B+W innovations by Schneider-Kreuznach at photokina 2018

Stylish appearance and clear orientation for the customer

Informative and high-quality at the same time: Both retailers and end consumers benefit from the newly developed packaging concept for B+W filters. What was originally almost a dozen different packaging designs is now reduced to three basic cartons. The new cardboard box in a matt black design is finished with a matt film wrapping, which provides additional stability and a special feel. The logo is expressive, embossed and underlines the high quality of the products from B+W.

New, color-coded front labels provide a quick overview of the essential product information for the various filter types. For example, the Premium Line with its XS-Pro filters with MRC nano coating has a gold-colored base label and the Professional Line with the remaining B+W filter range has a silver-colored base label. The new B+W filter packaging is also fitted with a hinged Euro hanger for suitable presentation on sales walls. The printed QR code, which can easily be scanned with a tablet or smartphone, guides the user to further information about B+W filters on the Schneider-Kreuznach website. The proven and practical filter box made of shatter-proof and durable special plastic (inlays ensure that the filter is held securely during transport) has been retained and modernized. The color is now transparent gray, while the lid bears an embedded B+W logo.

Top brand products are being copied more and more frequently and brazenly – to the detriment of manufacturers, retailers and customers. For this reason, the new B+W filter cardboard box is now equipped with a new security hologram. In addition to the well-known Schneider hologram with several hidden security features, further measures provide protection. These include a strongly encrypted numerical code that can be counter-checked by direct inquiry: The alphanumerical structure consists of a combination of numbers and letters that cannot be guessed, which is not repeated and is particularly safe from manipulation.

Unnoticed detachment and reapplication is not possible because the adhesive strength and material structure of the hologram label are designed in such a way that the label destroys itself during attempted detachment. A special security color between two layers of material ensures a separating effect when the label is detached and makes manipulation immediately visible. The numerical code is also embedded between the layers of material, making it tamper-proof. A third security feature on the label is the ring combination taken from the B+W logo with red and blue color-shifting inks: When viewed from an oblique angle, the red color shifts into slightly blue, depending on the viewing angle.

The new packaging concept will be supplied as from Photokina 2018. Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.de.

B+W ND Calculator App

Essential calculator for landscape photographers

The length of exposure time can be determined easily using the new app "B+W ND-Calc". By turning the outer ring on the display, the exposure time measured without a filter is transferred, then the density of the grey filter used (ND value) is set, and the result of the corrected exposure time is immediately available. The B+W app includes a timer with which the exposure time can be monitored after 4 seconds by pressing the inner ring (Bulb camera setting).

The B+W ND Calculator app is available for Android and iOS. It is ad-free and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the App Store.

Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

New manufacturing process: Innovative surface coating for B+W filter mounts

B+W is replacing the black chrome plating of its filter mounts with an innovative paint finish, thus improving the gliding properties and simplifying the screwing in and out of the filter. The new coating also prevents surface abrasion (sooting), which was unavoidable with the previous production method. In addition, the filter mount is given a more modern and homogeneous look, and the matt finish prevents unwanted reflections.
The production changeover is planned for all filter holders; implementation has already begun.

Tried and tested cleaning cloth

B+W PHOTO Clear now in different colors

Photographic filters from B+W harmonize perfectly with the high image quality of modern lens systems. To retain this performance, the glass surfaces must always be clean. Dirty or scratched surfaces reduce contrast and sharpness and can cause an unwanted soft focus effect.

B+W offers a wide range of cleaning accessories to keep filters and other sensitive optical glass surfaces such as glasses, binoculars, VR glasses or mobile phone displays clean. For example, the tried and tested Photo Clear cleaning cloth, which is silky soft, particularly supple and has excellent cleaning properties. Even without liquid cleaning agents, the extremely dense microfiber fabric gently removes dirt and fingerprints. It has a handy size of 20 x 18 cm, comes in a small case and fits in every photo bag. The cloth is now available in the colors pink, blue, navy and black. In addition to individual cloths, Photo Clear boxes with twelve cloths of one color are also available. Another smart solution: the Photo Clear Colorbox with three cloths per color version.

