Tiffen Contrast Viewing Glass

[octopoli]

Are they worth purchasing? I would probably get the one for higher speed stocks but I don't hear much about people using them. The first time I heard about one actually, was recently in class from a teacher who said they aren't used as much now since the vision 3 stocks are closer to your eye.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

If you are shooting some contrasty b&w stock at high light levels, or at high light levels in general, higher than normal (let's say you are lighting interiors to T/8 or T/11 for deep focus effects) then a contrast viewing glass may be helpful.... but otherwise, I don't find much use for them.

However, some sort of dark viewing glass like that can be useful for staring at clouds passing in front of the sun, or looking at a bright light, like at a MaxiBrute to see if a globe has gone out, etc.