Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

What type of lighting does an 80A filter primarily adjust for?

1. Daylight

2. Incandescent

3. Fluorescent

4. Softbox

The correct answer is: Incandescent

An 80A filter is primarily used to adjust incandescent lighting to match the color temperature of daylight. These filters are designed to correct the warm yellowish tone of incandescent light, which typically has a lower color temperature, by transforming it to a cooler, more neutral daylight color temperature. In practical terms, when you use an 80A filter in photography, it provides a balance that allows your camera to accurately capture colors under incandescent lighting conditions, aligning them more closely with how they would appear in natural daylight. This filtering adjustment is crucial in ensuring that images maintain true-to-life colors, especially in scenarios where mixed lighting sources may be present. Other types of lighting—such as fluorescent—require different correction methods, and while softboxes refer to the equipment used rather than a specific light source, daylight refers to the natural light that this filter is attempting to match.