Soviet filter markings?

[eli griggs]

I am looking for a rundown on the various Soviet filter designations and how the compare to 'standard' Western filters, especially those used with black and white materials, or Wratten numbers. Are they the same or no?

[ZorkiKat]

The filters are usually marked in cyrillic, intials that stand for the name (in Russian) of the colour of the filter. However, some have numbers next to them. For instance, I have some marked "Ж-17" on yellow filters. In the Wratten series, 17 is in the yellow range. But the Russian filter looks more like a #12 or #15 (med/deep yellow) than yellow orange.

[David Hughes]

I think that

ЖC-12 is Light Yellow x1·4
ЖC-17 is Yellow x2·0 and
ЖC-18 is Dark Yellow x3·0

My note is rather old and has been in the box with the filters for a long, long time and so I can't offer its source. I hope this is some use though.

Regards, David

[eli griggs]

Yes, and thank you both; both answers are helpful. I'd like to find out which markings correlate with the most common b&w filters we use. I like the Soviet glass but not knowing exactly what I'm using is irksome at times. I have a yellow-green that drives me batty in dim or artificial light.