Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

What is the purpose of an 80C tungsten CC filter?

1. To decrease warmth in the image

2. To enhance bright colors

3. To increase color temperature

4. To adjust the image for black and white photography

The correct answer is: To increase color temperature

The purpose of an 80C tungsten CC filter is to increase the color temperature of the light in a scene, particularly when shooting with tungsten lighting. Tungsten light has a warm color temperature, typically around 3200K. When you apply an 80C filter, which is a cooling filter, it effectively shifts the color temperature towards the cooler side, often helping the image approach daylight balance, which is around 5600K. This adjustment is crucial for achieving more accurate colors in situations where the light source is warm, such as in indoor settings illuminated by incandescent bulbs. Other options suggest functions that are not aligned with the primary role of an 80C filter. For instance, decreasing warmth would not be primary since the filter increases the cooler aspect of the light. Enhancing bright colors pertains more to saturation and contrast adjustments rather than color temperature. Adjusting for black and white photography involves different considerations, such as the use of filters for contrast rather than color temperature adjustments.