52mm Variable ND2-ND32 (1-5 Stop) & Black Mist 1/4 Filter 2-in-1, 28 Multi-Layer Coatings - Nano-Xcelcel Series
SKU: KF01.1809
For the price this is fantastic. I'm only a student so the like of polar pro and such are out of reach and was always stuck with cheap brands (including older K&F's) that ruined image quality with x marks and colour cast.
But then I discovered this and I have to say I'm impressed. No colour casting or 'X' patterns and my footage looks crisp as if there was no filter at all. And the fact that it's a CPL aswell is a huge plus.
Would recommend.
But then I discovered this and I have to say I'm impressed. No colour casting or 'X' patterns and my footage looks crisp as if there was no filter at all. And the fact that it's a CPL aswell is a huge plus.
Would recommend.
06/01/2023
I am generally satisfied with this filter from K&F, it makes it possible to filter light sources at night and create a pleasant atmosphere during the day. I use it with Xpro-1, which is combined with the film playback of a digital camera.
01/01/2023
I have a ProMist 1/4 and 1/8 diffusion filter, but I was intrigued by this combination ND and diffusion filter and wanted to give it a try. As a point of reference, a ProMist 1/4 will set you back $150 and a similar variable ND another $150, so your getting a great deal for $109 for both. But it's only a great deal if the quality is similar, and I'm happy to report that it is. I shot test footage using the ProMist and this K&F filters under the same lighting conditions with the same camera settings and then watched them back on a 4k monitor, and I couldn't see any discerbible difference in image quality. In using the variable ND, there was no telltale X pattern common to less expensive filters, and I really like the fact that the f-stops are marked on the edge of the filter ring (but they don't "click" into place like you'll find on more expensive filteres). SInce I'm frequently using a diffusion filter and a variable ND filter at the same time, to have them combined in a single filter is very convenient. I now have six K&F Filters, and I'm consistently happy with their quality. The price to value ratio for this combo filter is excellent.
24/12/2022
Similar to the expensive Pro-Mist filters, this gives videos and photos a more cinematic glow as it adds a slight haze to the image. The filter gives the highlights a fog-like effect without sacrificing sharpness and also smooths out skin tones. Overall nice filter that fits and protects the camera and is best to have than use a cheap UV filter. The glass won't stick to oil or fingerprints, so you don't have to keep wiping it down.
20/10/2022
I was actually looking for a plain ND2-32 filter but this one sounded interesting so I gave it a try. Basically the diffusion effect softens the image a bit giving it a more dreamy look. It avoids the "you can count every pore/hair" look that can be kind of harsh when you use a high resolution digital camera. I was kind of hoping the black diffusion would be a separate filter stacked on top of the ND, but it's not. So if you want ND without diffusion you will have to buy a different ND filter to get it.
The machining of the lens filter is very well done and the filter itself is very thin. I think this is their main reason for combining diffusion with ND, to keep it very thin compared to stacked filters, avoiding vignetting.
As long as you are wanting that dreamy black diffusion look, this filter works great. The level of ND is easy to adjust and doesn't seem to modify the image other than making it darker. No weird color shifts or patterns appear as you rotate it. The high level of ND is great when you want to shoot with longer exposures to get an image blur effect, or to shoot with wide-open F-stop to get shallow depth of field.
The whole thing comes in K&F's fanciest case, leather with a magnet closure. It is a bit more bulky than their plastic cases but looks nice and is much easier to lift the filter out of.
Overall recommended, just make sure you want the black diffusion effect as it's built into this filter. If you don't, K&F have other ND filters without it.
The machining of the lens filter is very well done and the filter itself is very thin. I think this is their main reason for combining diffusion with ND, to keep it very thin compared to stacked filters, avoiding vignetting.
As long as you are wanting that dreamy black diffusion look, this filter works great. The level of ND is easy to adjust and doesn't seem to modify the image other than making it darker. No weird color shifts or patterns appear as you rotate it. The high level of ND is great when you want to shoot with longer exposures to get an image blur effect, or to shoot with wide-open F-stop to get shallow depth of field.
The whole thing comes in K&F's fanciest case, leather with a magnet closure. It is a bit more bulky than their plastic cases but looks nice and is much easier to lift the filter out of.
