This filter is designed to make it so you can take pictures of solar activities! And it is DARK! It does the job well. The construction is a nice solid with a good weight. Screwes into my lens effortlessly. They did a great job putting it together. Get your hands on one now before they all disappear for the solar eclipse this year!

Update 1/26/2024 - an acquaintance asked about the lack of ISO-12312-2 certification in this ND filter, because he read a review that stated it was important. The ISO-12312-2 standard is meant ONLY for DIRECT VIEWING type glasses. It does NOT apply to to camera filter, as such you will not likely find that ISO cert on solar camera ND filters.

This filter does what it's advertised to do, reduce light by about 16.6 stops so you can safely take pictures of the Sun without damaging your sensor or your sight. I've included a quick test picture, sorry focus could be better. This is a good solar filter for a reasonable price.

I picked this up in preparation for a trip to (hopefully) catch the 2024 total solar eclipse. I intended to use it on a Nikon d300 with a Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4.0 lens (and 1.4x teleconverter). I used this setup previously to photograph the 2017 eclipse, except with a homemade filter made from ISO 12312-2 compliant film.

When I saw this, I was excited by the prospect of having a true photographic filter to view and photograph the eclipse. But the more I looked into this, the more I don't think this is a good choice for me. The listing indicates that this filter is designed for solar photography, and that is not untrue. However, I will be shooting with an SLR, which provides a direct optical path to my eye. Unlike ISO 12312-2 compliant filters, there is no indication that this filter meets the safety standards necessary to ensure no damage to my vision. If my camera had a good way to live-view the image on the screen, that would not be as big a concern, but then I might need to worry about continuous exposure of the sensor to the same wavelengths that can damage my eyes (particularly UV).

So in the end, I'm not going to chance it. However, I may find some use for this filter in extreme long-exposure photography. I briefly attempted to play around with this handheld, but 16 stops is a LOT, and I was looking at exposures over 8 seconds (at ISO 3200!) just to get something that wasn't completely black.

The filter itself is nice enough, but I'm withholding a star because the listing should be absolutely clear as to whether this meets ISO 12312-2. Your eyesight is more precious than any photo you could possibly take. Be very careful using this filter to look at the son (even through a camera).

This little filter is pretty awesome. Packaging solid and impressive. I put this on my Canon 5d Mark 3 with my 70 -200L and it's pretty legit. I will say I am going to have to brush up on my settings being I typically shoot sports but this filter is a must have if you are going to shoot solar shots.

Pros:
Solid Packaging
Quality Materials
Well Made

Cons:
None as of yet but till update if there are any

This filter was a lot of fun to play with today. I used it with my A7 and did some really great solar shots. I love the grip on the filter. It is well made and the grip on the side is a nice, rugged feel. The lens itself I don’t really have many complaints. It feels amazing, looks high end, materials are top notch. The lens produced som amazing direct sunlight photos and the layering on the lens really made a huge difference. I have another lens with a few less coatings and you can tell a huge difference between the two. The only reason I deducted a star was because it was a little only to screw onto my lens. We all know lens cost the amount of your first born so I should never have to force screw anything lens onto it. It should glide easily. It took me a little longer to get it to glide onto my lens without making me cringe or gasp for air. Other than that little flaw, I love this lens and I do recommend it, especially if you’re into eclipse and moon shoots.