I've watched over an hour (maybe over two hours) of videos about filters today, and in under six minutes you provided better examples and more useful info than all of them combined. Thank you!
These are all Variable ND, and as such are two polarizers back to back. Thus they will all do exactly what the K&F version did, at some point in their rotation. Where that happens will change based off how the filter glass is mounted relative to the filter threads, and is not guaranteed to stay the same from batch to batch. So the polarizing effect argument is moot. The way to get around this effect is to use the a second variable ND frame with the glass removed as a polarizing adjustment. The only catch is that with most Variable ND's the lens mount thread and outer thread are often one filter size different. So one would need the empty adjustment frame to be the mount size and the ND to be one size larger; however, this is not a guarantee so one must know how the brand they are using for the adjustment ring handles the thread mounts first, and this process can be difficult for some people. So the other option is to buy a variable ND with a built in polarizing adjustment ring like SLR Magic or Polar Pro offer.
I just wanted to add that I just found out K&F concepts seems to have come out with a CPL Fader ND with this exact adjustment as well. I literally found out the very next video I watched. www.amazon.com/Concept-Variable-ND2-ND32-Circular-Polarizing/dp/B07M8RKGKK
Cool comparasion! Thank you for this video. I had the Hoya Variable ND and then all my gear got stolen last month. Today I just bought the Tiffen Variable ND. I have used both before, but I am a big fan of the Hoya V-ND. I will see when it arrives if the Tiffen looks better than the Hoya, and of course if it is difficult to take off and on like you say. I have once had a Tiffen Filter that was stuck on a Sony Z150 Camera and it was impossible to get off for this same reason, this was in the Namib Desert and a grain of sand or two must have stopped it from moving and then it was horribly difficult to take the lens filter off.
Robert Wedderburn in the meanwhile I bought a PolarPro Filter, which is incredibly good. Watch my video if you‘re interested: czcams.com/video/2MNCtfJ-Yj8/video.html I can recommend that filter over all I’ve tested so far.
I use and prefer Tiffen not only for colors, but also because u can disassemble him very easily, clean ur filters, INSIDE between the two glasses very vell, dry well and riassemble, also the fun thing of variable ND is use intermediate stops reduction values, so hard stops are really not a must have for me. Also why u should keep turn and turn u can just turn how much u need ;)
Very nice, concise presentation - no useless "chatty" wasted time. You found color shift with both the Tiffen and Hoya, bad mechanical-install design with Tiffen, polarizer effect with K&F, and some sort of poor construction with the K&F - there are no good choices?
Hi Jim, I found really good choices, which are the PolarPro filters. Nothing for poor people but I have three of them (one for every lens I own). Here's a link to the 67mm filter (I have 77 and 82 as well): amzn.to/2RKyURT No color shift, excellent design AND it has a filter-cap. That might seem like a little thing but it makes life a lot easier if you just can put the cap on it when you put the camera in the bag and don't have to screw off the filter all the time for putting the original lens-cap on afterwards.
They're all CPLs, not just the K&F. It depends how it was threaded/turned, you will get the effect you didn't like, or not. The same is true for the other filters too.
Hi! The K&F filter I tested definitely had hard stops. That was the main reason I wanted to keep it. And yes it’s possible that not all k&f filters have hard stops, the one with the link in the description should have. I don’t think they changed the production since my test for this model.
@@RonaldKasper Okay, thanks for the reply! Currently investigating and waiting on a reply from K&F. It is strange though because I bought the same as in your description, just in 67mm...
@@adwaith5158 All my nd filters have the stop at the end so the x-pattern doesn't occur on them. But there is a video of Nigel Barros (czcams.com/video/qhiucLxxPMM/video.html) where he shows this pattern (look at 06:39 of his video)
hello! day before the important filming, I was considering buying an nd filter. I bought it with Knf after watching your video while thinking about it. Thank you very much for making a useful video! plus, I subsrcribed your channel! hope to see your video again and again.
Encouraging... especially since I just bought a set of KF filters. I prefer they have a polarizer effect. Then you may not need to use a polarizer which adds complications? I am just a newbie in photo/video but it seems using both polarizers with ND filter is essential sometimes but it degrades the image so much? I am an engineer by training and experience but filter engineering seems very randomly designed and executed throughout the industry. Especially trying to get everything to work with all your lenses and with lens hoods without degrading the image and gaining polarizer effects.
After this video I continued searching for an even better ND filter and I ended up buying the Polar Pro Peter McKinnon Variable ND. This has the best performance of all I tested.
Thanks. Very informative! May I know how do you decide whether to buy a ND2-ND32 filter, or ND2-ND400 filter? What is the difference between the two? Note that ND2-ND400 is much cheaper. I am using it for Video. Thanks a lot.
Hi! Well the difference is that you can turn the ND2-ND400 much darker. Useful when you film in very bright areas (with snow, direct sunlight etc.). To be honest I don't know why the ND2-ND400 is cheaper than the other one. But when I can make a suggestion: Buy the Polar Pro Variable ND Filter. This thing is great. I sent back all the three from this video and bought the PolarPro one, it's expensive (280 Euros) but really stands out with it's quality.
Hi, thanks to share the interesting video. Out of curiosity: do you not think a variable ND filer is more convenient if it has a lever on the ring to be able to move the lens more easily to shoot videos? Thank you
@@RonaldKasper Thanks for your pleasant reply. A curiosity please. A variable ND filter, in which position of the first lens does the filter give the highest quality, losing as little as possible on image degradation? When is it at the minimum, or in the middle or at the maximum of the stops? In other words, the best quality is obtained with fewer stops? THANK YOU
@@ExploringWorldCZcams In my tests of my currently used PolarPro Filters (Peter McKinnon Edition) there is no color shift when you turn the filter from 2 to 5 stops. Wich one exception: Computer screens. I don't know why but when I turn the filter up to 4 or 5, the normally white computerscreen becomes blueish. I didn't have this effect on other surfaces so far.
probably the best review I've seen on the K&F filter. Can you provide color shift correction LUT for it as you have a grey card and color chart? I don't have access to those !!
@@RonaldKasper true! But for casual and hobbyist people like me, this is definitely a steal 😊 But Im hoping that I also get that Peter McKinnon edition. Thats almost perfect!
@@RonaldKasper Awesome Ronald here to hear from you :) P.S. do you know if it exsists a kind of messanger on You tube or we just have to see al the notifications and hope we didn't loose a message? Thanks again, Max
@@MaxPhotoGraphic Hi Max, unfortunately there is no messenger here. I‘ve tested the K&F today (but the newer model from my newest video on the channel) and it has no noticeable polarizing effect on water surfaces in my opinion.
Joon kinloch indoors I never use ND filters. The stops you need always depend on your lens and the lighting conditions you have. But normally I would say a 2-5 stop variable filter will be good for a lot of situations. I can not tell you if you should buy a 2 or 3 stop filter cause that really depends on where exactly you film and if you have a very fast lens.
IMO variable density filters were invented when the filter makers ran out of other ideas. They are difficult to unmount (as noted), too thick and may cut into image corners, ad four, commonly uncoated glass surfaces for more flare, and increase the color drift always caused by ND filters to some degree. These aren't big factors, even collectively, but they are usually unnecessary and used only for convenience.
Randall Stewart well I use the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Edition at the moment and these are great! easy to mount, with stops at the ends, no or unnoticeable colorshift. No problems whatsoever, it‘s my „always on“ filter for my F4 lens
Normally, variable ND-filters are a bit larger so that the lens hood won't fit anymore. But please search for compatibility with your specific model, I personally have never used a lenshood.
Well I ended up buying the Peter McKinnon Variable ND of polarpro. I have two at the moment and they seem to be the best so far. And the most expensive ones. 😉
I do, that speeds up my whole process so much. I know you can get colorcast in some density-positions let's say on computer-screens, but these drawbacks are minor ones compared to the benefits. Currently I'm using PolarPro Filters and I'm very happy with them.
