First off, I'm a fan of K&F's products, I try to use them as much as I can during photo sessions, since they just give good consistent results.

However, the ONE complaint I've always had, is that K&F's product line was quite limited to low to mid range products. Don't get me wrong, they are amazing for what they are.. and I LOVE having them on location. But, as with any product I use in the field, they're often NOT the same products I will used in a fully controlled environment. In a perfect world, I would be able to take all of my studio gear on location, and not have to worry about potential damage to my gear.

To that end, K&F's mid-range type of filters and equipment have worked extremely well..

However.. I've always wondered.. what if my preferred manufacturers actually produced higher end gear.. would the results be as good? Better? What might I be missing, by taking certain types of gear, over others?

When I saw that K&F was producing a 'Nano' sort of lineup, a while ago, I was excited.. but also somewhat concerned... I already had my high end filters that I would use on special occasions, and for studio work... would K&F be able to actually meet that quality? If so.. could I stop buying gear from manufacturers that I didn't want to use, due to their awful customer support practices?

When I saw this filter pop up on my recommended feed.. my curiosity got the better of me, and I had to order it.

I grabbed the 82mm version, since my primary workhorse lenses are 82mm. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, is commonly my 'Go To', though having rented and used a Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III, a few times, now.. and having it on my wish list.. both use 82mm filters.

After using it for a couple of sessions, now... both studio and on location, I have some initial short term thoughts:

Exposure change is minimal. - This is a big deal, since so many 'cost effective' polarizers will often drastically impact exposure. I've seen some filter change the EV by as much as a full stop. At that point, a CPL is operating more like a slight ND filter, and is not really optimal if all you're wanting is glare reduction. This one, I would say reduced the EV by roughly 1/8th of a stop when installed.

Color shift also seems to be minimal, if there is any at all - CPLs are also often plagued with the problem of changing the color of a scene, when they're applied, and in the case of variable polarizers, you may even experience a color shift while adjusting the amount of filtering being applied. This isn't ideal, as it just means you're going to have to do more color adjustment in post. Now, that said, keep in mind, the way a variable CPL works, if that if you reduce the glare from a source that is producing a color cast, you WILL have some color shift. This is just the nature of light.. similar to using a gold colored reflector for a subject illumination. If you remove the gold color from the reflector, there WILL be a color change. This is not the same as a filter created color shift.

Distortion seems to be non-existent - This is ANOTHER problem that so many filters (in general) have, and can often be so slight, as to not be seen until you're working with your files (RAW or otherwise) in post. I've seen a large number of filters absolutely ruin photos in the past, so it's something I tend to be VERY twitchy about. This filter seems to have no distortion at all. I'm EXTREMELY happy for that.

Quality & build - This filter has 2 parts to it. When I say that, I don't mean there's 2 physical parts that you have to attach... just that there is the static mount, that attaches to the end of the lens, and the adjustable portion that floats and rotates on the end. The static mount is actually a bit on the small side, which means if you are going to be attaching this to your lens, with any bit of snugness, you may want to use a filter tool for it.

NOTE: This filter does NOT have a forward facing threaded mount. If you use a lens hood that attached via the filter threads, it WILL NOT WORK with this filter. Additionally, the lack of a forward thread also means you cannot stack this filter with others, OR you will want to use it as your last filter in the stack. I know.. there is some photographer out there, right now, reading this, who is screaming that you shouldn't stack filters, ever.. but you saying that, doesn't change the fact that there ARE those that do. If you DO still want to use the CPL as a middle filter, you're going to need to get some external mount adapters to do so.

Case - The case the filter comes in, is actually a nice little leather and denim case, with a pull string on the side, that will push the filter out for you. My only gripe with this case, as with so many others, is that it'd be nice if the case had a small insert for a label. When carrying around a kit of filters, and you're operating in lower light conditions, it's often a pain to read the edges of the filters to determine which one you're grabbing. Adding a small label pouch would be an awesome addition.

