Today we will look at a variable ND filter (2–400) from the manufacturer Kent & Faith — Nano‑X.
ND filters are designed for shooting with long exposures in the daytime / in good light conditions. They can also be used to shoot wide open to avoid overexposure.
Package:
Comes with a case for convenient and safe transportation of the filter. The material of the cover is similar to leather, it is sewn qualitatively and evenly, the threads do not stick out. Magnetic case cover.
It is worth noting that the case has a well-thought-out and convenient filter extraction system — you just need to pull the cable.
The weight of the filter is 27 grams.
The K&F Concept brand specializes in the production of various photo equipment and photo / video accessories, such as tripods, filters, various adapters for lenses, photo backpacks, and more.
There are various variations of ND filters in the store (both with a fixed level of dimming and with variable ones) for different carvings and with different levels of obscurity. In this case, we are talking about the ND2-400 filter with a diameter of 52mm (there are other diameters).
Let’s test it on a Sigma 30mm 1.4 lens (Sony A6300 camera). Here’s what it looks like on camera:
The filter is made of aluminum, the assembly is of high quality.
The rotation is smooth and moderately tight. For more comfortable rotation, the upper part is ribbed, and there is also a lever. The upper part rotates in both directions, there are no limiters (stoppers).
The lower part is marked from the smallest to the largest level of dimming. Also, this part is partially ribbed, making it convenient to wind the filter on and off the lens.
The filter lens is water-repellent (droplets flow down it and leave no marks, not smudges) and scratch-resistant.
If we compare the exposure value without a filter and with its maximum eclipse, the exposure decreases by at least 4 stops (from +2 to ‑2). Since the exposure of the camera is displayed in this digital range, it is difficult to say the exact number of stops of dimming, but approximately it is somewhere around 7–8 stops (the manufacturer claims 9 stops).
The shutter speed decreases from 1/1500 to 0.5 seconds. As for the aperture, even the 1.4–16 range is not enough to bring the exposure from ‑2 to 0.
When shooting in the scorching sun with an aperture of 9.5–11, ISO 100 and a maximum eclipse level, you can set the shutter speed to 1–1.5 seconds.
If you shoot in the shade (for example, a stream in the forest), with an aperture of 10 and ISO 100, the shutter speed can be increased to somewhere up to 20 seconds. In some cases, in the absence of direct sunlight, the best, even with aperture 4–5.6 and ISO 100, I set the shutter speed to 30 seconds and got a photo without glare.
Even at maximum eclipse, the image quality remains excellent, no drop in sharpness was noticed.
The manufacturer declared the absence of a “cross” defect. This is how it is if you do not go beyond the markup, but if you hover over the position indicated in the photo below, the cross still appears (the appearance or absence of the cross also depends on which lens the filter is used with).
Photo with / without filter:
Photo examples:
ISO 100, F5.6, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F10, shutter speed 20 seconds
ISO 100, F10, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F5.6, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F4, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F2.8, shutter speed 10 seconds
ISO 100, F4.5, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F10, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F10, shutter speed 0.70 seconds
ISO 100, F8, shutter speed 1/6
ISO 100, F8, shutter speed 1/45
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1/15
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1 second
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 0.70 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1 second
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1 second
ISO 100, F6.7, shutter speed 30 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1 second
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 1.5 seconds
ISO 100, F11, shutter speed 0.5 seconds
Results
• quality material and high build quality;
• water-repellent and scratch-resistant coating;
• excellent sharpness at any level of darkness;
• availability of a case for transportation;
! the presence / absence of a cross depends on the focal length of the optics used.
You can buy the filter here:
• AliExpress Official Store (Coupon CNBFYD9LIRDI reduces the price by $3)
• The official website of the manufacturer (coupon 10kfru reduces the price by 10%, valid until 2021.12.31)