Brands Guides About
Tiffen 4059Y3 40.5mm Yellow #9 Filter - B&W Photography — main product image
Tiffen

Tiffen 4059Y3 40.5mm Yellow #9 Filter - B&W Photography

★★★★★5.0 (2 reviews)

Deepen your skies and define your clouds — this classic yellow filter gives black-and-white film shooters precise tonal control where it matters most.

$25.07*
Check availability

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jul 14, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

Affiliate Disclosure: Studio Supplies may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This helps support our editorial team.

Notice a mistake? Let Us Know

Overview

The Tiffen 40.5mm Yellow #9 filter is a precision tool for black-and-white film photographers who want deliberate, repeatable tonal control over outdoor scenes. Yellow filters work by transmitting the colors they share and absorbing their complement — blue — which causes blue skies to render darker on panchromatic film, pushing white clouds into sharp relief against a mid-to-dark gray sky. The #9 designation places this filter at a moderate-to-strong correction level: it goes beyond the gentle lift of a #8 yellow but doesn't overcorrect the way orange or red filters can, making it suitable for landscapes, architectural exteriors, and outdoor portraiture where tonal drama should feel earned rather than imposed.

Physically, the filter is a compact, threaded glass element designed for lenses with 40.5mm front filter threads — a size common on kit lenses for mirrorless cameras and certain compact primes. The coated glass construction is consistent with Tiffen's long-standing production standards, and the filter's American manufacture is a mark of quality control that matters when you're committing to an optical element in your image path. For any shooter working with Kodak Tri-X, Ilford HP5, Delta 100, or similar panchromatic emulsions, the Yellow #9 earns a permanent place in the field kit as a reliable, uncomplicated way to add dimensional contrast to daylight scenes without reaching for more aggressive filtration.

Key Features

Package Dimensions: 10.0 cms (L) x 8.8 cms (W) x 2.2 cms (H)

Product Type: Camera Lens Filters

Package Quantity: 1

Country Of Origin: United States

Specifications

Filter Diameter
40.5mm
Filter Type
Yellow #9
Use Case
Black and White Photography
Compatible Film
Type B Panchromatic
Country of Origin
United States
Package Dimensions
10.0cm (L) x 8.8cm (W) x 2.2cm (H)
Brand
Tiffen
Model
4059Y3

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Precisely darkens blue skies on panchromatic film to make clouds visually separate from the background without overcorrecting to orange-filter extremes
  • 40.5mm thread fits a range of compact and mirrorless lenses that use smaller filter sizes often overlooked by competing filter lines
  • Made in the United States — Tiffen's domestic manufacturing is consistent and well-regarded in the film photography community
  • Slim filter ring minimizes vignetting risk on wide-angle lenses at the 40.5mm diameter
  • Yellow #9 strength gives you more sky drama than a #8 without the heavy tonal shift of orange — a genuinely useful intermediate step

👎 Cons

  • Effect is specific to black-and-white photography — the filter has no practical creative use in color film or color digital work
  • Requires 1 to 1.5 stops of exposure compensation, which demands attention to metering on every shot
  • 40.5mm is a less common filter thread size, so this filter won't stack into a larger cross-lens kit without step-up rings
  • Plastic case included for storage is functional but not protective enough for rugged field conditions on its own

Frequently Asked Questions

It selectively brightens yellow and red tones while darkening blues. The practical effect: blue skies go darker in the final print, making white clouds stand out dramatically. Foliage renders slightly lighter, and skin tones on Type B panchromatic film shift in a flattering direction — it's a modest but meaningful tonal correction that separates a flat sky from a dynamic one.
The #9 sits between the standard #8 (mild correction) and orange (strong overcorrection). It darkens skies more aggressively than a #8 but stops short of the heavy contrast that orange or red filters produce. It's a useful middle ground for outdoor landscapes and portraiture where you want drama without losing tonal gradation in the highlights.
Yellow filters typically require approximately 1 to 1.5 stops of exposure compensation, depending on the specific lighting conditions and film stock. Shoot at a wider aperture or slower shutter speed, or dial in +1 to +1.5 EV of exposure compensation to maintain correct exposure on metered shots.
It threads onto any lens with a 40.5mm filter thread regardless of camera type, but the tonal effects are specific to black-and-white photography. On a digital camera shooting in-camera black-and-white JPEG mode, the effect may be partially applied depending on the camera's processing. For precise control, shoot RAW and apply the filter effect in post, or use this filter for its intended purpose with black-and-white film.
Type B panchromatic refers to standard black-and-white films sensitive across the visible spectrum — which includes virtually all modern B&W film stocks like Kodak Tri-X, Ilford HP5, and Delta series. This filter is compatible with all of them.

Related Products