Un-important - The packaging of the filter is quite nice, having a sturdy foam framed box, and including a microfiber cloth is a nice touch. The fact that the box turns into a 'picture frame' is gimmicky, and borderline insulting, as if the average person buying this were a child, who may become super excited over using a dense foam-board package as a photo frame. It's a $180 lens filter... the person buying this isn't going to spend that, and then not buy a decent frame for any photos they produce. This sort of marketing gimmick might work for those individuals buying a $20 CPL for their instagram photos.. but this filter is clearly aimed at the higher end photographer.

So.. that brings us to the big question.. how are the results? Honestly, I can't find a reason to complain at all. Colors come through as expected, no distortion, and absolutely no image reduction. The smaller mount point on the front lens element keeps flaring down to a minimal, and produces nice, crisp fantastic images.

The variable polarization works as expected, but I would have liked to see it spread a bit more evenly around the lens. Right now, when I turn the adjustment ring, there seems to be an awful lot of lack of polarization for a good amount of the filter, before the polarization kicks in, quickly.. a more gradual approach would have been preferred, BUT, that's nothing different from the current high end CPL I'd been using, either.


That said, so far I'm immensely happy with the results I'm seeing with this CPL, and I'm cautiously optimistic that my long term experience will keep me comfortable with this CPL... time will tell, but for now, I'm cautiously recommending it, even at its current price.

First of all, I was pretty impressed with the packaging this filter came in.

It’s good to see that at this price point, exceptional-quality packaging is used to protect this gear which is relatively expensive for what it is. It’s just a piece of glass right? Well, actually no. I found that it functions best, at least in my application, for reducing glare of windows, windshields, water, and basically anything that has a reflection.

I can shoot video on a car and eliminate the distracting elements of trees passing by, or just the environment in which the car is in.

This is truly a beautiful piece of glass, and you don’t have to worry about it “downgrading” your footage or photos. It’s definitely more of an upgrade.

Aunque tengo un filtro de esta misma marca que hace su función correctamente, no permite modificar la luz y el contraste. Este filtro sí lo permite, aunque sutilmente, permite girar suavemente la lente una vez acoplado y modificar en luz, contraste y color la percepción de la imagen. No es un cambio con mucha variación, pero permite retocar levemente la intensidad con que se capta una imagen.
Se le podía poner un punto negativo por el precio, pero, en mi opinión, es una valoración personal y relativa.
La calidad es muy buena y cumple perfectamente su cometido.

wasn't actually a big fan of filters, but it always had to be a POL filter. As an ignorant photographer, you get it drummed into you again and again: get a polarizing filter, you need it, because you can never get the effects of it in post-processing. So I started with cheap polarizing filters and quickly stopped. I currently have a pole filter from Rodenstock, with which I am actually very satisfied, apart from the fact that it is sometimes a bit bitchy when screwing it on and off. So far I only knew K&F in the cheaper filter line and was therefore looking forward to a comparison with my Rodenstock. The polarizing filter makes a great impression right out of the box and gave me a "wow" effect. The frame is made of brass metal and feels extremely good and high quality. The screw thread is manufactured with absolute precision and the filter itself has a strong, high-quality coating. What I then noticed when using it: how easily it can be screwed onto the lens and unscrewed again. In fact, I've never had that with any other filter. No snagging, no jerking, nothing. It doesn't degrade my photos in any way. No ghosting, no flares, no color cast. Absolutely great. All in all, I am extremely surprised by the high quality of this filter and will therefore continue to keep an eye on K&F when it comes to other filters. I am extremely satisfied and can therefore recommend it without hesitation, despite the higher price.

The CPL filter from K&F comes in such an attractive packaging that you can immediately conclude that you have something really high-quality in your hand. In the box you will find a noble-looking case with a magnetic closure, which protects the filter very well. This CPL filter is "slim", which has the small disadvantage that you can't hold it a little harder when turning. Which brings us to the only small point of criticism on my part. Otherwise you get a very high-quality CPL filter here, which fulfills its purpose brilliantly, namely to reduce or prevent reflections, which makes the photos appear richer in contrast and more interesting in color as soon as they are taken. In post-processing, there are limits in this respect, and quite apart from that, I very often save myself post-processing because the photos simply come out of the camera in a more harmonious way and without looking artificial. The quality is impeccable, the filter itself is of very high quality. The image quality is perfect, no color fringes or distortions. For that 5 stars. A filter that I absolutely recommend!

