Understanding Variable Neutral Density (VND) Filters
Variable Neutral Density filters, also known as VND filters, have a wide variety of applications for photography and videography. VND filters reduce the amount of light entering your camera, allowing you to control bright conditions, while achieving your desired shutter speed and aperture. Dial in your shot without affecting any of your camera settings or composition.
In still photography, VND filters allow you to reduce shutter speeds to achieve dramatic effects like long exposure photography and blurred seascapes. VND filters allow you to keep a larger aperture while lengthening your shutter speed. You can maintain a shallower depth-of-field in the photo by using a large aperture.
For videography, you can control exposure while capturing footage in bright or changing light conditions without adjusting the lens aperture to achieve the desired depth of field. Reducing the amount of light entering your lens also helps to maintain the proper frame rate without changing your lens’ aperture. This is especially helpful when capturing video footage outdoors on a bright day, where lighting cannot be controlled as well as it would be in a studio or indoor set. Adding a VND filter lets you maintain the proper shutter speed settings, allowing you to abide by the 180 degree rule (shutter speed is double that of your frame rate).
ProMaster offers a standard HGX Prime VND filter with 1.3-8 stops of density range and a HGX Prime VND Extreme filter with 5.3-12 stops of density range. These filters are manufactured using ultra-hardened, scratch resistant optical glass that is individually ground, polished, and coated with 36 layers of anti-reflective multi-coatings. A Repellamax II anti-static barrier resists dust, dirt, oil, water, and fingerprints. The small, removable, knurled knob on these VND filters allow for fast, precise adjustments to the filter. Just take hold of the tactile control knob and rotate to the desired density. Each filter is packaged in an environmentally-friendly, minimalist container that can also be used for storing the filter when not in use.
On the other end of the spectrum, ProMaster offers Basis VND filters. Basis VND Filters are a great option for content creators just getting started who want to harness the creative possibilities of VND filters. All ProMaster Basis filters are constructed from polished optical glass with a special multi-coating formula. These are an excellent VND filter at a value price for newer photographers.
VND filters are a must have for creative control. With a twist of the VND filter’s ring, you are in complete command over any lighting condition. Unleash the power of long exposures, maintain frame rates when capturing video content in bright settings, and improve your image capture.
Posted October 18, 2024.
