The Nisi filter you must have in your camera bag.
A few weeks ago, I received at my door one of the filters I had been waiting for a long time, a filter that would allow me to take long exposure photos by adding stops of light and also letting me get the double frame rate that is needed to record video, and all this without having to carry too much weight in my camera bag; the best thing about this filter is the opportunity to change the amount of light steps by simply turning the guide that is added to the rotating part of the filter.
Do you know what filter I am talking about?
That's right! I am talking about the new NiSi True Color ND-VARIO Pro Nano 1-5 stops Variable ND Filter. A hybrid filter which can be used for both long exposure photography as well as for better management of light entering the sensor of the camera while recording video.
Features of this filter:
Variable Neutral Density Filter Offering Greater Control Over Exposure Settings, Allows Reduce Shutter Speeds and Wider Apertures
True Color that avoids color shift seen in other Variable filters
Reduces Exposure by 1 to 5 Stops
Exposure Range-Control Filter Ring
No “X” Effect
High Definition optical glass
Nano Coating, Waterproof and Anti-Reflective Coating
An optional rotating lever that can be removed
Larger front thread to avoid vignetting on wider lenses
But enough of technicalities, let's get down to business.
As a landscape and cityscape photographer, it is always important for me to have ND filters on hand to help me reduce the amount of light entering the sensor, allowing me to show visually softer scenes to the people viewing my photographs.
The following photograph was taken using the NiSi True Color ND-VARIO Pro Nano 1-5 stops Variable ND Filter.
Aperture: F/8
Distance: 16mm
Exposure time: 20.0 sec
ISO: 200
I know you're probably wondering at this point, but isn't 1-5 stops too short to achieve this kind of long exposure?
And the answer is, yes.
Yes, if you are taking this type of photo when there is too much light in the environment, but at the beginning of sunrise and at the end of sunset, the amount of light available in the environment is not strong enough to use filters of 6 to 10 stops; if you were to use this amount of stops what you will end up with, is a very underexposed photograph. In these moments is when a filter of 1-5 stops is perfect.
Another scenario where we will need this type of filters, is when we have already reached the aperture we want to use in order to take our photo; in my personal case, I use apertures from F/8 to F/11, as these allow me to have both, the background and also part of the foreground in focus; When I reach those apertures and I know that I have already reached the minimum ISO, but I still see that my photos are getting overexposed, is when I make the decision to use this V-ND filter of 1-5 steps, because I know that it will give me the necessary amount of stops to get the desired results.
As you can see here, we have already reached the blue hour, where the colors of the buildings and other structures begin to show the perfect combination with the residual blue light in the sky. In these cases the amount of ambient light is very little, at this moment I set my camera to the desired aperture, the ISO to the minimum and to be able to make a long exposure that allows me to see a clean reflection of buildings in the water, I use the V-ND 1-5 stops filter, and I know I can change the settings of my camera really fast, because to go from 1 to 5 stops, I just need to rotate the front of the filter and set it in the stop I want.
Conclusion:
As you know the time one has to record a video or take a photo during the sunrise and the sunset is not much, so every second counts and this is one of many reasons, that if looking for versatile filters that are quick to install in front of the lens, have good glass quality and do not generate the annoying "X" in the middle of your photos and videos, then the new NiSi True Color ND-VARIO Pro Nano 1-5 stops Variable ND Filter is the one to go.
Where to buy this filter here in switzerland: