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Tiffen 52OR21 52mm Orange #21 Filter B&W Photography — main product image
Tiffen 52OR21 52mm Orange #21 Filter B&W Photography
Tiffen 52OR21 52mm Orange #21 Filter B&W Photography
Tiffen 52OR21 52mm Orange #21 Filter B&W Photography
Tiffen

Tiffen 52OR21 52mm Orange #21 Filter B&W Photography

★★★★★4.4 (149 reviews)

Deepen skies and boost tonal contrast in black-and-white photography with Tiffen's 52mm Orange #21 filter.

$30.00*$35.00Save 14%
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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 52mm Orange #21 Filter is a contrast-control tool built specifically for black-and-white photography. By absorbing blue and blue-green wavelengths of light, it forces those tones to render significantly darker on film or a monochrome digital conversion, while allowing warmer tones to pass through with less attenuation. The practical effect is a pronounced increase in tonal separation — blue skies become dramatically darker against white clouds, water takes on deeper tones, and atmospheric haze is noticeably reduced. This makes it a particularly effective filter for landscape, marine, and aerial photography.

Built using Tiffen's ColorCore technology, the orange filter material is precision-laminated between two layers of optical glass. This construction method ensures that the color is uniform across the entire filter surface, free from the inconsistencies that can occur with dyed or resin-based filters. It also protects the filter material from scratching, moisture, and environmental wear. The 52mm threading fits directly onto compatible lenses, and the filter sits in the moderate-contrast range between yellow and red filters, offering enough punch to be visually impactful without the extreme darkening that a red filter produces.

Key Features

Boosts Black & White Contrast: Dramatically increases tonal separation for richer, more defined monochrome images

Darkens Blue Tones: Absorbs blue and blue‑green light to deepen skies, water, and atmospheric elements

Ideal for Outdoor Photography: Perfect for landscape, marine, and aerial shooting applications

ColorCore Technology: Precision-laminated optical glass ensures consistent color accuracy and durability

Specifications

Filter Size
52mm
Filter Color
Orange (#21)
Effect
Contrast Enhancement in Black & White Photography
Material
Optical Glass (ColorCore Technology)
Application
Landscape, Marine, Aerial Photography

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Produces striking sky-to-cloud contrast that adds drama to black-and-white landscapes.
  • Produces strong, dramatic contrast between sky and cloud tones in black-and-white images
  • ColorCore laminated construction ensures consistent color accuracy across the entire filter surface
  • ColorCore laminated construction provides even color density across the entire filter surface.
  • Well-suited for landscape, marine, and aerial photography where blue tones dominate.
  • Optical glass maintains sharpness and clarity without degrading image quality
  • Well-suited for landscape, marine, and aerial photography where sky contrast is critical
  • Standard 52mm threading fits a wide range of lenses without adapters.

👎 Cons

  • Only useful for black-and-white photography, limiting versatility for color shooters.
  • Single-purpose filter designed only for black-and-white photography, not usable for color work
  • Requires 1-2 stops of exposure compensation, which may limit use in low-light situations
  • Absorbs a significant amount of light, requiring exposure compensation of roughly 2+ stops.
  • Available only in 52mm size under this model number, so other lens diameters need a different SKU.
  • Available only in 52mm thread size, requiring step-up rings for larger lens diameters
  • No multi-coating mentioned, which may allow more reflections compared to coated alternatives
  • The strong orange filtration can over-darken blue tones in scenes where subtle separation is preferred.

Frequently Asked Questions

It absorbs blue and blue-green light, which translates to darker skies, enhanced cloud contrast, and greater tonal separation in monochrome images.
It absorbs blue and blue-green light, which causes those tones to render darker in the final black-and-white image. This increases contrast between elements like blue skies and white clouds, giving images more dramatic tonal separation.
While it physically fits any 52mm lens, the Orange #21 is designed for black-and-white work. In color photography it would produce a strong orange color cast across the entire image.
While it can be mounted on any 52mm lens, it produces a strong orange color cast, so it is specifically intended for black-and-white work rather than standard color photography.
ColorCore is Tiffen's proprietary manufacturing process in which the filter color is precision-laminated between two layers of optical glass, ensuring uniform color density, scratch resistance, and long-term durability.
Orange filters typically require approximately 1 to 2 stops of additional exposure, though you should meter through the filter or bracket to confirm with your specific setup.
ColorCore is Tiffen's manufacturing process where the filter color is precision-laminated between two layers of optical glass, ensuring consistent color accuracy and protecting the filter material from wear and environmental damage.
The Orange #21 sits between yellow and red in strength — it darkens blue skies more dramatically than a yellow filter but less extremely than a deep red #29, offering a balanced contrast boost for most outdoor scenes.

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