Overall recommended, just make sure you want the black diffusion effect as it's built into this filter. If you don't, K&F have other ND filters without it.
15/09/2022
K&F Concept is really stepping up their filter game and this one is awesome. This review is for the K&F concept 82 mm black diffusion 1/4 effect with variable ND2-ND32 2-in-1 filter. For this filter, K&F stepped up its packaging, utilizing a magnetic lid box and a magnetic leather pouch. The filter itself is stored in a clear plastic bag, which unfortunately uses an adhesive folding closure (just be careful when removing/inserting the lens to not let the band of adhesive touch the filter). Still, the overall package is much nicer than the plastic snap box with foam cutout, but I can't say if it's more practical or "better" as I feel it provides less protection than the hard plastic snap box. Anyways, on to the filter itself.
The filter looks and feels great. It has a solid metal construction with a premium feel to it. The inner stationary ring has two large areas of knurling and the outer movable ring is fully knurled. One section of the outer ring has an orange metal tab sticking out for easy turning. This particular filter has hard stops built into it for the minimum and the maximum. I am unable to appreciate much or any X effect on my 18-35 mm lens (not that the X effect is typically a significant issue at these lower stop levels from 1-5 anyways). I really like the built-in hard stops though because it lets me know when I'm at the minimum and the maximum and I can make more efficient adjustments instead of just blindly rotating well past each end and going all the way around. The variable ND portion works well, but how's the black diffusion? I'll be honest, it's my first time using a black diffusion filter, but the effects were definitely noticeable between having it vs not having it. It provides that soft cinematic feel and tones down the highlights and contrast. I can't believe I've never used one until now.
The K&F Concept 82 mm black diffusion 1/4 effect with variable ND2-ND32 2-in-1 filter provides premium functionality at a budget price point, especially when compared to the bigger brands. At that point, you're paying extra hundreds of dollars for minor gains in optical performance. If you need the absolute best because it's your profession, then just move on and pay the big dollars. But if you're looking to test the waters or need a strong working filter without breaking the bank, then K&F has the glass you need.
The filter looks and feels great. It has a solid metal construction with a premium feel to it. The inner stationary ring has two large areas of knurling and the outer movable ring is fully knurled. One section of the outer ring has an orange metal tab sticking out for easy turning. This particular filter has hard stops built into it for the minimum and the maximum. I am unable to appreciate much or any X effect on my 18-35 mm lens (not that the X effect is typically a significant issue at these lower stop levels from 1-5 anyways). I really like the built-in hard stops though because it lets me know when I'm at the minimum and the maximum and I can make more efficient adjustments instead of just blindly rotating well past each end and going all the way around. The variable ND portion works well, but how's the black diffusion? I'll be honest, it's my first time using a black diffusion filter, but the effects were definitely noticeable between having it vs not having it. It provides that soft cinematic feel and tones down the highlights and contrast. I can't believe I've never used one until now.
The K&F Concept 82 mm black diffusion 1/4 effect with variable ND2-ND32 2-in-1 filter provides premium functionality at a budget price point, especially when compared to the bigger brands. At that point, you're paying extra hundreds of dollars for minor gains in optical performance. If you need the absolute best because it's your profession, then just move on and pay the big dollars. But if you're looking to test the waters or need a strong working filter without breaking the bank, then K&F has the glass you need.
26/08/2022
For starters, the filter came packaged better than I expected. It arrived in a nice faux leather case for safe keeping or traveling when not in use. It is also very well made and dare I say rivals some of the more expensive ones that I have in terms of quality and performance. It was a bit difficult to get onto my lens, I had to carefully line up the thread but once it was on my Fujinon lens, it did not budge. It was easy to adjust while shooting and wasn’t too loose that it moved on its own.
I’ve never used a diffusion filter before so I wanted to try something new when it came to my images and I’m kind of sold with this one. It added this softening effect to my images, smoothed out some of the edges but still kept the details.
I’ve never used a diffusion filter before so I wanted to try something new when it came to my images and I’m kind of sold with this one. It added this softening effect to my images, smoothed out some of the edges but still kept the details.
21/07/2022