Softnet Black

Some of the earliest "portrait" diffusion filters that are still in use today are known as "nets." These filters consist of a fine mesh, similar to a stocking, which is stretched across the lens front or rear element.

Tiffen Softnet filter series employs a fine net that is laminated between clear optical glass. This design enhances the filter's impact on small details, such as wrinkles and skin blemishes, while minimizing its effect on the rest of the image.

The mesh contains gaps that allow light to pass through without alteration, thus preserving the overall sharpness of the image. However, when light strikes the flat surface of the mesh lines, it is either reflected or absorbed. Depending on the color of the mesh, a light-colored one, for instance, it can reflect enough light to influence shadows, making them lighter and reducing contrast, while also imparting a tint from its own color. Importantly, the highlights remain unaffected by this process.

The actual diffusion effect, however, is achieved through the refraction of light that hits the edges of the mesh lines. This refraction causes the light to bend at a different angle, altering its distance from the film plane and rendering it out of focus. Interestingly, this phenomenon has a greater impact on finer details compared to larger elements within the image. Consequently, fewer wrinkles and blemishes become apparent on a face.