![Ищем ЛУЧШИЙ переменный ND ФИЛЬТР [Тест и обзор Hoya, FreeWell, Zomei, K&F Variable ND]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ce8WdXGj86U/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ищем ЛУЧШИЙ переменный ND ФИЛЬТР [Тест и обзор Hoya, FreeWell, Zomei, K&F Variable ND]](/img/tr.png)
I've watched over an hour (maybe over two hours) of videos about filters today, and in under six minutes you provided better examples and more useful info than all of them combined. Thank you!
Thank you very much, Maximilian! I‘m happy when you find my reviews valuable!
Any recommendations after 9 months ?
or after 2 years? :)@@zakariaabed3593
These are all Variable ND, and as such are two polarizers back to back. Thus they will all do exactly what the K&F version did, at some point in their rotation. Where that happens will change based off how the filter glass is mounted relative to the filter threads, and is not guaranteed to stay the same from batch to batch. So the polarizing effect argument is moot. The way to get around this effect is to use the a second variable ND frame with the glass removed as a polarizing adjustment. The only catch is that with most Variable ND's the lens mount thread and outer thread are often one filter size different. So one would need the empty adjustment frame to be the mount size and the ND to be one size larger; however, this is not a guarantee so one must know how the brand they are using for the adjustment ring handles the thread mounts first, and this process can be difficult for some people. So the other option is to buy a variable ND with a built in polarizing adjustment ring like SLR Magic or Polar Pro offer.
I just wanted to add that I just found out K&F concepts seems to have come out with a CPL Fader ND with this exact adjustment as well. I literally found out the very next video I watched.
www.amazon.com/Concept-Variable-ND2-ND32-Circular-Polarizing/dp/B07M8RKGKK
Cool comparasion! Thank you for this video. I had the Hoya Variable ND and then all my gear got stolen last month. Today I just bought the Tiffen Variable ND. I have used both before, but I am a big fan of the Hoya V-ND. I will see when it arrives if the Tiffen looks better than the Hoya, and of course if it is difficult to take off and on like you say. I have once had a Tiffen Filter that was stuck on a Sony Z150 Camera and it was impossible to get off for this same reason, this was in the Namib Desert and a grain of sand or two must have stopped it from moving and then it was horribly difficult to take the lens filter off.
Robert Wedderburn in the meanwhile I bought a PolarPro Filter, which is incredibly good.
Watch my video if you‘re interested: czcams.com/video/2MNCtfJ-Yj8/video.html
I can recommend that filter over all I’ve tested so far.
I use and prefer Tiffen not only for colors, but also because u can disassemble him very easily, clean ur filters, INSIDE between the two glasses very vell, dry well and riassemble, also the fun thing of variable ND is use intermediate stops reduction values, so hard stops are really not a must have for me. Also why u should keep turn and turn u can just turn how much u need ;)
the polarising effect may depend on the angle of the outer pol filter part ot the filter
Just exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
You’re welcome!
Very nice, concise presentation - no useless "chatty" wasted time. You found color shift with both the Tiffen and Hoya, bad mechanical-install design with Tiffen, polarizer effect with K&F, and some sort of poor construction with the K&F - there are no good choices?
Hi Jim, I found really good choices, which are the PolarPro filters. Nothing for poor people but I have three of them (one for every lens I own). Here's a link to the 67mm filter (I have 77 and 82 as well): amzn.to/2RKyURT
No color shift, excellent design AND it has a filter-cap. That might seem like a little thing but it makes life a lot easier if you just can put the cap on it when you put the camera in the bag and don't have to screw off the filter all the time for putting the original lens-cap on afterwards.
A zoom in for sharpness is a nother good comparison to do.
They're all CPLs, not just the K&F. It depends how it was threaded/turned, you will get the effect you didn't like, or not. The same is true for the other filters too.
Some do it better than others. At them moment I'm using polar pro ND filters which I like a lot.
I bought a K&F Concept that didn't have hard stops... investigating which models do and don't and will update once I know!
Hi! The K&F filter I tested definitely had hard stops. That was the main reason I wanted to keep it. And yes it’s possible that not all k&f filters have hard stops, the one with the link in the description should have. I don’t think they changed the production since my test for this model.
