While they are not B&W or even Tiffen, I do like K&F Concept filters. Their filters tend to be well made, have a minimum of distortion and colorization especially considering their reasonable price. The 52mm Nano-X Black Soft Filter is another example of a well made, inexpensive filter.
Keep in mind that this is a special effects filter. It won’t be much value in normal, everyday photography. It is a Diffusion Effect filter. These filters were very popular in Hollywood films especially in the 1940s and 1950s. The were used for reducing blemishes and wrinkles on actor’s faces (especially on women) and for creating glowing effects. However, if you need or want these kinds of effects in your images, the K&F Concept 52mm Nano-X Black Soft Filter will do the job at a reasonable cost.
Keep in mind that this is a special effects filter. It won’t be much value in normal, everyday photography. It is a Diffusion Effect filter. These filters were very popular in Hollywood films especially in the 1940s and 1950s. The were used for reducing blemishes and wrinkles on actor’s faces (especially on women) and for creating glowing effects. However, if you need or want these kinds of effects in your images, the K&F Concept 52mm Nano-X Black Soft Filter will do the job at a reasonable cost.
17/04/2023
I start by saying that this filter will remain forever on my Canon 24-70 and that I am satisfied and amazed by the effect it gives to my photographs.
The filter comes in a hard case that already differentiates it from low-end filters: it is comfortable to use and has a non-slip part with different notches for multiple filter sizes. The construction is excellent and can be seen immediately from the layer applied to the surface which is a professional tool.
If you are a photography geek like me, to give an effect similar to diffusion / glow, you have already tried things like petroleum jelly on the lens, stockings pulled on a filter or various films. Here this filter is anything but. It has a sneaky effect and does NOT degrade the image. The edges remain sharp while the colors seem to fade slightly inside the photo, restoring the quality that was had with the use of film: really nice! I bought it for photography in broad daylight, but surely one of its best applications is with lights at night where you can appreciate more this diffusion of color and brightness. Despite being an overused term, this filter lends an organic feel to digital photographic pulp. I would like to point out that it does not have a blatantly and vulgarly widespread effect, but visible without attracting attention. Highly recommended for videos too!
The filter comes in a hard case that already differentiates it from low-end filters: it is comfortable to use and has a non-slip part with different notches for multiple filter sizes. The construction is excellent and can be seen immediately from the layer applied to the surface which is a professional tool.
If you are a photography geek like me, to give an effect similar to diffusion / glow, you have already tried things like petroleum jelly on the lens, stockings pulled on a filter or various films. Here this filter is anything but. It has a sneaky effect and does NOT degrade the image. The edges remain sharp while the colors seem to fade slightly inside the photo, restoring the quality that was had with the use of film: really nice! I bought it for photography in broad daylight, but surely one of its best applications is with lights at night where you can appreciate more this diffusion of color and brightness. Despite being an overused term, this filter lends an organic feel to digital photographic pulp. I would like to point out that it does not have a blatantly and vulgarly widespread effect, but visible without attracting attention. Highly recommended for videos too!
16/04/2023
I ordered this for my husband and he loves this filter. It has taken some steps out of his editing process. He likes this filter, because it does so much during photo shoots that he doesn’t have to waste time fixing small imperfections during editing. He says he noticed a big difference in the quality of his photos pre editing. The filter is thin and fits well on his camera. The quality of this filter isn’t bad. It seems to be holding up well and not showing signs of wear and tear. Great product!
16/04/2023
K&F contacted me to test the new Black Mist filter.
It is a filter designed for videos and to give a "vintage" touch to the final result.
In short: beautiful result even for photography. It is a useful filter for portraits or for landscape or storytelling reportage. You do not lose sharpness and you get a much less "shot" light that also expands in the shaded area.
It is a filter to be used in photography with large apertures and which "tells" an atmosphere.
But let's start from the beginning.
Packaging / handling: In addition to the plastic box, the filter is inserted in a very resistant and protective snap-on case. The filter is screw-type (rightly because it was created for videomakers and in any case up to a diameter of 82). I would have preferred a cardboard box. But the case that you can see in the photo (the round one) is very useful and sturdy. The filter is resistant and fits well to all the lenses to which I have mounted it.
Technical review:
It has no dominant details, so it leaves the colors similar to the photo taken without a filter. Great!
It does not lose light, there is no need to increase the ISO when it is mounted. Great!
The sharpness in the details (and here comes the beauty) remains almost unchanged. You DO NOT lose sharpness in the areas in focus even if I would not use it in ultra-defined landscape photography, but for a storytelling, outdoor or portrait set absolutely yes.
