Reviews
VERY nice adjustable CPL filter
First of all, I'm a fan of K&F products. I try to use them in photo sessions as much as possible because they just give good, consistent results.
However, the ONE complaint I've always had is that K&F's product line was fairly limited to low-to-mid range products. Don't get me wrong, they are amazing for what they are...and I LOVE having them on site. But as with any product I use in the field, these are often NOT the same products that I will be using in a fully controlled environment. In a perfect world, I could take all my studio gear with me on location and not have to worry about possible damage to my gear.
To that end, the mid-range filters and devices from K&F have worked very well.
However, I've always wondered what if my favorite manufacturers actually produced high-end gear, would the results be just as good? Better? What might I be missing if I pick certain types of gear over others?
When I saw a while ago that K&F was producing some sort of "Nano" lineup I was excited... but also a bit apprehensive... I already had my high-end filters that I would use for special occasions and studio work... would K&F actually be able to fulfill this quality? If so, could I stop buying gear from manufacturers I didn't want to use due to their terrible customer service practices?
When I saw this filter appearing in my recommended feed, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to order it.
I went with the 82mm version since my primary workhorse lenses are 82mm lenses. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, is usually my 'go to', although I've rented and used a Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III a few times now...and have it at my request List.. both use 82mm filters.
Now that I've used it for a few sessions... both in the studio and on location, I have some initial short-term thoughts:
Exposure change is minimal. - This is a big deal since so many "cheap" polarizers often affect exposure drastically. I've seen some filters change the EV by up to a point. At this point a CPL works more like a lightweight ND filter and isn't really optimal if all you want is glare reduction. This one I would say reduced the EV by about 1/8th of a stop when installed.
Color shift also appears to be minimal, if there is any at all - CPLs are also often plagued with the problem of changing the color of a scene when applied, and in the case of variable polarizers you can even experience color shift while you're doing it Adjust the strength of the filtering applied. This isn't ideal as it just means you'll have to do more color adjustments in post. However, remember how a variable CPL works, if you reduce glare from a source that creates a color cast, you will have some color shift. This is simply the nature of light. Similar to using a gold colored reflector for subject lighting. If you remove the gold paint from the reflector there will be a color change.
Distortion doesn't seem to be there - This is another problem that so many filters (in general) have and can often be so minor that it's not seen until you work with your files (RAW or otherwise) in post. I've seen a large number of filters absolutely ruined photos in the past, so I tend to be VERY nervous. This filter appears to have no distortion at all. I am very happy about it.
Quality & Workmanship - This filter consists of 2 parts. When I say that, I don't mean that you need to attach two physical parts...just that there's the static mount that attaches to the end of the lens, and the adjustable part that levitates and rotates at the end. The static mount is actually a bit small, which means that when you attach it to your lens, with a bit of coziness, you might want to use a filter tool on it.
NOTE: This filter DOES NOT have a threaded forward mount. If you use a lens hood that attaches over the filter threads, it WILL NOT WORK with this filter. Additionally, the lack of a forward thread means you can't stack this filter with others OR you'll want to use it as your last filter in the stack.
However, the ONE complaint I've always had is that K&F's product line was fairly limited to low-to-mid range products. Don't get me wrong, they are amazing for what they are...and I LOVE having them on site. But as with any product I use in the field, these are often NOT the same products that I will be using in a fully controlled environment. In a perfect world, I could take all my studio gear with me on location and not have to worry about possible damage to my gear.
To that end, the mid-range filters and devices from K&F have worked very well.
However, I've always wondered what if my favorite manufacturers actually produced high-end gear, would the results be just as good? Better? What might I be missing if I pick certain types of gear over others?
When I saw a while ago that K&F was producing some sort of "Nano" lineup I was excited... but also a bit apprehensive... I already had my high-end filters that I would use for special occasions and studio work... would K&F actually be able to fulfill this quality? If so, could I stop buying gear from manufacturers I didn't want to use due to their terrible customer service practices?
When I saw this filter appearing in my recommended feed, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to order it.
I went with the 82mm version since my primary workhorse lenses are 82mm lenses. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, is usually my 'go to', although I've rented and used a Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III a few times now...and have it at my request List.. both use 82mm filters.
Now that I've used it for a few sessions... both in the studio and on location, I have some initial short-term thoughts:
Exposure change is minimal. - This is a big deal since so many "cheap" polarizers often affect exposure drastically. I've seen some filters change the EV by up to a point. At this point a CPL works more like a lightweight ND filter and isn't really optimal if all you want is glare reduction. This one I would say reduced the EV by about 1/8th of a stop when installed.
Color shift also appears to be minimal, if there is any at all - CPLs are also often plagued with the problem of changing the color of a scene when applied, and in the case of variable polarizers you can even experience color shift while you're doing it Adjust the strength of the filtering applied. This isn't ideal as it just means you'll have to do more color adjustments in post. However, remember how a variable CPL works, if you reduce glare from a source that creates a color cast, you will have some color shift. This is simply the nature of light. Similar to using a gold colored reflector for subject lighting. If you remove the gold paint from the reflector there will be a color change.
Distortion doesn't seem to be there - This is another problem that so many filters (in general) have and can often be so minor that it's not seen until you work with your files (RAW or otherwise) in post. I've seen a large number of filters absolutely ruined photos in the past, so I tend to be VERY nervous. This filter appears to have no distortion at all. I am very happy about it.
Quality & Workmanship - This filter consists of 2 parts. When I say that, I don't mean that you need to attach two physical parts...just that there's the static mount that attaches to the end of the lens, and the adjustable part that levitates and rotates at the end. The static mount is actually a bit small, which means that when you attach it to your lens, with a bit of coziness, you might want to use a filter tool on it.
NOTE: This filter DOES NOT have a threaded forward mount. If you use a lens hood that attaches over the filter threads, it WILL NOT WORK with this filter. Additionally, the lack of a forward thread means you can't stack this filter with others OR you'll want to use it as your last filter in the stack.
10/02/2023