know virtually nothing about using these. The only filters I have ever really seen are the type that actually screw onto your lens. The only reason I finally figured out what the clip and the slide on glass were was because I saw something similar the other night in a Bryan Peterson video. That filter and the clip he used were a lot like this except his was bi-colored and he was using it for correcting contrast between sky and sea.

The plastic on this one is patterned a bit and frosty, except it has a non-patterned clear dot in the middle. I'm thinking it's used for focusing maybe? It clearly doesn't change anything color-wise so I am wondering what it's used for?

I took a look on Ebay but the only clear filter I can find like these is for making star effects. I'm wondering if this is maybe one of those?

 

[pbelarge]

Did a quick google

Cromofilter - Camerapedia.org

 

[magkelly]

Yeah, I saw that too, but that only tells you what filters they are, not what individual ones actually do. I don't think it's a star filter. I thought it was but the one on Ebay looks different even though it's clear. I'm kind of stumped. All I can find are star filters and colored ones for these. Nothing like this one at all.

 

[Christie Photo]

The plastic on this one is patterned a bit and frosty, except it has a non-patterned clear dot in the middle. I'm thinking it's used for focusing maybe? It clearly doesn't change anything color-wise so I am wondering what it's used for?

Sounds like some sort of a vignette to me. Cokin was quite popular in the '80s, particularly due to filters for "creative effects." People did all kinds of crazy things back then. I think my favorite was a small, square piece of glass (much like the Cokin filers) with clear nail polish around the edges.

-Pete

 

[Christie Photo]

Ahhh... I think this is it.

 

[magkelly]

I do think you're right! Interesting. Thanks! I'm going to have to look for a few more of those special effects ones with the colors. They look like they might be interesting to play with and they're pretty cheap on Ebay.