Photo Clear in the colored versions is available immediately from photo retailers, RRP per cloth € 8,00. Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

New counter display

B+W Lens Cleaner perfectly presented

B+W’s new packaging concept also includes the development of a new Lens Cleaner counter display. The display with the B+W Lens Cleaner and Photo Clear Cloth can be set up at the POS in just a few steps and contains nine pieces each of B+W Lens Cleaner liquid and Photo Clear microfiber cloths. Both cleaning products are popular helpers with which not only filters and lenses can be optimally cleaned. Glasses, binoculars, VR glasses, LC displays and other coated optical surfaces can also be cleaned easily and without much previous knowledge. More information about cleaning can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

The fully equipped Lens Cleaner counter display is now available under ID 1092792. Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.de.

New B+W polarizing film

A special kind of color spectacle

With polarized light and a polarizing filter on the camera, exceptionally vivid color effects can be achieved. This trend is also followed by the new B+W polarizing film, which can be positioned in front of a light source with an adhesive strip, rubber band or a clamp – for example in front of flash units, LED photo lamps, flash systems or (but only to a limited extent due to heat generation) repro lamps. The polarizing film can be cut to size or punched without any problems and is also flexible, color-neutral and homogeneous.

Objects with tensions are positioned between the polarizing light source and the lens fitting with a polarizing filter. This makes tensions optically visible and reproduces them with colorful effects. This works easily with clear plastic parts, e.g. a ruler. The process is also suitable for repro photography when reflex-free images are required.

The polarizing film is available from photo retailers in material thicknesses of 0.3 or 0.8 mm from a size of 50 x 50 mm at an RRP starting at € 7,00.

Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

New professional cleaning cloth

Microfibers for perfect cleanliness

With its high efficiency, the new B+W professional microfiber cloth is particularly suitable for coated optical surfaces such as photo filters and objective lenses, but also for glasses, VR glasses and displays. It is light and easy to use and, thanks to its size of 30 x 30 cm, is particularly suitable for large-area use on square filters, mirrors and tablet screens. The microfiber cloth is washable up to 30° C, comes in a sturdy case and is available immediately from specialist photo retailers, RRP 11,00 €.

Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

B+W IR Filter 093: Now also for large diameters

Images with extreme contrasts are very popular. B+W offers an infrared filter that absorbs almost the entire visible light spectrum. This uses the residual sensitization of the camera and reproduces motifs in almost pure black and white. A popular motif is grass or foliage which is shown as snow-white, combined with a typical dark sky reproduction.
The range of this filter series has been extended to include the diameters 82, 86 and 95 mm. B+W IR Filters 093 are available from Ø 37-Ø 95; RRP from € 50 to € 300, depending on the diameter.

Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.

New B+W square filters

Fascinating time exposures thanks to extremely strong ND filter

B+W is expanding its range of square filters for 100 x 100 x 2 mm filter holder systems to include a model with an exceptionally high density for particularly impressive time exposures. An excellently ground and finely polished special glass serves as the basis. It guarantees indispensably high optical quality, thanks to which full contrast and sharpness performance is maintained even with high-resolution professional camera systems. The filter discs fit not only in the filter holder from B+W, but in all holders on the market that are designed for filters with a width of 100 mm and a glass thickness of 2 mm.

A special coating process allows high ND density. Thanks to optimized color reproduction across the entire visible light spectrum, subsequent image processing is easier and more time-saving for the photographer. The filter discs are characterized by their high scratch resistance as well as dirt and water repellency and are particularly effective and quick to clean. The optical density ND 4.5 corresponds to +15 f-stops. In practice, this means that the exposure time of 1/60 s without filter increases to eight minutes with filter.

The filter disk is available under the article number 1093504 at an RRP of € 189,00 via specialized photo retailers. Further information can be found at www.schneiderkreuznach.com.