@@RonaldKasper Okay, thanks for the reply! Currently investigating and waiting on a reply from K&F. It is strange though because I bought the same as in your description, just in 67mm...
Great review! One of the best ones I’ve seen on ND filters!
Benito Noyola thank you very much!
I will go and grab K&F ND filter. Thanks for sharing comparisons filter.
You’re welcome. Would be nice if you would use the amazon link in the video description to buy the filter. Thanks!
@@RonaldKasper hey, can you make a video whith these filters about the 'x' sign that comes when decreasing the light?
@@adwaith5158 All my nd filters have the stop at the end so the x-pattern doesn't occur on them. But there is a video of Nigel Barros (czcams.com/video/qhiucLxxPMM/video.html) where he shows this pattern (look at 06:39 of his video)
@@RonaldKasper oh thanks , do the k&f filter have hard stops ?
@@adwaith5158 Yes, you see it at 4:03 of the video
hello! day before the important filming, I was considering buying an nd filter. I bought it with Knf after watching your video while thinking about it. Thank you very much for making a useful video! plus, I subsrcribed your channel! hope to see your video again and again.
Great to hear that my video helped you! And thank you very much for subscribing!
Thanks for the video! It helped me make a decision!
zone.4040 have a look at the Polar Pro variable nd fillter (Peter McKinnon edition) as well. This is what I use now finally.
Excellent video, how about image quality? Is the K&F filter sharp enough? Does it degrade sharpness?
I didn’t recognize any sharpness reduction I could see in a 4K video
@@RonaldKasper Thank you so much.
brilliant video, keep up the great work!
TechnoShamanism thank you very much!!!
Thanks! I have a yellow tint with my Tiffen Variable ND 72mm filter. Do you have the same?
Encouraging... especially since I just bought a set of KF filters. I prefer they have a polarizer effect. Then you may not need to use a polarizer which adds complications? I am just a newbie in photo/video but it seems using both polarizers with ND filter is essential sometimes but it degrades the image so much? I am an engineer by training and experience but filter engineering seems very randomly designed and executed throughout the industry. Especially trying to get everything to work with all your lenses and with lens hoods without degrading the image and gaining polarizer effects.
After this video I continued searching for an even better ND filter and I ended up buying the Polar Pro Peter McKinnon Variable ND. This has the best performance of all I tested.
Thanks. Very informative! May I know how do you decide whether to buy a ND2-ND32 filter, or ND2-ND400 filter? What is the difference between the two? Note that ND2-ND400 is much cheaper. I am using it for Video. Thanks a lot.
Hi! Well the difference is that you can turn the ND2-ND400 much darker. Useful when you film in very bright areas (with snow, direct sunlight etc.). To be honest I don't know why the ND2-ND400 is cheaper than the other one. But when I can make a suggestion: Buy the Polar Pro Variable ND Filter. This thing is great. I sent back all the three from this video and bought the PolarPro one, it's expensive (280 Euros) but really stands out with it's quality.
@@RonaldKasper Thanks for the swift reply, I am very tempted to buy the Polarpro now. Is it the Peter Mckinnon one?
Alley Cat yes! The Peter McKinnon edition 👍
Thank you for this video
Angel Ramon Morillo Rodriguez you are welcome!
Hi, thanks to share the interesting video. Out of curiosity: do you not think a variable ND filer is more convenient if it has a lever on the ring to be able to move the lens more easily to shoot videos? Thank you
Hi! I'm quite used to PolarPro variable ND-filters which don't have levers. And I'm quite comfortable with them.
@@RonaldKasper Thanks for your pleasant reply. A curiosity please. A variable ND filter, in which position of the first lens does the filter give the highest quality, losing as little as possible on image degradation? When is it at the minimum, or in the middle or at the maximum of the stops? In other words, the best quality is obtained with fewer stops? THANK YOU
@@ExploringWorldCZcams In my tests of my currently used PolarPro Filters (Peter McKinnon Edition) there is no color shift when you turn the filter from 2 to 5 stops. Wich one exception: Computer screens. I don't know why but when I turn the filter up to 4 or 5, the normally white computerscreen becomes blueish. I didn't have this effect on other surfaces so far.
thanks for your sharing, very helpful.
irfanchooify you‘re welcome, I‘m happy when you liked it
probably the best review I've seen on the K&F filter. Can you provide color shift correction LUT for it as you have a grey card and color chart? I don't have access to those !!