Autofocus is unaffected by the filter, at least not on the Nikon D750 with fixed lenses.
Usage / Effect: it is a filter that gives a “glow” effect to photos, very particular especially for videos and for portraits in harsh light or backlight.
The highlights are dimmed but without becoming dull, moreover the light "enters" the shadows, giving a very soft "glow" effect. Great for portraits or to give a more dreamy atmosphere, it removes clarity from the image in high contrast areas.
In the photos you can see a couple of unfiltered / filtered comparisons, two portrait photos set and what comes to you.
Result in short: it is a filter that you do not think can enter your kit, but when it does it has such a particular result that you would try it in any situation. A must try!
It is a filter designed for videos and to give a "vintage" touch to the final result.
In short: beautiful result even for photography. It is a useful filter for portraits or for landscape or storytelling reportage. You do not lose sharpness and you get a much less "shot" light that also expands in the shaded area.
It is a filter to be used in photography with large apertures and which "tells" an atmosphere.
But let's start from the beginning.
Packaging / handling: In addition to the plastic box, the filter is inserted in a very resistant and protective snap-on case. The filter is screw-type (rightly because it was created for videomakers and in any case up to a diameter of 82). I would have preferred a cardboard box. But the case that you can see in the photo (the round one) is very useful and sturdy. The filter is resistant and fits well to all the lenses to which I have mounted it.
Technical review:
It has no dominant details, so it leaves the colors similar to the photo taken without a filter. Great!
It does not lose light, there is no need to increase the ISO when it is mounted. Great!
The sharpness in the details (and here comes the beauty) remains almost unchanged. You DO NOT lose sharpness in the areas in focus even if I would not use it in ultra-defined landscape photography, but for a storytelling, outdoor or portrait set absolutely yes.
Autofocus is unaffected by the filter, at least not on the Nikon D750 with fixed lenses.
Usage / Effect: it is a filter that gives a “glow” effect to photos, very particular especially for videos and for portraits in harsh light or backlight.
The highlights are dimmed but without becoming dull, moreover the light "enters" the shadows, giving a very soft "glow" effect. Great for portraits or to give a more dreamy atmosphere, it removes clarity from the image in high contrast areas.
In the photos you can see a couple of unfiltered / filtered comparisons, two portrait photos set and what comes to you.
Result in short: it is a filter that you do not think can enter your kit, but when it does it has such a particular result that you would try it in any situation. A must try!
15/04/2023
Let's start at the beginning. What does a "crap filter" do? It ensures that lights get a "blurr effect". In German the lights look a bit hazy. This can create a really cool look in film productions, but is also really useful for photos for portraits etc. For example, a chain of lights in the background of the model or similar
Autofocus works perfectly with the Sony A7 Mark 2 and the Kito lens.
What I find absolutely awesome is the "packaging" or where the filter is stored. Nothing wobbles here! This is rock solid and can even be used for other filter sizes.
Oh: Despite the filter, the lens hood and the protective cap for the lens fit without any problems.
Processing as always top! no plastic ;-)
Autofocus works perfectly with the Sony A7 Mark 2 and the Kito lens.
What I find absolutely awesome is the "packaging" or where the filter is stored. Nothing wobbles here! This is rock solid and can even be used for other filter sizes.
Oh: Despite the filter, the lens hood and the protective cap for the lens fit without any problems.
Processing as always top! no plastic ;-)
14/04/2023
You can see from the images, this makes your image more cinematic, it does add a bit of a soft touch to your images. This filter paired with my Sony A7S III and 24-105mm F4, gives me a whole new perspective! So happy with this purchase!
13/04/2023
Though the suggested use for this filter seems to be softening portraits, I have been exclusively using it on my macro lens for flower photography. And, for that purpose, it's great!
Essentially the class looks like it's been dotted subtly with specks of dark paint (imagine what it would look like if you lightly spraypainted a glass surface). The result is a subtle softening of any photos you take.
Note that the softening effect of this filter can be obtained through photo editing software. So, there is an argument for not using a filter like this at all. Without this filter, you could decide whether or not you wish to soften the image later. But if you use the filter, you will have lost potential detail that you might later wish you had.
But if you know that your goal is softening this filter does it optically, rather than your needing to do it digitally. As for me, I'm happy to have it, especially because spring flowers have started blooming!
Essentially the class looks like it's been dotted subtly with specks of dark paint (imagine what it would look like if you lightly spraypainted a glass surface). The result is a subtle softening of any photos you take.
