Name/Title
Soviet Photographic Lens FiltersEntry/Object ID
2025.1.13Description
A group of round screw-in or slip-on photographic lens filters made by LZOS (Lytkarino Optical Glass Plant), USSR, in assorted colors (red, yellow/amber, and darker tones), each stored in its original clear scallop-edged plastic case. Companion accessories to the Soviet photographic equipment in the Cabrera Arús family collection.
A cluster of several round optical filters, each consisting of a tinted glass disc set in a metal mounting ring and housed in a two-part clear plastic storage case with a fluted/scalloped edge. The filters include two red, two yellow, two dark, and one clear example. The LZOS factory logo (a stylized triangle/eye device) is engraved into the case.
The plastic cases have yellowed and clouded with age, but the filters appear intact.Use
Photographic equipment of Leopoldo Arús GálvezCollection
The Cabrera Arús family collection, Leopoldo Arús Gálvez collectionMade/Created
Manufacturer
LZOSPlace
City
LytkarinoRegion
Moscow Oblast, Eastern EuropeCountry
U.S.S.R.Continent
EuropeRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Leopoldo Arús GálvezNotes
ownerPerson or Organization
LZOSNotes
producerRelated Places
Place
City
HavanaCountry
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaNotes
purchaseResearch Notes
Notes
Color filters were essential accessories for black-and-white film photography, which dominated amateur and professional practice in the USSR and Cuba through much of the 20th century. By selectively absorbing certain wavelengths, a colored filter changes how colors are rendered as gray tones on black-and-white film:
- Yellow filters darken blue skies (making clouds stand out) and are the most general-purpose filter
- Orange and red filters produce progressively more dramatic sky darkening and haze penetration
- Green filters lighten foliage and improve skin-tone rendering in portraits and landscapes
Soviet filters are engraved with a Cyrillic code that identifies the glass type and density. The most common designations:
- ЖС (ZhS) = Жёлтое стекло, "yellow glass" — yellow filters (e.g., ЖС-12, ЖС-17, ЖС-18; higher numbers = greater density/stronger effect)
- ОС (OS) = orange
- КС (KS) = Красное стекло, "red glass" — red filters
- ЗС (ZS) = green
- УФС / УФ (UFS/UF) = ultraviolet
Some filters also carry a magnification factor (e.g., "2x," "1.4X") indicating the exposure compensation needed.Created By
María A. Cabrera ArúsCreate Date
July 19, 2025Updated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsUpdate Date
June 14, 2026
