Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite

Photographers who use filters may worry that some of the most exciting new lenses featured in this year's Editor's Choice lack a provision for filter attachment: They have neither a thread on the front nor a slot on the back. The assumption seems to be that everything you used to do with on-camera filtration you can now do on the computer, with Photoshop. That's not entirely true -- but you'll find few exceptions when you install Tiffen's new filters plug-in, which in addition to working with Photoshop and Apple's new Aperture 2.1 is compatible with video software such as Adobe's After Effects and Avid Editing Systems.

Still available as a stand-alone application, the Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite not only simulates the effects of the innumerable glass filters in Tiffen's line but also mimics special-purpose lenses, the depth of field associated with different f-stops, film grain, and traditional darkroom techniques, along with exacting color control. A few of the more exotic choices: Bleach Bypass, Bronze Glimmerglass, Rack Focus, and Cross Processing. And while there's no second-guessing with a glass filter or other in-camera technique -- once you shoot with it, its effect is locked into your picture -- with the Dfx plug-in you can try out any filter to see if it works for you, and simply undo it if it doesn't!