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Tiffen 435740-001 55mm #25 Red Filter - Black & White Photography — main product image
Tiffen

Tiffen 435740-001 55mm #25 Red Filter - Black & White Photography

★★★★★4.6 (447 reviews)

A 55mm red contrast filter that transforms ordinary scenes into dramatic black-and-white compositions with deep, striking skies.

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

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Overview

The Tiffen 55mm #25 Red Filter is a specialized optical accessory designed to enhance contrast and tonal range in black-and-white photography. By absorbing blue and green wavelengths, the filter dramatically darkens blue skies, rendering them near-black in monochrome images while allowing white clouds to stand out with striking clarity. It also increases the tonal separation between green foliage and red or warm-toned flowers, giving landscape and nature photographers greater control over how botanical scenes translate into grayscale.

Made from optical glass for consistent light transmission and durability, the filter threads onto any 55mm-diameter lens. Its filter factor of 8 requires a 3-stop exposure compensation, which is straightforward to manage with in-camera metering or manual calculation. Beyond standard landscapes, the #25 Red filter is also well suited for simulating moonlit-scene effects during daylight and enhancing contrast when shooting with infrared film. For black-and-white photographers who want bold, high-contrast imagery straight from the camera, this filter remains an essential part of the kit.

Key Features

Enhances Black & White Contrast: Builds strong tonal separation for high‑contrast black and white photography.

Dramatic Sky Effects: Darkens skies, cuts through fog and haze, and can simulate moonlit scenes when slightly underexposed

Infrared Performance: Produces extreme contrast with infrared film, turning skies deep and foliage bright white

Exposure Compensation: Filter factor of 8 requires a +3 stop exposure increase

ColorCore Technology: Laminated optical glass construction, precision‑ground and polished, mounted in a durable metal ring

Specifications

Filter Type
#25 Red
Diameter
55mm
Material
Optical Glass
Filter Factor
8 (3-stop exposure increase)
Primary Use
Black-and-white photography
Effect
Darkens blue sky, increases contrast with clouds and foliage
Brand
Tiffen
Model
435740-001

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Creates bold sky-to-cloud contrast that is very difficult to match with digital adjustments alone
  • Produces dramatic sky-to-cloud contrast that lighter yellow or orange filters cannot achieve
  • Optical glass construction delivers consistent filtration and resists scratching over long-term use.
  • Produces dramatic sky-to-cloud contrast that is difficult to replicate in post-processing for black-and-white work.
  • Optical glass construction maintains image sharpness without introducing distortion
  • 55mm thread size fits a wide range of popular lenses without adapters
  • Optical glass construction ensures consistent color density and sharpness
  • Standard 55mm thread size fits a wide range of lenses
  • Standard 55mm thread size fits a wide range of lenses across multiple camera brands.
  • Enhances tonal separation between foliage and flowers, adding depth to nature compositions.
  • Enhances tonal separation between red and green foliage in black-and-white work
  • Effective at separating similar green and warm tones in landscape and botanical subjects
  • Slim profile reduces the risk of vignetting on standard and telephoto focal lengths.

👎 Cons

  • 3-stop light loss limits handheld use in dim conditions without raising ISO
  • Requires a 3-stop exposure increase, which can force slower shutter speeds or higher ISO in lower light.
  • Requires a 3-stop exposure increase, which limits handheld shooting in lower light
  • Strong red filtration leaves little room for subtle contrast adjustments
  • Limited practical use for color photography due to the heavy red cast it imparts.
  • Narrowly specialized for black and white contrast work with limited other applications
  • No included case or pouch for storage and transport
  • Only available in 55mm, so photographers with different lens thread sizes need step-up rings or additional filter sizes.
  • Only available in 55mm diameter, requiring step-up or step-down rings for other lens sizes
  • The strong red filtration effect may appear too dramatic for subtle or documentary-style black-and-white work.
  • Uncoated glass may be more prone to flare when shooting toward bright light sources

Frequently Asked Questions

It absorbs blue and cyan light, rendering blue skies as very dark tones in monochrome images. This creates bold contrast with white clouds and enhances tonal separation between foliage and flowers.
The filter has a filter factor of 8, which means you need to increase exposure by 3 stops to compensate for the light it absorbs.
The filter has a filter factor of 8, which means you need to increase exposure by 3 stops to compensate for the light it absorbs.
It is primarily designed for black-and-white photography. When used with color, it applies a strong red cast to the entire image, which is generally not desirable unless you are seeking a specific creative effect.
While physically possible, the #25 Red Filter is designed primarily for black-and-white photography. In color, it produces an intense red cast over the entire image.
The filter factor is 8x, requiring approximately 3 stops of additional exposure. Most cameras with TTL metering will compensate automatically.
It threads onto any lens with a 55mm front filter diameter. If your lens has a different thread size, you can use a step-up or step-down adapter ring.
It dramatically darkens blue skies, making white clouds stand out with strong contrast — producing bold, graphic landscape images.
The #25 Red filter dramatically darkens blue sky tones in black-and-white images, creating strong contrast between the sky and white clouds for a bold, graphic look.
This Tiffen filter is made of optical glass, providing consistent color density and resistance to scratching compared to resin alternatives.
The Tiffen 55mm #25 Red Filter is made from optical glass, ensuring consistent color density and image sharpness across the frame.
It is designed for black and white work. In color photography it will produce a heavy red cast over the entire image, which is generally not desirable unless used for intentional creative effects.
Tiffen uses optical glass in their filters. The product listing does not specify multi-coating, so it is a standard uncoated or single-coated optical glass element.
Yes, it threads onto any lens with a 55mm front filter thread diameter, regardless of brand or focal length.

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