Digital Film Tools 55MM; A Photoshop plug-in review

Rosco Gels

Most movie filmmaking is done with artificial lighting, where the light is controlled and modified to achieve the desired look. Rosco Gels are light modifiers that are used as filters in front of the lights, affectively altering the color. Digital Film Tools Rosco Gels duplicate the Rosco colors and allow one to apply them to the image somewhat like the Photo Filters in Photoshop CS, but with greater control. The Rosco Gel filters include the option of using a gradient mask and when used as such on skies, look very realistic indeed.

Fog

No surprises here, this filter adds the look of fog to a scene, but in a very convincing manner because not only can one control the look of the fog, but more importantly, the areas in the image the fog will appear.

Black & White

How best to convert a color image to black and white is a hot topic of discussion. Ask six photographers and you will get six different answers. We have tried them all and will say that for most images we use the 55MM Black & White Filter. It gives us control with Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma adjustments, and it simulates using a color contrast filter on a camera with red, blue, green, orange, and yellow pre-filtering choices.

Enhancing

Ever wish you could capture the color vibrancy of fall foliage in your camera that you see through your sunglasses? The 55MM Enhancing filter may be just what you are looking for. This filter selectively enhances reds, oranges, and browns. We have used it on images from fall foliage to the red rock regions of the American Southwest.

Light!

I mentioned earlier 55MM filters add light and color in ways that magically transform the atmosphere and mood in images. The Light! filter actually adds light and shadows to an image just as if the light had been added to the scene at the time of taking the photo. A library of light and shadow effects allows adding realistic light from subjects from windows and doors and even cloud patterns. Used subtlety the results are very dramatic. This filter is very powerful and is available by itself or as part of the 55MM set.

Summary

Digital Film Tool’s 55MM is our favorite and most used Photoshop plug-in. As previously mentioned we find the 55MM filters powerful, intuitive, and eminently useful. The Hollywood film looks that can be achieved are exciting if not inspiring. And if you’re not into over the top looks, the 55MM filters can produce absolutely natural looking light, color, and diffusion enhancements.

There is a bit of a learning curve if one is to utilize the full potential of the 55MM plug-ins. As with most professional grade tools the documentation is clear in the description of the parts and their functions, but the “look of the effect” is determined by the user.

We have shown you examples from just a few of our favorite filters in the 55MM set. Your style of photography may dictate different choices. For instance, we have not touched at all on filters for people photography such as soft focus and glamour looks which 55MM has several nice effects. 55MM is a very extensive set of filters, I suggest you download the demo and try them for yourself.

Just a note, in this age of poor and/or no customer support by software companies, I must say the customer support at Digital Film Tools is exemplary. When we initially downloaded the demo version it would not run on our computer. I e-mailed their customer support and had an answer and a solution the same day. On a second occasion we e-mailed an operational question, again receiving an answer promptly.

Enjoy,

Michael & Tammy Rice

An artistic interpretation using the Light! Filter.

Changing the weather

“ the nik Color Efex Sunshine filter was used to convert the scene from a dull overcast day to a bright sunny one”
Converting a Color Image to Black and White

“The magic in this technique is the use of two separate black and white conversions, one for the sky, and one for the trees.”
Creative Controls F-stops & Depth of Field

Another factor that affects depth of field is distance from the camera to the subject. Depth of field decreases as the camera moves closer to the subject.
Digital Film Tools 55mm; Photoshop plug-in review

“The bragging rights for Digital Film Tools is that the means of producing the masks is more intuitive, flexible, and powerful than Photoshop CS.”
Grain Surgery for Photoshop - Review

“the noise is removed, yet the details remain”
How to Improve the Image Quality of your Camera

By using a tripod, slower shutter speeds can be utilized allowing the aperture of the lens to be stopped down increasing depth of field
Lens choices for landscape photography

“The wide-angle perspective ... gives the viewer the impression they could walk into the photo”
Becoming a student of Light and Color- Part 1 - Quaility of Light

“I changed, from a photographer that photographs what he finds, to one that starts with a vision and then goes out to produce an image that matches the vision.”
Becoming a student of Light and Color- Part 2- Light , Color, and Composition

“a color only takes on importance when considered relative to the other colors surrounding it."
Long Lens Landscapes

“I am always willing to try for that image with the “wow factor”, and long lenses are definitely an unordinary if not extraordinary way to capture grand landscapes.”

Canadian North Atlantic Coast

“Stories were told of quaint fishing villages virtually untouched since the turn of the 19th century, surrounded by landscapes from seemingly lost worlds.”

Nik Color efect Pro - Photoshop Plug-in Review

“Unlike so many other plug-ins for Photoshop, the nik Multimedia Color Efex Pro filters are truly useful.”
Nikon Capture nx-first look

"What is needed is a raw converter with an extensive enough set of imaging tools that a second program like Photoshop is not required."
Photoshop tips and techniques -An introduction to 5 great plug-ins

“It’s all about color...What caught her eye was the contrast between the yellow tree, the glowing red rocks, and the cool blue base.”
Photoshop tips and techniques -A watercolor effect from the unlikely pairing of two third party plug-ins

“I look for subjects that move me emotionally...When I got the slides back however, the magic was missing”

Painting with Light -A Photoshop tutorial

“most images need at least one of their elements to be pure black, meaning black with no detail, and need at least one of their elements to be pure white meaning white with no detail”
Basic Photoshop for photographers - Part 1

"Today we are making images that we could not even have dreamed of making before"
Basic Photoshop for photographers -Part 2

"Always use a separate layer this allows mistakes to be erased at any time"
Segmentis Fo2PiX buZZ review

"The user has control over how much detail is removed. One can choose to remove detail in the highlights, shadows, or both"
The Filters we use and why

"The question I often hear is “do you still use lens filters”. The answer is yes, because there still is no substitute for capturing the image properly."
The Gas Station- The story behind a picture

“I wanted the picture to interact with the viewer, to encourage the viewer to explore”
Waiting for the right light

"Planning for the light means selecting the time of year and the time of day"
Tutorials and Reviews Index

Before Rosco Gels Filter.

After Rosco Gels Filter.

Before Fog Filter.

After Fog Filter.

Before Black & White Filter.

After Black & White Filter.

Before Enhancing Filter.

After Enhancing Filter.

Before Light!.

After Light!.