Note that the softening effect of this filter can be obtained through photo editing software. So, there is an argument for not using a filter like this at all. Without this filter, you could decide whether or not you wish to soften the image later. But if you use the filter, you will have lost potential detail that you might later wish you had.
But if you know that your goal is softening this filter does it optically, rather than your needing to do it digitally. As for me, I'm happy to have it, especially because spring flowers have started blooming!
13/04/2023
I’ll be honest up front, I ordered this mistaking it for an ND filter, I’ve decided to keep this though as I really like the effect it produces.
I’ve been getting into landscape photography and wanted an Nd filter but ordered this by mistake, after having a play and wanting to eventually push into portrait I decided to give it a try.
The results are surprising good, it adds a nice glow to bright light sources that give the images some warmth.
The filter is presented in a lovely case with rubber wedges inside that hold the filter in place so it doesn’t slip around.
I can see me using this for product photography and portraits and so far have really enjoyed it
Pros
- nice glow
- gives images a warmer feel
- excellent storage case
Cons
- none ( although keep in mind you may need to adjust exposure times slightly due to very minimal tint )
I’ve been getting into landscape photography and wanted an Nd filter but ordered this by mistake, after having a play and wanting to eventually push into portrait I decided to give it a try.
The results are surprising good, it adds a nice glow to bright light sources that give the images some warmth.
The filter is presented in a lovely case with rubber wedges inside that hold the filter in place so it doesn’t slip around.
I can see me using this for product photography and portraits and so far have really enjoyed it
Pros
- nice glow
- gives images a warmer feel
- excellent storage case
Cons
- none ( although keep in mind you may need to adjust exposure times slightly due to very minimal tint )
12/04/2023
So I think a lot of folks involved in video product are very familiar with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist filters. This is K&F's version of that filter. I will go into what I think about the filter but you can also judge for yourself in one of the pictures in this review where I show you the same image; the first without the filter then with the filter.
One of the results you get with a filter of this type is blooming of the highlights. This filter does quite a good job of that. Comparing the bloom to the Tiffen line I would say it falls between Tiffen's 1/2 and 1/4 strength with it being closer to the 1/4. The highlight fall of was strong but natural in my opinion. Keep in mind the light in the image fills the frame so you are seeing this particular effect of this filter at it's most extreme. You won't see that much blooming in a more natural setting. Take a look at the highlights on the camera. To me the K&F filter had a great effect on the highlight roll off which was very smooth.
The other effect you get with a black mist filter is the slightly reduced contrast and the slight softening of the shadows. To me I thought this filter did this quite well. If you look at the texture on the handle of the camera in the image you can see how it's just sort of softened that texture. Imagine shooting a person and you can imagine how much you would be able to smooth out the skin.
It also comes in a nice little screw together plastic case. Inside the case are these little rubber stopper than prevent the filter from sliding around in the case. I love the attention to detail here.
So compared to the Tiffen version of this lens at the size I got which was 82mm the K&F Black Mist is about $40 cheaper. I think you are getting a lot of value for your money here. I can't wait to try out this filter on some upcoming shoots.
I think K&F is making a move into higher end filters and if this filter is an example of the kind of quality they can produce, I can't wait to see what filter they release next.
One of the results you get with a filter of this type is blooming of the highlights. This filter does quite a good job of that. Comparing the bloom to the Tiffen line I would say it falls between Tiffen's 1/2 and 1/4 strength with it being closer to the 1/4. The highlight fall of was strong but natural in my opinion. Keep in mind the light in the image fills the frame so you are seeing this particular effect of this filter at it's most extreme. You won't see that much blooming in a more natural setting. Take a look at the highlights on the camera. To me the K&F filter had a great effect on the highlight roll off which was very smooth.
The other effect you get with a black mist filter is the slightly reduced contrast and the slight softening of the shadows. To me I thought this filter did this quite well. If you look at the texture on the handle of the camera in the image you can see how it's just sort of softened that texture. Imagine shooting a person and you can imagine how much you would be able to smooth out the skin.
It also comes in a nice little screw together plastic case. Inside the case are these little rubber stopper than prevent the filter from sliding around in the case. I love the attention to detail here.
So compared to the Tiffen version of this lens at the size I got which was 82mm the K&F Black Mist is about $40 cheaper. I think you are getting a lot of value for your money here. I can't wait to try out this filter on some upcoming shoots.
I think K&F is making a move into higher end filters and if this filter is an example of the kind of quality they can produce, I can't wait to see what filter they release next.
11/04/2023