I don’t have the K&F filter anymore I use PolarPro filters in the meanwhile. so unfortunately I can’t create any luts for you anymore
Price-wise, K&F is remarkable!
Janzel Hill yes, thats true. But I ended up buying a PolarPro Peter McKinnon Edition. This is expensive but worth the money.
@@RonaldKasper true! But for casual and hobbyist people like me, this is definitely a steal 😊 But Im hoping that I also get that Peter McKinnon edition. Thats almost perfect!
Janzel Hill true, it always depends what you need it for.
@@RonaldKasper thanks for great response by the way! 😊 great vid!
Good one buddy really helpful, thanks a lot.
I‘m happy when it helped!
Thank you Ronald, Nice Content. Please have you tryed also the reflex of the K&F on real water? :) Max
Hi Max! No I haven’t up to now but I can do that tomorrow and give you an answer. What exactly do you want to know? If there’s a polarizing effect?
@@RonaldKasper Awesome Ronald here to hear from you :) P.S. do you know if it exsists a kind of messanger on You tube or we just have to see al the notifications and hope we didn't loose a message? Thanks again, Max
@@MaxPhotoGraphic Hi Max, unfortunately there is no messenger here. I‘ve tested the K&F today (but the newer model from my newest video on the channel) and it has no noticeable polarizing effect on water surfaces in my opinion.
What's a good stop ND filter for indoors recording use in your opinion?
I bought a PolarPro variable nd (Peter McKinnon esition) for each of my two main lenses and they work great.
Ronald Kasper I needed to know if 2 or 3 stops is good for indoors!
Thank you for your response!
Joon kinloch indoors I never use ND filters. The stops you need always depend on your lens and the lighting conditions you have. But normally I would say a 2-5 stop variable filter will be good for a lot of situations. I can not tell you if you should buy a 2 or 3 stop filter cause that really depends on where exactly you film and if you have a very fast lens.
@@RonaldKasper thank you so much that's been a great help! I have 30mm 1.4 sigma!
IMO variable density filters were invented when the filter makers ran out of other ideas. They are difficult to unmount (as noted), too thick and may cut into image corners, ad four, commonly uncoated glass surfaces for more flare, and increase the color drift always caused by ND filters to some degree. These aren't big factors, even collectively, but they are usually unnecessary and used only for convenience.
Randall Stewart well I use the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Edition at the moment and these are great! easy to mount, with stops at the ends, no or unnoticeable colorshift. No problems whatsoever, it‘s my „always on“ filter for my F4 lens
ND filters are just two stacked polarizers lol
Ron, are you able to use a lens hood with K&F for that matter any vnd filter. you made my decision
Normally, variable ND-filters are a bit larger so that the lens hood won't fit anymore. But please search for compatibility with your specific model, I personally have never used a lenshood.
Have you used the K&F with combined CPL?
No, it was just the ND-Filter. Here's the link: amzn.to/2J4qMnz
Wait... you don't even know for sure if it is a Hoya? 10 seconds in and I'm already done watching this video lol.
Man, this was a joke! Of course it is a Hoya, I know what I bought. But the case didn‘t have the brand name on it.
@@RonaldKasper i was about to say... I only came to see the Hoya comparison. I'll finish watching it now lol.
Variable ND filters are horrible!
They are great actually
First world problem = LOL
That’s what it is 😂
K & F are cheap but crap
Well I ended up buying the Peter McKinnon Variable ND of polarpro. I have two at the moment and they seem to be the best so far. And the most expensive ones. 😉
Don't use Variable ND filters.
I do, that speeds up my whole process so much. I know you can get colorcast in some density-positions let's say on computer-screens, but these drawbacks are minor ones compared to the benefits. Currently I'm using PolarPro Filters and I'm very happy with them.
@@RonaldKasper If it works for you, then yes...to your point it would make sense to use VND. Generally, I would not suggest it for various reasons.