Viene fornito un filtro di polarizzazione da 82 mm del marchio K&F Concept della serie Nano-X PRO. Nel complesso, trovo la presentazione molto preziosa, accattivante e va per me nell'area PRO - anche il prezzo ;-). L'unboxing è stata un'esperienza WOW! Un filtro che ti fa sorridere quando lo disimballi deve essere buono - ..e lo è. Penso che il filtro sia davvero fantastico! È ben fatto, fa un'impressione di alta qualità, può essere facilmente avvitato sul Tamron 24-70mm 2.8f G2, la resa dell'immagine è ottima e non vedo macchie scure, "ghosting" o simili ai bordi (come con altri produttori / prodotti più economici). I riflessi possono già essere eliminati quando si scattano foto, il che a sua volta riduce la noiosa post-elaborazione. A questo punto ho lasciato il test antigraffio, dopotutto voglio usare il buon vetro con le massime prestazioni ;) Non ho bisogno di un graffio su di esso per il momento, verrà inevitabilmente da solo ad un certo punto. un problema: l'imballaggio, cioè la scatola di trasporto, non è mio al 100 % - perché? Perché sono più un tipo dal guscio duro, dove posso mettere il filtro. Ben strutturato in sé, ma non altrettanto pratico per me personalmente. Conclusione: per me il filtro polarizzatore è un'ottima scelta. Certamente non un dentice a prima vista, ma ottieni anche un prodotto di alta qualità a un prezzo del genere. Ho già menzionato la debolezza con il caso di cui sopra. Non è proprio il mio genere, ma alla fine è anche una questione di gusti. Alla fine quello che conta è la qualità del filtro polarizzatore, ed è ottimo!

The K&F Concept 77mm Circular Polarizers Filter Super Slim with 36 Multi-Layer Coatings, High Definition Circular Polarizing Filter (CPL) Camera Lens Filter (Nano-X PRO Series):

Is one of the finest quality filters I've used. Everything about this is premium. From the packaging to the filter wallet to the product itself is top notch. It has a brass powder-coated frame and high quality, crystal clear optics. A filter I don't feel too bad putting in front of my best glass. The threads are precisely machined and screw in and out very smoothly. The CP rotation feels impossibly, buttery smooth. Like its hydraulic but it's not, it's just a ridiculously smooth action. Like a high quality potentiometer. The knurling feels very nice, and over all the whole thing feels really great in the hand. As far as the polarization effect it works as it should and as expected, and with crystal clear optics. The included filter wallet is made from suede and heavy denim, with a pull ribbon to retrieve the filter with out stick your fingers down the pouch. The whole thing is rather lux. The packaging itself is a very classy, thick black box, with gold accents. the box also turns into a picture frame. The package also contains a microfiber cloth. Overall this is a very deluxe filter. It is a bit pricey, however the quality meets the price for sure. You get what you pay for sometimes and this is one of those times. You don't want to buy top quality lenses, costing thousands of dollars, and put a cheap filter on it. This is the type of filter you can feel good using on your best lenses. Precision machining and great quality glass.

K&F has always been known as a company that produces fairly inexpensive gear that performs "good enough" for most non-professional situations. With this filter, it appears K&F is going after the professional shooters.

The optical quality of this filter is fantastic. I had zero glaring issues when using this outside which is something I usually run into with budget filters. There was very little color cast even when using at the higher strengths. It comes with just a fantastic high quality case.

I hope to see more filters like this from K&F. I am a big fan of really high quality gear which it seems K&F is starting to produce now.

Filter is nice and I would recommend this product

I shoot professional gear and don't mind paying for products that produce first class results, are durable, and are simple to use. This filter meets my criteria for a professional quality photography product.

The optics are high quality. I don't see any aberrations in the resulting images. Mechanically, the movement of the filter is very smooth. We'll see how it does with some weather and grit, but I expect it will continue to operate well. I put this up against the very best I have used and never look back. This company has produced an excellent, professional quality filter.